Dorset and Devon museums have scooped £200,000 of lottery cash for Jurassic Coast projects.

The Dorset County Museums Advisory Service, working in partnership with coastal museums in Dorset and Devon, has been awarded the money by the Heritage Lottery Fund to purchase and display exceptional fossils in local museums.

The project entitled Jurassic Life was made to the Heritage Lottery Fund's Collecting Cultures initiative and was one of only six bids to receive the maximum amount available. 

Collecting Cultures was massively over-subscribed with 95 applications totalling over £13.3 million received for an available budget of £3 million. 

Only 22 bids were successful and the Jurassic Life bid was the only successful bid from the South West. 

David Tucker, county museums adviser said "We are very grateful to the Heritage Lottery Fund for their support for Jurassic Life. This funding will put spectacular, locally-discovered fossils in local museums for the benefit of residents and visitors. I think it is marvellous that people will be able to see such startling evidence of amazing animals where they once lived."

Richard Edmonds, Earth Science Manager for the Jurassic Coast played a crucial role in this success. He said: "There are a great many fossils out there, some of huge scientific and educational value and I am absolutely delighted that this level of support has finally been secured for local museums."

David Crowhurst, County Council cabinet member for Community Services, said: "We are very pleased that this bid has proved successful. It is very good to see a wide partnership of large and small museums working together to improve their collections and bring new stories and treasures to museum visitors."

Museums as far apart as Swanage in Purbeck and Budleigh Salterton in East Devon will benefit from Jurassic Life. The initiative will not only fund the purchase of fossils, it will also ensure that they are displayed and made accessible to all and there will be a wide range of learning programmes and events associated with the project. It is expected that the Jurassic Life initiative will take between 18 months and two years to deliver.

For more information contact David Tucker, county museums adviser on 01305 228931 or Richard Edmonds, Earth Science Manager for the Jurassic Coast, on 01305 224477.