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- Schoolchildren on a visit to Priest's House Museum
- Visitors browse the exhibits at Shaftesbury Abbey Museum & Garden
- Visitors at the Red House Museum and Gardens
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Tolpuddle Martyrs Museum
The Tolpuddle Martyrs Museum tells the harrowing tale of the Martyrs arrest, trial and punishment, leading to the foundation of modern day trade unionism. The museum has been re-designed into a... -
Gillingham Museum
Gillingham Museum features the history of Gillingham and surrounding villages from prehistoric times, through Roman and medieval occupation to the Victorian rebuilding; a 1790 manual fire engine;... -
Red House Museum & Garden
Red House Museum and Gardens is housed in a former workhouse built in 1764. The Georgian building is now filled with a rich variety of displays and objects with a local theme. There’s also a...
Welcome to the Dorset Museums website
There’s something for everyone in Dorset’s museums and galleries from the Victorian splendour of the Russell Cotes Art Gallery and Museum in the West to the amazing array of dinosaur fossils to be found in Lyme Regis Museum on the County’s eastern border.
This site provides a gateway to everything Dorset museums have to offer.
Find out more about all the museums near you or use the search function to plan a perfect day discovering Dorset’s fascinating history.
Planning a Fun Day for the Family or Scheduling a School Trip?
The Facilities and Learning sections on the museum information pages will help you discover which Dorset museums are best suited to your needs and interests.
Latest News
Thomas Hardy Archive Awarded UNESCO Heritage Status
The Thomas Hardy archive at the Dorset County Museum has been listed on the UK register of documentary heritage for the UNESCO Memory of the World Programme.
Read the article in the Dorset Echo.