Visiting the Messel Fossil Pit is a little bit tricky because, in some ways, there’s not a lot to see. Most of the important stuff – the fossils – has either been taken away or is still underground, waiting to be discovered. But it is still worth going because you do get good access to the site.

It’s possible to go on a guided tour into the pit area where you can see the oil shale and the hole in the ground where a lot of the work is happening. In the warmer months, there are usually researchers on the site digging through the rocks to find fossils and you can watch them work.

There are also some fossils or replicas that are on the site to see and touch, which gives you a good sense of what the scientists are looking for here. It’s estimated there are tens of thousands more fossils to find here so you may be lucky enough to witness a big discovery.

A lot of thought has also gone into the modern museum on the site and it’s an excellent place to visit. There are comprehensive exhibits about the formation of the pit and the process of exploration. There is also a collection of significant fossils that have been found here. It’s incredible to see how well preserved they are, considering they have been underground for up to 50 million years.