MUSEUMS

(those with geological interest)

• Bognor Regis Museum -  A small but well presented museum run by volunteers of the Local History Society. It includes a small display of local fossils from the London Clay Formation (Eocene) from Bognor foreshore.
• Booth Museum of Natural History, Brighton -  The geology collection includes important specimens of insects in amber, local fossils collected by geologists Henry Willett, Charles Potter and R.M. Brydone, and examples of rocks and minerals. The Library includes over 14,000 natural history texts dating from the 17th century to the present day. The museum also holds and manages Sussex geological data.
• Chichester District Museum - A display of local fossils from the Chalk of the South Downs and Palaeogene (Eocene) deposits of Bracklesham Bay, with more specimens in reserve collections. The museum runs a number of geology activities each year. Design of a new museum to be built on the site of the Roman baths in Tower Street, Chichester (near the public library) is currently in progress.
• Cuckfield Museum - The displays include the Iguanodon story and Gideon Mantell.
• Haslemere Museum -  Displays include a comprehensive range of fossils, local geological specimens and a genuine meteorite. The museum also houses some personal belongings of the world renowned geologist Sir Archibald Geikie, such as his tools, working notes, watercolour sketches and other personal correspondence.
• Horsham Museum - In the 1980s, the bones of a unique dinosaur, Polacanthus rudgewickensis were discovered at Rudgwick Brickworks. The fossils of this armadillo shaped dinosaur, weighing over five tons, were found near the remains of two unique fossil dragonflies. These finds are the star exhibits in the display of Horsham District fossils. Another display illustrates minerals and semi precious stones.
• Weald & Downland Open Air Museum - Located at Singleton, north of Chichester, this is principally a museum of Wealden buildings well worth visiting in its own right. There are small displays of building stones and a geological trail guide is in preparation for those buildings that include stone in their construction.
• Worthing Museum - The museum has a representative collection of the fossils that are found in the chalk of the South Downs and along the beaches. These include more unusual items such as a woolly mammoth's tusk and tooth, huge ammonites and the remains of an Iguanodon that was found at Southwater.