Fossils & dinosaurs

We look forward to sharing the Isle of Wight with you once again in the near future, whether you’re visiting for the first time or returning to your favourite home from home. In the meantime we ask that you please continue to follow Government guidelines and stay home, keeping happy and healthy, and helping to bring the date we can say “Welcome to the Island” ever closer.

Right now is the time to plan for when you can, to feel inspired and excited by everything there is to look forward to in the months ahead. We stay home now, so that we can all be together under the sun later.  We’ll see you by the sea, when the time is right. 

For more information and official Government guidelines at this time, tap here.

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The Isle of Wight is regarded as one of the richest areas for Dinosaur discovery in Europe, which has already earned it the title “Dinosaur Island”. In addition to that it was named the UK’s Dinosaur Capital as part of a new Dinosaur Map of Britain, which was compiled by Dr Paul Barrett, Merit Researcher from the Natural History Museum!

There is a great range of dinosaur attractions and activities available on the Isle of Wight, with some fantastic opportunities for dinosaur and fossil enthusiasts. These include musuems such as the award winning Dinosaur Isle, fossil hunts with experts such as Dinosaur Fossil Hunts and Footprint Tours, and also beaches such as Brook where you can discover your own fossils!

Try the all new Dinosaur Experience at Blackgang Chine, the first of it's kind in the UK, with your chance to get "up close and personal" with two baby Tyrannosaurus Rex flanked by their trained handlers. You can also dare to enter "Restricted Area 5" with one of the biggest collections of animatronic dinosaurs in the world!

At The Needles Landmark Attraction they are showing "The Lost World 4D" in their recently added 4D Cinema, a fully immersive cinema experience taking you back in time with special effects letting you feel the action as it happens on screen.

Isle of Wight Dinosaur History

Fossil Tours

Did you know you can find your very own dinosaurs when you visit the Isle of Wight?! Two of our most popular beaches, Compton Bay and Yaverland, are hotspots for finding fossils. You can also join a guided fossil walk with one of the Isle of Wight's dinosaur experts.

Visit Dinosaur Isle that offers a great variety of dinosaur fossils, background and history.

Area 5 at Blackgang Chine

The "Restricted Area 5" takes Dinosaur experiences to another level, letting you get up close and personal with a whole host of life size moving dinosaurs at the UK's oldest theme park, Blackgang Chine. Enter through the Area 5 gates at your own risk and keep a look out for the full-size T-Rex - if you time it right you might even catch sight of the baby T-Rex pairing of Shadow and Sheila!

Take a look at the fascinating video below to find out how some of the scary dinosaurs at Blackgang Chine were created!

Find out more on Blackgang Chine

Meet Daisy

Daisy Morris is our new Children’s Ambassador for the Isle of Wight and a very special fossil hunter herself. Daisy discovered a brand new Dinosaur species on the Island when she was just 4 years old, and in honour of her discovery they named it after her! Read more about Daisy.

You too could be a fossil hunter like Daisy, click here to visit the beach close to where Daisy made her remarkable discovery!