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Museums long ago ceased to be stuffy
rooms full of glass cases containing bits of old pottery
and fossilised bones.
Today even most conventional
museums including displays which change but over recent
years there has been a growth in industrial and "living"
museums.
Here you can learn about local heritage, get a feel for how people lived
and worked, the hardships they endured...
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Galleries listed include not just civic
galleries displaying publicly owned artworks, but also
privately owned galleries with items for sale.
Not all the museums and galleries
in the Dorset area are listed. Please provide
details of any we have missed here.
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WATERFRONT MUSEUM
4 High Street, Poole, Dorset, BH15 1BW
Tel: 01202 262600
Fax: 01202 262622
E-mail:
museums@poole.gov.uk
Closed due to £1 million redevelopment, due to
open Spring 2007
The Local History Centre
remains open during the building works, Tues -
Sat 10am until 3pm.
Traces the social and
maritime history of the town.
Waterfront Museum tells of
Poole's history. Displays include a street
scene, Roman occupation, trade with
Newfoundland, the Studland Bay Wreck and more.
Poole Local History Centre offers research
facilities on the history of the town.
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RED HOUSE MUSEUM
Quay Road, Christchurch, Dorset, BH23 1BU
Tel: 01202 482860
Web:
www.hants.gov.uk/museum/redhouse
Open: Tues to Sat 10am - 5pm. Sun 2pm -
5pm (last admission 4.30pm).
Spring & Summer Bank
Holidays. Closed Good Friday, Christmas and New
Year.
The Red House Museum and Gardens (once a
Georgian workhouse) is the setting for
outstanding displays of local social and natural
history. Includes and interactive archaeology
gallery, display of Arthur Romney Green
furniture (of the Arts & Crafts Movement) in a
1930's room setting, costume gallery and bygones. Also a
temporary exhibitions gallery.
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THE MUSEUM OF ELECTRICITY
The Old Power Station, Bargates, Christchurch,
Dorset, BH23 1QE
Tel: 01202 480467
Housed in an Edwardian
Power Station the museum displays a unique
collection of electrical memorabilia, ranging
from one of the original Bournemouth trams and
other items from the turn of the
century to the present day.
Plenty of hands-on and very
a popular demonstration gallery which ties in
with the National Curriculum. Regular
demonstration talks held. Plenty to do for all
ages. 5 mins walk from town centre.
Open: Easter to end September. Mon to
Thurs 12noon - 4.30pm, last admission 4pm.
Open: Fridays during local school holidays
and half-terms.
School Educational Tours & Group:
Bookings taken at all times by prior
arrangement.
Access to the ground floor only
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On the Track of History:
Bovington's Tank Museum
Bovington, Dorset BH20
6JG
Tel: 01929 405096
E-mail:
admin@tankmuseum.co.uk
Web:
www.tankmuseum.co.uk
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Recognized as the greatest
collection of armoured fighting vehicles in
the world and built on the very site of the
original tank trials conducted during World
War I.
The Tank Museum offers so much more than the
usual static museum experience for both
first-time and repeat visitors.
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Bovington Tank Museum -
Photo:
Michael Knapton
CCL |
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Le Studio
61 The High Street, Christchurch, Dorset, BH23
1AS
Tel: 01202 482021
E-mail:
enquiries@le-studio.co.uk
Web:
www.le-studio.co.uk
Gift shop and Art Gallery.
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Royal Signals Museum
Blandford Camp, Blandford Forum, Dorset, DT11
8RH
Tel: 01258 482248 Fax:
01258 482084
E-mail:
info@royalsignalsmuseum.com
Web:
www.army.mod.uk
The national museum of Army communications.
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The Dinosaur Museum
Icen Way, Dorchester, Dorset, DT1 1EW
Tel: 01305 269741
E-mail:
info@dinosaur-museum.co.uk
Web:
www.thedinosaurmuseum.com
Step back in time to the amazing world of the
Dinosaur.
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Dorset County Museum
High West Street, Dorchester, Dorset, DT1 1XA
Tel: 01305 262735 Fax:
01305 257180
E-mail:
dorsetcountymuseum@dor-mus.demon.co.uk
Web:
www.dorsetcountymuseum.org
The main museum for Dorset, with exhibitions
covering all aspects of local history.
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Dorset Teddy Bear Museum
Eastgate, Fordington, High East Street,
Dorchester, Dorset, DT1 1JU
Tel: 01305 266040 Fax:
01303 268885
Web:
www.teddybearhouse.co.uk
Teddy Bears throughout the ages are all on
display at The Dorset Teddy Bear Museum.
