Blandford Town Museum

About the museum

Blandford Town Museum is a community museum run entirely by volunteers. In the second half of the 19th century an earlier museum existed above a grocer's shop in the town. The present museum began as a project in 1974 led by John and Sue Tupper. In 1979 the building, a former coach house connected to Bastard House, was bought with the help of the William Williams Trust, and after extensive renovation the museum opened in April 1985. Its first curator, the late Ben Cox, developed the collection and started the archives that researchers still use.

The ground floor shows a timeline from the 20th century back to prehistoric times, with a Victorian dolls' house, longcase clocks, reconstructions of a forge and a cobbler's workshop, a diorama of the fire that destroyed most of the town in 1731, medieval tiles, Roman remains and the skeleton of a Bronze Age dog. The first floor is devoted to themes such as musical instruments, old technology, a Victorian scullery, militaria, wartime Blandford, Nepal and the Gurkhas, and a working model of the former Blandford railway station.

The museum also keeps archives for family and local history research and works with schools. It has a Victorian garden, an archaeology group and the Blandford Environmental Trust, and it is run by the Blandford Forum Museum, Heritage and Arts Trust.

Highlights

• Diorama of the Great Fire of 1731
• Skeleton of a Bronze Age dog found during bypass construction
• Working OO-gauge model of the former Blandford railway station
• Victorian scullery and a Victorian dolls’ house
• Wartime Blandford and militaria; Victorian garden

Permanent exhibitions

• Ground floor timeline – Objects tracing Blandford and the surrounding area from the 20th century back to prehistoric times, including a diorama of the 1731 fire.
• First floor themed exhibits – Musical instruments, old technology, a Victorian scullery, militaria, wartime Blandford and Nepal and the Gurkhas.
• Model railway – A scale OO-gauge model of the former Blandford railway station and goods yard, built by the Museum Railway Club.

Founded

1985

Operated by

Blandford Forum Museum, Heritage and Arts Trust

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

Entry is free; donations are welcome. Membership, friends and patron schemes are available.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: not available
• Accessible restroom: not available
• Accessible parking
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description

The ground floor has step-free, level access with a slight incline at the main entrance (door width 80 cm), but there is no lift to the first floor; touch screens on the ground floor show some of the upstairs objects. A Touch Table lets visitors handle objects. NaviLens codes give directional information and audio descriptions for blind and visually impaired visitors; phones with the apps can be borrowed from reception. Padded benches are at the far end of the museum. The museum has no public toilets; the Blandford Information Centre toilets, including an accessible toilet, are about 0.2 miles away. Wheelchairs can be hired from North Dorset Disability Action Group, 0.2 miles from the museum.

Kids & families

• Hands-on stations

The Touch Table lets visitors handle objects, and the shop stocks children’s books, toys and activities.

Getting there & parking

The museum is close to the Market Place; look for the sign above the entrance to Bere’s Yard, opposite the church of St Peter and St Paul. What3words address: couches.lawfully.blueberry.

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop

The shop sells gifts, cards, jewellery, children’s books and toys, local honey and preserves from the Victorian Garden Group. A Victorian garden is open to visitors as a quiet space. There are no public toilets in the museum.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Private parties
• Corporate events

Up to 30 guests.

The museum can be hired on Wednesdays or in the evenings for 20 to 30 people, from £10 an hour; there are projection facilities and a small kitchen area.

Plan your visit