The Lyme Regis Museum Blog has moved...

After two years hosted by Google Blogger, the Lyme Regis Museum blog now has a new home on the main Museum website. The old blog http://lymeregismuseum.blogspot.co.uk will no longer be updated, so if you are following via RSS or have it bookmarked please change the link to http://www.lymeregismuseum.co.uk/the-museum-blog.

The Great Fires of Lyme Regis

One of the most striking objects to be seen inside Lyme Regis Museum is the 18th century hand-powered fire engine, which has been a treasured exhibit ever since the Museum opened in 1921. Sadly, the fire engine never had much success in putting out fires, as can be seen from this photograph taken after its last attempted use in 1889. The fire engine, itself miraculously unharmed, is standing amid a scene of devastation under the wall in Broad Street opposite the Royal Lion Hotel.

The photograph comes from a fascinating new research paper about the Lyme Regis fire engine and the numerous great fires it witnessed. The paper was written by Richard Bull following a talk by Thea Hawksworth, and is the latest in the "History of Lyme Regis in Museum Objects" series. All the papers, including "The Fire Engine and Lyme’s Great Fires", can be downloaded by clicking here.

Trapped in the Jurassic!

"Jurassic Dreams" is the latest in the ongoing re:collection series of exhibitions in the Rotunda gallery at Lyme Regis Museum. The idea behind the series, organised jointly by the Museum and Lyme Regis Artsfest  is to encourage local artists to take inspiration from the Museum itself. For this latest installment, Keith Robinson has devised an exciting illustrated story that starts with two children exploring an eccentric old museum. They discover a secret room containing dusty old instructions for building a time machine, and before long they find themselves... Trapped in the Jurassic!

As well as this new story, the exhibition showcases a wide range of Keith's other work, which you can preview at his website Jurassic Dreams. As well as his children's illustrations, Keith created the Lyme Regis town map that can be seen a short distance from the Museum at the corner of Marine Parade (see photo below). You can read the story of how this large and intricate map was created, and see some of the intermediate steps, in Keith's exhibition.

Museum events in June

5.30 pm Thursday 6th June at The Town Mill Malthouse

The Lymiad / Dinner with Dr Buckland

"Dinner with Dr Buckland" is a black comedy, written in verse, taking a swipe at the eating habits of the the great 19th century geologist, William Buckland ("eating his way though the animal kingdom"). It will be performed by Fred Humphrey and Sandra Lello and following it they will read extracts from The Lymiad, a satirical poem about Lyme in the 19th century, written anonymously in the form of letters from Lyme to a friend in Bath. In conclusion, Professor Hugh Torrens, who is an expert on Mary Anning, will talk about his theories as to the author's identity. Organised by The Friends of Lyme Regis Museum. Tickets £3 (members £2); telephone 01297 443370 or email "info [at] lymeregismuseum.co.uk" for more information.

EXHIBITION

Until 14 July in the Museum's Rotunda Gallery

Jurassic Dreams!

An exhibition by children's illustrator Keith Robinson.

FOSSIL WALKS

Thursday 6th June 9am
Friday 7th June 9.30am
Saturday 8th June 10.15am
Sunday 9th June 10.45am
Monday 10th June 11.15am (fully booked)
Tuesday 11th June 11.45am
Wednesday 12th June 12.15pm
Thursday 13th June 1pm
Saturday 22nd June 9am
Sunday 23rd June 10am
Monday 24th June 11am
Tuesday 25th June 11.45am
Wednesday 26th June 12.30pm
Thursday 27th June 1.15pm

MARY ANNING WALKS

Saturday 1 June 1.30pm
Saturday 8 June 1.30pm
Saturday 15 June 1.30pm
Saturday 22 June 1.30pm
Saturday 29 June 1.30pm

LYME HISTORY WALKS

Saturday 1 June 11am
Monday 3 June 11am
Saturday 8 June 11am
Monday 10 June 11am
Saturday 15 June 11am
Monday 17 June 11am
Saturday 22 June 11am
Monday 24 June 11am
Saturday 29 June 11am

ROCKPOOLING WALKS

Wednesday 5th June 9.30am
Friday 14th June 3.00pm
Friday 21st June 9.30am
Friday 28th June 3.30pm