Mary Anning Statue

After a short walk from the bustling center of Lyme Regis, Dorset, you will see her up on the walkway. Bronze and mysterious, Looking over the dark crags of the Jurassic coast that she once fossicked along. Though the fossilized skeleton of the Plesiosaurus that she discovered in 1823 hangs in the London Natural History Museum, Mary Anning is an often-unsung hero of paleontology.

Her discoveries helped Charles Darwin solidify his theory of evolution and pave the way for modern scientific theories. The statue was campaigned for by Mary Anning Rocks, a charity started by a local mother and daughter who were tired of the lack of tangible recognition for their local hero. The statue features detailed fossils and a re-creation of Anning’s faithful dog, Tray.

Not far from the statue is the Lyme Regis Museum. Located on the site of the Anning family’s former home and Mary’s first fossil shop, the small museum has a collection of the paleontologist’s personal items and fossils that she discovered.