Dorset Museum & Art Gallery

High West Street, Dorchester, DT1 1XA

Tel: 01305 262735

Come and explore 250 million years of history at Dorset Museum & Art Gallery!

Located in the centre of Dorchester this award-winning Museum is one of the cultural centres of Dorset with four permanent galleries, a special exhibitions gallery, a Learning Centre, and a Collections Discovery Centre with conservation studio. The historic building also includes a Community Space, Shop, Café, and Library. The building is fully accessible, with a Changing Places Toilet, Calm Space, and sensory resources to support neurodiverse visitors.

The Natural Dorset Gallery reveals the secrets of the county’s geology, landscapes, habitats, and wildlife. Collections from well-known figures including Alfred Russell Wallace, Charles Darwin, and Mary Anning are on display, telling the global story of the early formation of our planet and the species that have evolved.

The Hardy's Dorset Gallery holds the unique and internationally significant collection and archive of Thomas Hardy, including original manuscripts, first editions of his works and personal items not available anywhere else in the world. Also on display in the gallery is a replica of Hardy’s study at Max Gate.

The People’s Dorset Gallery has highly significant archaeological collections, exploring 500,000 years of people’s history from the Palaeolithic to the present day.

The Artists’ Dorset Gallery contains paintings, sculptures, prints, drawings, textiles, and fine and decorative art by well-known artists including Thomas Gainsborough, Alfred Wallis and Dame Elisabeth Frink.

Open daily from 10:00am – 5:00pm