Collections Blog

With a collection of four million objects to look after, new exhibitions to stage and events to host, there’s always so much going on behind the scenes at Dorset Museum.

Check-in on our blog to find out more about what our staff and volunteers get up to. From researching curiosities in our collection or sharing what goes into curating an exhibition, they’ll share their stories and give you an insider’s view from one of Dorset’s top visitor attractions.

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Archaeology

April 22, 2023

Fordington St. George by H. J. Moule

From the ‘Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society’ Volume 5, 1844, an article written by Henry. Joseph. Moule, M.A. entitled ‘Fordington St.

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Literature

March 28, 2023

Items gifted by singer-songwriter PJ Harvey go on display at Dorset Museum

An archive of items gifted to Dorset Museum by PJ Harvey on the publication of her Dorset dialect poem Orlam, has gone on display.

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News

March 16, 2023

Dorset Museum acquires rare gold and rock crystal pendant dating to the 6th or 7th century

Dorset Museum is delighted to announce that it has acquired a rare gold and rock crystal pendant dating to the 6th or 7th century…

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News

February 7, 2023

The Art of Seeing: An exhibition of photographs by Dorchester Camera Club

One Step Closer to Heaven by Tony Gill Dorchester Camera Club is presenting its The Art of Seeing exhibition at the Dorset Museum in Dorchester from…

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News

February 6, 2023

Dorset Museum to reunite Gainsborough husband and wife portraits

Portraits of Elizabeth and John Bragge by Thomas Gainsborough Dorset Museum is delighted to announce that it has taken guardianship of A Portrait of Elizabeth Bragge by…

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Objects in Focus

January 6, 2023

Collecting Evolutionary Ideas: Alfred Russel Wallace’s Exotic Bird Skins

In the Museum’s Natural History collection, we have over 80 bird skins collected by the naturalist, Alfred Russel Wallace.  A majority were collected during…

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Literature

October 3, 2022

Bridport Prize Black Writer Residency: Stephenjohn Holgate

The Plan When I look back at my week’s residency with the Museum of Dorchester and the Bridport Prize, I have a jumble of handwritten…

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Literature

September 28, 2022

Bridport Prize Black Writer Residency: Grace Peters Clarke

When I applied for the Bridport Prize Black Writer Residency, I was excited about the prospect of spending an entire week in the countryside, with…

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Appeal

August 9, 2022

Campaign to unlock Thomas Hardy archive

Dorset Archives Trust is leading a fundraising effort to permanently unlock the internationally significant, UNESCO-listed archive of author Thomas Hardy, gifted to Dorset Museum in…

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