What are the opening hours?

Monday 10am - 5pm Tuesday 10am - 5pm Wednesday 10am - 5pm Thursday 10am - 5pm Friday 10am - 5pm Saturday 10am - 5pm Sunday 10am - 5pm

Dorset Museum & Art Gallery

Home
United Kingdom
Dorchester
Dorset Museum & Art Gallery

Call Directions Website

The home of 250 million years of Dorset’s history. Dorset Museum & Art Gallery is the home of over four million objects spanning 250 million years of history.

Our internationally recognised collections unlock the secrets of Dorset's natural world, archaeology, history, art, and culture. Our aim is to ignite an appreciation of our county and of how Dorset people have helped advance understanding of the wider world. We are delighted to be recognised by Arts Council England as a National Portfolio Organisation through the Wessex Museum Partnership. Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society Company | Registered in England No. 3362107 | Registered Charity No. 1062400

29/10/2026

A helping hand 🤚

Horse and Rider by Dame Elisabeth Frink has now been successfully conserved!

At some point before the sculpture was donated to the Museum, the Rider's right arm was broken just above the elbow. Accredited conservator Peter Martindale has now re-attached it using a polyester adhesive. Cracks and missing pieces were filled with a special filler, then toned with watercolour paint.

Thank you to everyone who supported our fundraising campaign and made this work possible.

The sculpture is now on display in the Artists' Dorset Gallery, alongside other works by Dame Elisabeth Frink – make sure to come and see it on your next visit!

24/10/2026

Half term is here, and there's plenty to keep little explorers busy at Dorset Museum & Art Gallery! 🎃

🫟 Half-term activity hub

Bring the family to our Learning Centre all week for playful, creative fun. Dress up, get hands-on with real and replica objects from our collections, make autumn-themed art, or simply play and discover at your own pace. No booking needed, just drop in whenever suits your visit, and stay as long as you like.

🔍 Cabinets of curiosities trail

Can you spot the 9 spooky objects hiding around the Museum? From Roman mosaics and Viking graves to ancient fossils and local legends, each one has a mysterious story waiting to be discovered. Find them all and collect your sticker from the Welcome Desk.

👻 Ghost trail

Can you spot all 9 ghosts hiding around the Museum? Keep your eyes peeled as you explore every corner of the building. Spot them all and collect your sticker from the Welcome Desk.

🎃 Family museum tour

Join us for a guided tour of the Museum 11:00am–11:30am on 27 & 29 October.

23/10/2026

🏆 Wonderful news from last night’s Dorset Tourism Awards!

We’re delighted to share that Dorset Museum & Art Gallery has been awarded:

🥇 Gold International Tourism Award
🥈 Silver Large Visitor Attraction of the Year
🥈 Silver Accessible and Inclusive Tourism Award

It was a fantastic night celebrating all that Dorset has to offer. Huge congratulations to our fellow finalists: Greenwood Grange, Museum of East Dorset, Marsham Court Hotel Bournemouth, National Trust Corfe Castle, and Nothe Fort.

Thank you to Marsham Court Hotel Bournemouth for hosting us, to the Dorset Local Visitor Economy Partnership and Adventure Attractions for sponsoring our categories, and to Tourism Awards - South West for such a memorable evening.

📸
Image credit: Nick Williams

22/10/2026

UPDATE 23/10/2026: Our website is now back online – thank you for your patience.

🚨 Website temporarily unavailable 🚨

Our website is currently unavailable. This is due to a serious security flaw in PHP, the programming language used by many websites around the world, which was publicly disclosed on 21 October. Many organisations have taken their websites offline as a precaution while software updates are applied.

This is not specific to Dorset Museum & Art Gallery but is an industry-wide issue. We are working with our web team and hosting provider to restore the website as soon as it is safe to do so, and we will update you when it is live again.

In the meantime, you can contact us:
Phone: 01305 262735
Email: [email protected]
In person: our Front of House team is available daily, 10am to 5pm

Thank you for your patience.

20/10/2026

20/10/2026

13/10/2026

The Portland Dress display has been extended 👗

Originally closing in December, you now have until the end of January 2027 to see this stunning collaborative creation at Dorset Museum & Art Gallery.

Find out more on our website 🔗

📸
The Portland Dress at b-side Festival 2025. Photo: Finnbarr Webster.

10/10/2026

This week our volunteer team has been carefully mounting historic uniforms onto mannequins for Dressed for Duty – The Keep Military Museum’s new exhibition opening next weekend at Dorset Museum & Art Gallery.

Some have required more customised shaping, such as the mannequin for the maternity uniform, which needed extra padding to resemble a figure with a pregnancy bump!

See these uniforms and many more on display from 17 October in our Special Exhibitions Gallery.

Dressed for Duty: Fashion, Function and the British Army, 1800 – 2026
📆 17 October – 13 December 2026
📍 Dorset Museum & Art Gallery, Dorchester, Dorset DT1 1XA
🎟️ Included with Museum entry

This exhibition has been made possible thanks to The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

08/10/2026

07/10/2026

Planning your staff Christmas party? Make it memorable – host it in a unique heritage venue.

The Victorian Hall at Dorset Museum & Art Gallery offers the perfect setting for your festive celebration – an elegant, flexible space that accommodates up to 120 guests, with the added benefit of supporting Dorset's cultural heritage.

Why choose the Victorian Hall?

🏛️ A truly distinctive backdrop
Your team will experience an event surrounded by history – from authentic Roman mosaics in the Victorian Hall to our four permanent galleries showcasing Dorset's natural world, archaeology, history, and art.

🥂 Flexible spaces
Configure the room to suit your needs – theatre-style presentations, cabaret dining, or cocktail reception layouts. We'll work with you to create the perfect setup.

🎨 Added cultural value
Extend the experience with access to our world-class collections before or after your event.

🩵 Support Dorset's heritage
As a registered charity, your hire directly supports our work – funding exhibitions, collection conservation, education programmes, and community engagement. You'll be investing in the preservation of Dorset's natural, historical, and cultural future.

To book or discuss your event:
📧 [email protected]
🔗 https://www.dorsetmuseum.org/venue-hire/

Address

66 High West Street
Dorchester
DT11XA

Opening Hours

Monday	10am - 5pm
Tuesday	10am - 5pm
Wednesday	10am - 5pm
Thursday	10am - 5pm
Friday	10am - 5pm
Saturday	10am - 5pm
Sunday	10am - 5pm

Telephone

+441305262735

Website

https://www.dorsetmuseum.org/, https://linktr.ee/dorsetmuseum

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Dorset Museum & Art Gallery posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.