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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 Exeter & East
Devon area are listed. Please provide details of any we
have missed
here.
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ROYAL ALBERT MEMORIAL MUSEUM
Queen Street, Exeter, Devon, EX4 3RX
Tel: 01392 665858
Fax: 01392 421252
E-mail:
ramm@exeter.gov.uk
Web:
www.exeter.gov.uk/museums
Open every day except
Sunday. The museum is full of fascinating
objects. Many areas of the collection are of
national and international importance - the
World Cultures Collection achieved Designated
Collection status to mark its outstanding
importance. Sixteen galleries of free displays -
from Exeter around the world and from prehistory
to the present, including: Archaeology,
Ceramics, Clocks, watches and timekeeping, Fine
art, Geology, Glassware, Local history, Natural
history, Sladen gallery, Silver, World cultures.
Our prestigious galleries feature top touring
shows and choice displays from Exeter's own
collection.
The busy year-round
programme means you see something different
every time you visit. There's plenty to keep all
ages amused with quizzes and trails, touch
screen computers and hands-on activities.
There's a baby changing facility, a level access
for pushchairs, seats in the galleries and our
café welcomes families. We organise and host
activities, workshops, talks, (links to what's
on page) and run special projects, both in the
museum and in the community. There's parking for
blue badge holders behind the museum, level
access, a lift and a toilet for wheelchair
users. We also have wheelchairs for visitors use
inside the museum. Our cafe serves simple
snacks, light lunches and a selection of
mouth-watering cakes and biscuits. Fully
licensed, children welcome. Albert's, the museum
shop stocks a wide range of fascinating items
and unusual gifts to suit all pockets.
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QUAY HOUSE VISITOR CENTRE
46 The Quay, Exeter, EX2 4AN
Tel: 01392 271611
E-mail:
quayhouse@exeter.gov.uk
Web:
www.exeter.gov.uk
Discover the history of
the Historic Quayside through displays and
artefacts at the Quay House Visitor Centre. The
centre is housed in an historic building dating
from 1680-1 and also offers tourist information
and Quayside treasure hunts. Free entry.
Also see “Exeter, 2000
years of history” a 15 minute film of the city
from Roman times to the present day. Please
contact us for opening times and further
information.
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SIDMOUTH MUSEUM
Hope Cottage, Church Street, Sidmouth, Devon,
EX10 8LY
Tel: 01395 516139
Situated in Hope Cottage by the parish Church,
the museum portrays the rich and varied history
of this lovely regency town. Highlights of the
collections include regency prints, old
photographs, Victoriana, costume, lace and
famous residents. Local craft demonstrations are
held occasionally throughout the season. Museum
staff lead guided tours of the town on Tuesdays
and Thursdays, leaving the museum at 10:15am.
World Heritage Coast Walks on Wednesdays at
10.15am.
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TOPSHAM MUSEUM
25 The Strand, Topsham, Exeter, Devon, EX3 0AX
Tel: 01392 873244
E-mail:
museum@topsham.org
Topsham Museum is housed
in one of a group of late 17th Century Buildings
overlooking the Exe Estuary and located between
Exmouth and Exeter. As well as the furnished
period rooms of the house, visitors can also
enjoy the displays of local history with a
maritime background.
Other interesting exhibits
include local crafts, wildlife of the Exe
Estuary and memorabilia of Vivien Leigh, the
film star. Special exhibition for 2006 - ''The
Holmans of Topsham - Shipbuilders, owners &
insurers''.
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EXETER'S UNDERGROUND PASSAGES
2 Paris Street, Exeter, EX1 1GA
Tel: 01392 665887
E-mail:
underground.passages@exeter.gov.uk
Web:
www.exeter.gov.uk
Visit Exeter's
Underground Passages and explore the new
interpretation centre, which features a full
scale passages model and magic carpet
fly-through the passages, as well as
archaeological finds, hands-on exhibits and a
introductory film.
Visitors are then taken on
a guided tour through the narrow passageways
where they can explore beneath the streets of
Exeter city centre. Please contact us for
opening times, prices and access information.
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Allhallows Museum of Lace
& Local Antiquities
High Street, Honiton, Devon, EX14 1PG
Tel: 01404 44966
E-mail:
allhallows.museum@lineone.net
Allhallows is situated in the centre of Honiton
high Street, next to St. Paul's Church. part of
the museum is the former Allhallows Chapel,
dating from the 13th century. In a town famous
for lace-making, Allhallows has one of the most
comprehensive collections of Honiton Lace in the
world. There are daily lace-making
demonstrations throughout June, July and August.
