Wiltshire Museum
Devizes museum with the largest collection of Early Bronze Age gold on public display in England, including treasures from the time of Stonehenge.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
Wiltshire Museum belongs to the Wiltshire Archaeological and Natural History Society, which was formed in 1853 to establish a museum and library and to promote the study of objects connected with the county. The museum has stood in the market town of Devizes since 1874. It occupies two Grade II listed Georgian houses, a Victorian school hall and a modern extension on Long Street, and the society still owns and runs it as an independent charity.
Its best-known holding is the largest collection of Early Bronze Age gold ever put on public display in England. Award-winning displays show about 500 objects from the time of Stonehenge, including some 30 pieces of gold treasure from burials such as Bush Barrow, among them the famous lozenge worn by a chieftain. A gallery on the Saxons tells how the kingdom of Wessex was made, with gold and garnet jewellery that belonged to an abbess, one of the first English gold shillings and the story of King Alfred and the Battle of Edington.
Other galleries tell the story of Devizes itself, from its Norman castle and medieval street plan to the Moonraker legend and its Georgian prosperity. The collections also include art, natural history and local history, and the museum has an archive and library that researchers can use. The collections are Designated by the government as nationally important, and the museum is Accredited.
Highlights
- Largest collection of Early Bronze Age gold on public display in England
- Treasures from the time of Stonehenge, including the Bush Barrow lozenge
- Saxon gallery with gold and garnet jewellery from an abbess
- Story of Devizes from its Norman castle to the Moonraker legend
- Gallery trail, Stonehenge building and Bronze Age costumes for children
Permanent exhibitions
- Prehistoric Wiltshire: Gold from the Time of Stonehenge – Half a million years of Wiltshire’s story with dozens of Bronze Age treasures including the Bush Barrow lozenge, plus a gallery trail and hands-on activities for children.
- Saxons: The Making of the Kingdom of Wessex – Saxon jewellery and weapons that tell of alliances and conflict between Wessex and Mercia, and of King Alfred and the Battle of Edington.
- Devizes: Explore the fascinating story – The history of Devizes from before the town, its Norman castle and medieval layout, to the Moonraker legend and Georgian prosperity.
- Founded
- 1853
- Operated by
- Wiltshire Archaeological and Natural History Society
Admission & discounts
| Adults | £8.50 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | £7.50Over 65s and students showing a valid ID card. |
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 17 · Up to four children under 18 are free with each paying adult, and must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. |
| Visitors with disabilities | freecompanion free · Carers accompanying a registered disabled visitor enter free. |
| Groups (10+ people) | £7.50 per personSelf-led group visit; the tour leader and the driver are free. A guided tour of the Prehistoric Wiltshire galleries costs £75 plus the per-head charge. Groups must book in advance. |
| Guided group tour of the Prehistoric Wiltshire galleries | £75Charged per group, in addition to the per-head price; minimum group size 10 |
Free admission: At least one free admission day each year, normally on Heritage Open Day in September.
Standard adult admission is £8.50 and concessions are £7.50; with Gift Aid they are £9.50 and £8.50. Temporary exhibitions and research visits to the archive and library are usually included in the admission. Free entry also applies to members of the Wiltshire Archaeological and Natural History Society, Art Fund members, Blue Badge guides and members of several partner museums, and English Heritage members receive a 50% reduction.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- Elevator
- 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
There is level access to the building and a platform lift serves all the galleries. The museum occupies two Grade II listed Georgian houses, a Victorian school hall and a modern extension, so there are small level changes at the entrances to the ground-floor galleries, for which portable ramps are available. One accessible toilet with baby-change is on the ground floor. An induction loop is available in the Lecture Hall, and large-print museum plans and gallery guides are available at reception. Assistance dogs are welcome. Parking can be arranged for visitors with special needs in the car park at the rear if they phone or email ahead, and there is a Blue Badge space at the front of the museum. A visual story helps visitors prepare for their visit.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Time needed | approx. 60 min |
|---|---|
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 17 |
- Family tours & workshops
- Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
- Hands-on stations
- Baby changing facilities
The museum describes itself as child-friendly. Children can follow the Archie and Ollie trail through the Prehistoric Wiltshire gallery, build Stonehenge, examine evidence under a microscope and try on Bronze Age costumes. The programme includes children’s clubs and holiday activities. Up to four children under 18 enter free with each paying adult.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Market Square
Buses stop at Market Square in Devizes, about 500 yards north of the museum, and run to railway stations at Bath, Swindon, Salisbury and Trowbridge and to Chippenham and Pewsey. Route 49 (Bath and Swindon) and Salisbury route 2 pass close to the museum.
By car
Parking available
A small museum car park behind the building is available for visitors during their visit but cannot be guaranteed, especially on event days; it closes at 17:00. The Station Road car park costs 90p for two hours, and there is on-street parking near the museum. A Blue Badge space is at the front and another at the rear. There is a bicycle rack in the museum car park.
- Accessible parking
The museum is on the west side of Long Street, about 500 yards south of Market Square, and is marked by a wrought-iron sign over an arched entrance. It is a ten-minute walk from the wharf on the Kennet and Avon Canal.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Café: not available
- Museum shop
- Coat check: not available
- Lockers
- Wi-Fi
There is no café on site and food and drink are not allowed in the galleries; visitors may use the museum garden and car park or visit cafés in the town. The shop is open when the museum is open, and non-visitors are welcome. Large bags over 45 cm and backpacks are not allowed, and a couple of small lockers are available. Free Wi-Fi is mentioned for visitors using the collections database in the library. The museum has no cloakroom.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | The museum suggests allowing at least one hour for a visit. Groups of more than 8 must pre-book, and groups of 10 to 70 can have a self-led visit or a guided tour of the Prehistoric Wiltshire galleries. The archive and library are open by appointment. Visitors may leave and re-enter the same day at no extra charge if they tell the front-of-house team. |
