Things to see

Amazing archaeology

Sweep through around 500,000 years of people’s history, from the Palaeolithic to the present day, on Dorset’s key themes of land, sea and community.

People's Dorset

Deadly dinosaurs

See 250 million years of natural history come alive as Natural Dorset reveals the secrets of the county’s geology, landscapes, habitats and wildlife.

Natural Dorset

Thomas Hardy

Discover the life and work of Dorset’s famous novelist and poet Thomas Hardy (1840-1928) and dive into key themes of his personal and professional life.

Inspiring Writers

Elisabeth Frink

Enjoy a beautiful gallery full of the Museum’s superb collections of paintings, sculptures, prints, drawings, textiles, and fine and decorative art.

Dorset Artists

Exhibitions

Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2024

19 July – 3 November 2024

Wildlife Photographer of the Year, the world-famous exhibition from the Natural History Museum, is returning to Dorset Museum & Art Gallery.

 

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Fashioning Our World

4 July – 29 September 2024

A showcase display exploring sustainable fashion and the stories that clothes from the past tell, based on the Fashioning Our World collaborative community project.

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Sensing The Past

10 July – 26 September 2024

A sensory and interactive display based on fossils from the Jurassic Coast as part of a collaborative project involving the Dorset Blind Association, Dorset Museum & Art Gallery, and Charmouth Heritage Coast Centre.

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Gladiators of Britain

25 January to 11 May 2025

A British Museum Partnership Exhibition with Colchester + Ipswich Museums will delve into the lesser-known history of gladiatorial contests in Roman Britain. Launching at Dorset Museum & Art Gallery in January 2025, the exhibition will tour four UK venues, tracing the footsteps of gladiators who once fought in Britain’s amphitheatres.

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