Special Exhibition
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.
The exhibition showcases iconic objects like the Colchester Vase, depicting a real gladiatorial battle, and the Hawkedon Helmet, the only confirmed gladiatorial armour from Roman Britain. These artefacts, along with others, reveal the violent spectacles that entertained the public and underscore the significance of gladiators in Roman culture.
The exhibition will feature finds from Maumbury Rings in Dorchester, a unique site originally a Neolithic henge that was transformed into a Roman amphitheatre nearly 2,000 years ago. This adaptation reflects the cultural imprint of the Romans on Britain and offers a tangible connection to the era’s gladiatorial contests.
For more information on the touring exhibition
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Opening hours:
Dorset Museum & Art Gallery
Daily: 10.00am - 5.00pm
TASTE Café
Daily: 9.00am - 4.00pm
Sunday: 10:00am - 4:00pm
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Admissions:
10% discount for Adult and Young Person Unlimited Ticket booked online using discount code DM01
BOOK ONLINE SAVE 10% -
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In partnership with
Supported by the Dorset Foundation in memory of Harry M Weinrebe.
Banner Image | Ceramic cremation vessel decorated with a gladiator fight between a secutor and retiarius, Colchester, 2nd century AD.
© Colchester and Ipswich Museum Service: Colchester Collection
What's on
4 July – 23 September 2024
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This exhibition special display showcases a project with local young people working alongside Dorset Museum & Art Gallery team as part of Fashioning our World with Salisbury Museum.
Find out more10 July - 23 October 2024.
Sensing the Past
"Sensing the Past" was a collaborative and co-produced project involving The Dorset Blind Association, Dorset Museum & Art Gallery, and Charmouth Heritage Coast Centre.
Find out more19 July - 3 November 2024
Wildlife Photographer of the Year
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Find out more23 September 2024, 12:00noon - 1:00pm
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Find out more25 September 2024, 2:00pm - 3:00pm
Store Tour
Join our Collections Team for an opportunity to explore behind the scenes in the Museum’s Collections Discovery Centre.
Find out more26 September 2024, 10:00am - 10:30am
Storytime at the Museum
Come and join us for fun-filled Storytime where you can listen to some amazing tales in our Community Space at the Museum.
Find out more28 September 2024, 9:30am - 5pm
Cerne Giant and other Wessex Hill Figures
The Cerne Abbas Giant is one of the most recognisable and talked about hill figures in the UK. This special conference draws upon recent excavations and new research by the National Trust, led by Martin Papworth, and offers the opportunity to explore the giant in relationship to other significant hill figures in the region.
Find out moreWednesday 2nd October 2024, 18:30-21:00
Culture Club – Wildlife Photography: A Look at Dorset Naturally
Join us for an evening of Dorset Nature Photography. We'll have a talk from professional nature and landscape photographer Mike Read, in which he will take us through "A Look at Dorset Naturally", and an exclusive opportunity to explore the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition after hours.
Find out more10 October 2024, 10:00am - 10:30am
Storytime at the Museum
Come and join us for fun-filled Storytime where you can listen to some amazing tales in our Community Space at the Museum.
Find out more