Last Easter, the Stampede by the Sea Trail brought a wonderful splash of colour and creativity to Bridport, West Bay and Lyme Regis, as beautifully decorated elephant sculptures formed a family-friendly trail to raise funds for Weldmar Hospicecare. One of those much-loved elephants, Ropey—named in honour of Bridport’s rich rope-making Read more…
This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Jurassic Coast’s designation as a World Heritage Site, a milestone that the Discovery Centre is celebrating in the new Changing Landscapes exhibition. The exhibition invites visitors to step into the story of a coastline that has been changing for millions of years. Read more…
The Centre’s latest exhibition, Pier Terrace Through Time, has been a favourite with visitors — and runs weekends until 15th March 2026. Pier Terrace is West Bay’s most iconic building, and with 2025 marking its 140th anniversary, this feels like the perfect time to celebrate its remarkable story. Since its Read more…
📣 West Bay Discovery Centre Needs You! We’re looking for enthusiastic volunteers to become West Bay Ambassadors and offer a warm, friendly welcome to visitors at the Discovery Centre. This opportunity is perfect for anyone who loves local history and culture and enjoys chatting with people from all walks of Read more…
We are delighted to announce two exciting new exhibitions taking place at the West Bay Discovery Centre in 2026, exploring both the ancient geological story of our coastline and the remarkable lives of people connected to West Bay’s past. Changing Landscapes From Tuesday 17 March 2026 When we return to Read more…
We have Exciting News to share!!! We’ve been COMMENDED in the Dorset Tourism Awards 2024 in the Best Small Visitor Attraction category. The competition was tough and we wish good luck to Sculpture by the Lakes, Museum of East Dorset and HighCliffe Castle who are all finalists in this category!This Read more…
The West Bay Discovery Centre’s volunteers have been awarded The King’s Award for Voluntary Service for 2024, one of only two voluntary organisations in Dorset this year. This is the highest award a local voluntary group can receive in the UK and is equivalent to an MBE. The King’s Award Read more…
The 1st of October saw a new arrangement for the West Bay Discovery Centre, one which the Bridport Area Development Trust (BADT) believes will secure the continuing success of the award-winning Centre. The Bridport Communities Trust will be taking over the ownership of the building and the Bridport Town Council Read more…
We’re delighted to have been selected as a Travellers’ Choice Award Winner again for 2024. The award is given to establishments that have consistently received great reviews over the past 12 months and we are so very grateful to our visitors for their kind words and recommendations and placing us Read more…
The Victorian era was a time of remarkable progress, marked by an enthusiastic drive to expand Britain’s railway network. For many years, proposals were put forward to connect Bridport to the wider railway system, but none came to fruition until local determination took the lead. In 1857 a group of Read more…