Dorking Museum and Heritage Centre

About the museum

Dorking Museum was planned in 1939, and after the Second World War a committee formed in 1945 began to collect exhibits. The Ashcombe Collection of local fossils, animal bones and minerals arrived in the late 1940s. In 1974 the museum took over a building that had been part of the Dorking Foundry behind West Street, and it opened there in 1976. A second building holding the archive was added, and the extended museum opened in 1983.

The museum was reorganised in 2001 and received a bequest in 2003 that paid for renovating both buildings. After a closure for refurbishment from 2008, the archives moved to the first floor of the Old Foundry Building and three ground-floor rooms were joined into one gallery. The museum gained full Arts Council Accreditation in 2024.

The permanent exhibition follows the story of Dorking and nearby villages from the Cretaceous period to the twentieth century, with themes such as prehistory, the medieval manor, the turnpike road, country estates, suffrage, sport, work, tourism, the two World Wars, transport and music. The museum is a registered charity run entirely by volunteers.

Highlights

• Chalk fossils from the Ashcombe Collection, including a Mantellisaurus tail
• Wedgwood pottery collection from Leith Hill Place
• Displays on the Mayflower passengers from Dorking and the composer Ralph Vaughan Williams
• Map of the Manor of Dorking from 1649
• The Dorking Cockerel and displays on local manufacturing

Permanent exhibition

• Permanent Exhibition – The story of Dorking and nearby villages from the Cretaceous period to the twentieth century, following a timeline or themes such as prehistory, estates, suffrage, work and the World Wars.

Founded

1976

Operated by

Dorking Museum (registered charity, trustees: Council of the Dorking Society)

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

Entry is free. Group visits outside opening hours cost £35, school visits £25 and private viewings £35 per visit. Members of the museum have unlimited free entry to other ticketed activities and 10% off in the shop.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom
• Accessible parking
• Service dogs welcome
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The entrance and exhibition area are fully accessible to wheelchairs and mobility scooters, and the toilet is accessible. The first-floor archive is not wheelchair accessible; staff can arrange for material to be viewed in the main gallery. Seating is provided in all areas, and only assistance dogs are admitted. One parking space for visitors with mobility needs can be reserved by email, and disabled spaces are also available in the North Street and Church Street car parks.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Hands-on stations

Family Activity Days are held regularly for children up to age 10, and parents stay with their children. Children can do drawing and making activities and try dressing up.

Getting there & parking

Coaches can drop off in front of Dorking Halls (RH4 1SG) and walk down the High Street; there is no designated coach parking.

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop

The museum shop is also available online.

Events & venue rental

• Private parties

Private viewings can be booked out of hours; the museum does not advertise room hire.

Plan your visit