Dorset Museum & Art Gallery

Over het museum

The museum began in 1845, when William Barnes, Charles Bingham and Henry Moule joined forces to protect Dorchester's Roman sites and the county's natural history from the threat of new railways. It opened in 1846 in rented rooms on High West Street and moved several times before the present Gothic-style building by G. R. Crickmay became its permanent home in 1883.

Since 1928 it has been run by the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society. Thomas Hardy's papers and the contents of his study at Max Gate were bequeathed to the museum in 1937, and a series of galleries was added over the following decades. National Lottery funding supported the Tomorrow's Museum for Dorset project from 2015, which added a modern extension to the Victorian building.

Today the museum looks after about four million objects, from fossils such as a 155-million-year-old pliosaur to archaeology, local history, textiles, photography and fine art, including the Elisabeth Frink sculpture and print collection received in 2020. Four permanent galleries tell the story of the county, and a special exhibitions gallery shows changing displays.

Hoogtepunten

• Natural Dorset gallery with fossils including a pliosaur from Weymouth Bay
• People's Dorset gallery on 500,000 years of human history
• Hardy's Dorset gallery with the Thomas Hardy collection
• Artists' Dorset gallery of paintings, sculpture and prints
• Victorian Hall with Roman mosaic flooring and a stained-glass rose window

Vaste collectie

• Natural Dorset – A gallery on the geology, landscapes, habitats and wildlife of Dorset over 250 million years.
• People's Dorset – A gallery tracing 500,000 years of human history in Dorset around the themes of land, sea and community.
• Hardy's Dorset – A gallery on Dorset writers, in particular the life and work of Thomas Hardy.

Opgericht

1846

Beheerder

Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society

Toegangsprijzen & kortingen

Prices shown are the online advance prices for adults (£13.95) and young people (£11.70); on-the-door prices are £15.50 and £13. An admission ticket is an Unlimited Ticket that allows repeat visits for one year. Members of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, members of Wessex Museums partners and Art Fund National Art Pass holders enter free. Train and Morebus travellers can claim a 2-for-1 offer on site with a valid ticket. Tickets are non-refundable.

Toegankelijkheid

• Rolstoeltoegankelijk
• Lift
• Aangepast toilet
• Gehandicaptenparkeerplaats: geen informatie
• Hulphonden welkom
• Tastmodellen / voelbare objecten
• Rondleidingen in gebarentaal: geen informatie
• Informatie in eenvoudige taal: geen informatie
• Audiodescriptie: geen informatie

Step-free entrance on High West Street and step-free access to all areas except the mezzanine of the Victorian Hall. A passenger lift serves all floors except the Library, which has a platform lift (reported out of order at the time of research). Accessible toilets are on every floor and a Changing Places toilet is on the ground floor, neither needing a radar key. A manual wheelchair can be booked in advance, and folding chairs, a calm space and a story space are provided. Scooter storage and charging is available for up to two scooters. Fixed induction loops are at the welcome desk, learning centre, café and library; films in the main galleries are subtitled and some include British Sign Language. Touch objects with braille captions and large print guides are available. There is no on-site parking, but the Top o' Town car park has six accessible spaces.

Kinderen & gezin

Erg geschikt voor kinderen & gezinnen

• Gezinsrondleidingen & workshops
• Speurtocht, doeboekje of kinderaudiotour
• Doe- en voelstations
• Kinderwagenvriendelijk
• Verschoonruimte

Children under 16 enter free. Free gallery trail guides, an arts and crafts station in the atrium, interactive gallery displays and sensory backpacks (£5 refundable deposit) are available. Family tours and holiday activities run on selected dates. A baby change facility is on the ground floor and in all accessible toilets; buggies are welcome.

Bereikbaarheid & parkeren

The museum has a set-down point at the entrance. From the car park it is an easy downhill walk on level tarmac with one zebra crossing.

Service & horeca

• Café
• Museumwinkel
• Kluisjes

TASTE Café with vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options. Lockers and a buggy park are behind the welcome area. Only assistance dogs are allowed in the museum.

Evenementen & zaalverhuur

• Ruimtes te huur
• Privéfeesten
• Zakelijke evenementen
• Bruiloften / trouwceremonies

Tot 120 personen.

Spaces include the Victorian Hall (up to 120 guests), the Alice Ellen Cooper Dean Community Space and the John White Rectory; bar service and catering are available.

Je bezoek plannen