There are further displays of local interest
including geology, the world wars and the
colourful political history of the town.
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Axminster Museum
Church Street, Axminster, EX13 5BQ
Tel: (TIC) 01297 34386
Originally the Old Police Station and
Courthouse, the museum is opposite St Mary's
Church in the centre of Axminster. Visitors can
discover the old police cells and see displays
in the former court room. The varied
collections, ranging from agricultural tools to
Axminster carpets, and archaeology to old
photographs, offer an insight into Axminster's
past. The museum has occasional special
exhibitions.
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Seaton Museum
Town Hall, Fore Street, Seaton
E-mail:
geoffrey.marshall@seatonmuseum.co.uk
The museum concentrates on the lower Axe Valley
and also includes the adjacent villages of Beer,
Axmouth, Branscombe, Colyton and Colyford.
Seaton museum is well known for it's excellent
collection of old photographs of the area. These
come mainly from the E.S. Gosling collection.
There are many other displays including; The
Roman site at Honeyditches, The Natural History
of the area and a display of Victorian costumes.
All are well worth a visit.
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Exmouth Museum
Sheppards Row, Exmouth, EX8 1PW
Exmouth Museum is situated in Sheppards Row, off
Exeter Road in former town council stables and
adjoining cottage. A treasure-house of objects
relating to old Exmouth, the museum features a
1930's living room and a Victorian kitchen.
Wartime Exmouth and the maritime and natural
history of the Exe Estuary are explored along
with local lace-making, demonstrations of which
are held weekly.
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Dunkeswell Memorial Museum
Flightway Business Park Unit C4, Dunkeswell, Nr
Honiton, Devon, EX14 4PG
Tel: 01404 891943
E-Mail:
dmmsecretary@clara.co.uk
Web:
www.dunkeswellmemorialmuseum.org.uk
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Dunkeswell Memorial Museum is dedicated to all
Veterans of United States Fleet Air Wing 7 and
RAF personnel who served on the only American
Navy Air base commissioned on UK soil during
World War 2. The USN FAW7 was operational from
mid 1943 to the end of European hostilities in
1945. Through the perseverance of a small group
of people who became fascinated by what history
may have happened here sixty years ago, the
museum now gives the opportunity for visitors of
all ages to discover the importance and very
special roles that the American servicemen of US
Navy Base Dunkeswell played during World War 2.
3 Squadrons of PB4Y-1 Liberator bombers and over
5000 men served here to help in the defeat of
the German U-boat menace and maintain a high
profile aerial presence in the Battle of the
Atlantic. Come and visit us and share with us
the experiences these US Navy air crews had. The
Museum was started by a thirteen year old boy
who began by collecting the artefacts. The
collection now grows rapidly with veterans of
the FAW7 sending memorabilia and materiel for
research from the USA. Dunkeswell is set deep
within the natural beauty of the Blackdowns.
There is a restaurant at the Flying Club and an
Aero Park playground for the children. All
manner of flights can be arranged with the Dawn
Patrol, Somerset Micro Lights and the Flying
School. To discover Dunkeswell is to find the
past through experiencing the present.
Opening Hours:
1st March - 31st
October: 10am to 6pm daily except
Tuesdays
1st February - end
February: 10am to 5pm Saturdays and Sundays
only
Christmas
Period: Closed from 18th
December to 2nd January
Admission:
£2 for Adults
£1 for children under 16
Facilities:
Stair lift and wheelchair available for disabled
persons
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Fairlynch Art Centre &
Museum
27 Fore Street, Budleigh Salterton, Devon, EX9
6NP
Tel: 01395 442666
Just a short walk from the seafront, Fairlynch
was built in 1811 and is believed to be the only
thatched museum in the country. Fairlynch has a
very fine collection of costume and fascinating
displays of local interest - social history,
geology, the Budleigh Salterton Railway, natural
history and lace-making. There are regular
lace-making demonstrations, a local history
study room and a changing programme of special
exhibitions each season.
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Thelma Hulbert Gallery
Dowell Street, Honiton, Devon, EX14 1LX
Tel: 01404 45006
The Gallery incorporates a changing display of
paintings by Thelma Hulbert together with
temporary exhibitions of contemporary art and
craft. East Devon District Council bought the
Elmfield House in 1995 following the death of
Thelma Hulbert who had lived and worked in
Honiton.
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The Kingfisher Gallery
Sidbury Mill, Burnt Oak, Sidbury, Sidmouth,
Devon, EX10 0RE
Tel/Fax: 01395 597221
Attractive, high quality art gallery. Tea room
below. Also Watermill.
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