Lyme Regis Aquarium

The Lyme Regis Marine Aquarium sits in an old fisherman's store at the end of the Cobb, the historic harbour wall that curves out into Lyme Bay. Run by the Wason family, who have fished from Lyme for generations, it focuses entirely on species found in the surrounding waters, giving visitors a close look at the marine life of the Jurassic Coast.

Tanks are home to native fish such as bass, mullet, conger eels, wrasse and small-spotted catsharks, alongside crabs, lobsters, anemones and a popular tank where visitors can feed grey mullet by hand. Touch tanks let children handle starfish and other rock-pool creatures under supervision, and informative talks explain how the catch and the bay's ecology have changed over the years.

The setting is part of the appeal: the aquarium occupies a characterful stone building right on the harbour, with views back to the town and the cliffs of Black Ven. It pairs well with a walk along the Cobb itself, a fossil hunt on the nearby beach, or a visit to Lyme Regis Museum just along the seafront.