Council exploring plans to make revamped museum the home of Britain’s largest ichthyosaur
Cabinet is to consider proposals that aim to make our county museum the home of the Rutland Sea Dragon.


Rutland County Council is set to discuss proposals that will enhance its heritage services and boost the local economy by transforming Rutland County Museum into a state-of-the-art cultural and civic centre.
If approved, detailed design work would begin to reimagine the museum and Catmose Cottage site as a new cultural hub. The globally significant Rutland Ichthyosaur skeleton - Britain’s largest and most complete fossil of its kind - could become the centrepiece of the plans alongside a new digital visitor experience that brings the County’s Roman Mosaic to life.
The proposals, which will be considered by Rutland County Council’s cabinet on 11 February, include acquiring the Rutland Ichthyosaur (known as a Sea Dragon) from Anglian Water to become part of the council’s accredited museum collection.
These ambitious set of proposals are intended see the magnificent Rutland Ichthyosaur brought to life alongside other valuable local treasures inside a much-improved museum building. This has huge potential in terms of attracting more visitors to our area, supporting local businesses and ensuring the long-term sustainability of Rutland’s priceless heritage assets.
Following a thorough review of potential options, the approach to developing an enhanced cultural and civic centre at Rutland County Museum is considered the most sustainable and economically positive way to preserve and celebrate Rutland’s rich history for generations to come. If approved, we will begin the detailed design process, working closely with key stakeholders to explore how best to create a high-quality space for both residents and visitors.
Councillor Gale Waller, Leader of Rutland County Council
Rutland County Council has explored a number of avenues to ensure the most viable option is progressed, helping the authority to secure a long-term future for Rutland County Museum, supporting the local economy, reducing the ongoing running costs for the council’s heritage services and securing a home for historical artefacts of international significance.
Discover Rutland are excited and offer our enthusiastic support for the proposed refurbishment of the county museum, with the aim of transforming it into a major attraction for Oakham. This development represents a unique opportunity to enhance the visitor experience for both our cultural and historical offering in Rutland as well as being a community facility. It is proposed that this will also be home to the recently discovered ichthyosaur in digitalisation form which will undoubtedly receive both national and international interest.
Tourism is a key driver in the Rutland economy bringing in excess of £170m to the county annually and attracting some 1.5m visitors. The refurbishment of the museum will be a transformative project for the local economy and our cultural heritage, creating a lasting impact for years to come and another visitor attraction to encourage longer stays in the county.”
Jason Allen, Chair of the Discover Rutland Tourism Committee
The cultural elements of the plans would be funded through the £22.95 million UK Government Funding (formerly known as Levelling Up Funding) as part of the Rural Innovation in Action programme. This includes the digitalisation of the Rutland Ichthyosaur and Roman Mosaic, as well as the development of a new visitor experience. Further enhancements would depend on securing additional external grants, including National Lottery Heritage Funding.
To learn more about the plans for Rutland County Museum, which form part of Rutland’s joint Rural Innovation in Action scheme with Melton, please visit the Rural Innovation in Action website.
To read the agenda and reports for Rutland County Council’s cabinet meeting on 11 February, please visit our Council meetings page.