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Hardy's Cottage
Higher Bockhampton, Dorchester, Dorset, DT2 8QJ
Tel: 01305 262366
E-mail:
enquiries@thenationaltrust.org.uk
Web:
www.nationaltrust.org.uk
Visit the birthplace of novelist and poet,
Thomas Hardy author of Far from the Maddening
Crowd and other works.
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Keep Military Museum
Bridport Arms, Dorchester, Dorset, DT1 1RM
Tel: 01305 264066 Fax:
01305 250373
E-mail:
info@keepmilitarymuseum.org
Web:
www.keepmilitarymuseum.org
The military museum for The Devonshire Regiment,
The Dorset Regiment, The Devonshire and Dorset
Regiment, The Dorset Yeomanry, The Queen's Own
Dorset Yeomanry, The Dorset Militia, The Royal
Devon Yeomanry and 94 Field Regiment RA.
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Tolpuddle Martyrs Museum
Tolpuddle, Dorchester, Dorset, DT2 7EH
Tel: 01305 848237 Fax:
01305 848237
E-mail:
jpickering@tuc.org.uk
Web:
www.tolpuddlemartyrs.org.uk
Tolpuddle Martyrs Museum tells the story of six
Tolpuddle farm labourers, who were arrested on
fake charges by a local squire, after forming a
trade union.
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Tutankhamen Museum
High West Street, Dorchester, Dorset, DT1 1UW
Tel: 01305 269 571 Fax:
01305 268 885
Web:
www.tutankhamun-exhibition.co.uk
A museum dedicated to the re-creation of
Tutankhamun's tomb and treasures.
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Swanage Museum at the
Tithe Barn
Tithe Barn, Church Hill, Swanage, Dorset, BH19
1HU
Tel: 01929 423174
E-mail:
mail@swanagemuseum.org.uk
Web:
www.swanagemuseum.org.uk
Exhibitions relating to the history of Swanage,
housed in a 300 + year old barn.
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Tank Museum
The Tank Museum houses the world's largest and
finest collection of Armoured Fighting Vehicles
with almost 300 vehicles from over 26 countries.
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Deep Sea Adventure
9 Custom House Quay, Old Harbour, Weymouth,
Dorset, DT4 8BG
Tel/Fax: 01305 760690
Web:
www.deepsea-adventure.co.uk
The history of underwater exploration from the
17th Century to the present day. As an added
bonus there are also two further attractions
under the same roof, Sharky's Play & Party
Warehouse, which will keep the kids happy. While
the adults can enjoy a Italian coffee or Iced
Sangria in the sunshine on the harbourside at
Sharky's Galley Café Bar.
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Nothe Fort
Barrack Road, Weymouth, Dorset, DT4 8UF
Tel: 01305 766626
Fax: 01305 766465
E-mail:
museum@nothefort.force9.co.uk
Web:
www.fortressweymouth.co.uk
A restored Victorian fort built at the head of
the Nothe Peninsula which forms one side of
Weymouth Harbour whilst overlooking Portland
Harbour to the south. Exhibitions include
items relating to; the history and defence of
Portland Harbour, the life of a garrison soldier
1860 to 1960, the experiences of the civilian
population of Weymouth during WW2 and the
evolution of underwater weapons in Portland
Harbour, with especial reference to torpedoes.
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The Mulberry Tree Gallery
57 High Street, Swanage, Dorset, BH19 2LT
Tel: 01929 423141
E-mail:
info@mulberrytreegallery.co.uk
Web:
www.mulberrytreegallery.co.uk
The gallery artwork includes pictures,
sculpture, ceramics, woodwork, glassware
and jewellery. Sources are national and
internationally known artists, and also
professional artists from around the Isle of
Purbeck and Dorset.
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The Walnut Tree Gallery
Tel: 01725 552836
E-mail:
info@thewalnuttreegallery.co.uk
Web:
www.thewalnuttreegallery.co.uk
(online store)
Open: Mon-Sat 10am-5pm
We have a large selection of handmade gifts:
silver and bead jewellery, pottery,
woodturnings, paintings and prints, textiles,
candles, glassware - made primarily by
Dorset artists; also a variety of greetings card
ranges including Woodmansterne,
Canns Down Press and Caroline Gardner as well as
smaller handmade collections;
we are also a stockist for Dr Hauschka natural
skincare products.
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