Special Display
PJ Harvey – Orlam
29 March - 27 July 2023
Showcase display | Collections Discovery Centre
Discover the extraordinary Dorset dialect narrative poem Orlam, written by Dorset-born singer-songwriter and artist PJ Harvey in this new showcase display outside the Museum’s Collections Discovery Centre.
Dorset Museum is now displaying an archive of material relating to PJ Harvey’s poem Orlam.
Alternative rock musician PJ Harvey spent an afternoon at Dorset Museum in April 2022 pursuing her interest in 19th-century Dorset dialect poet William Barnes, and donating a signed copy of Orlam ahead of the work’s publication. She also gifted the Museum proofs of the book’s text and cover marked with her hand-written edits, and an exclusive signed photograph of her wearing a brooch of traditional Dorset buttons. The photograph’s inscription reads, To Dorset Museum, with good wishes always, Polly Jean Harvey. All of these are now on display.
Harvey’s verse novel Orlam is the first substantial work written in the Dorset dialect for many decades. It brings a modern, surreal twist to traditional West Country words and phrases. Although the poem offers a fictionalised and distorted view of the county, it draws upon Harvey’s memories of her secluded childhood in a small Dorset village, particularly in its depictions of nature and folklore.
![[Photo: PJ Harvey (centre) sitting in Dorset Museum’s Library alongside her mother Eva (right) and Dorset Museum Interim Director Elizabeth Selby (left) © Zachary Culpin | BNPS]](https://www.dorsetmuseum.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Dorset-Museum-Director-Elizabeth-Selby-with-PJ-Harvey-with-her-mother.jpg)
-
Opening hours:
Daily: 9.00am - 4.30pm
Sunday: 10.00am - 4.00pm
Bank Holidays: 10.00am - 4.00pm -
Admissions:
10% discount for Adult and Young Person Unlimited Ticket booked online using discount code DM01
BOOK ONLINE SAVE 10% -
-
What's on
4 August – 29 December 2023
The Askerswell Hoard
Discover a rare Roman coin hoard recently acquired by Dorset Museum, and find out about the work going on to preserve, research and catalogue it, in this special showcase display outside the Collections Discovery Centre.
Find out more2 December 2023 - 21 April 2024
Awakened by Frink
Awakened by Frink is a community exhibition of artwork by members of the Deaf community created during a series of workshops at Dorset Museum and Art Gallery.
Find out more2 December 2023 - 21 April 2024
Elisabeth Frink: A View from Within
Experience the inner world of famous sculptor Dame Elisabeth Frink (1930-1993) in a major new exhibition exploring her artistic and personal life in Dorset. Showcasing over 80 sculptures, drawings and prints, this exhibition will explore her artistic process, personal life, and the influences that shaped her work.
Find out more10 December 2023, 11:30am - 12:30pm | 1:00pm - 2:00pm
Elf Workshop
The Elves need your help in the workshop. Join them and lend a hand! You're invited to embark on a magical journey filled with Christmas crafts, fun activities, and the chance to learn all the secrets of the elves
Find out more14 December 2023, 10:00am- 10:30am
Storytime at the Museum
Come and join us for Storytime in our Community Space at the Museum. Hear fabulous tales about dinosaurs and animals.
Find out more14 December 2023, 7:00pm - 8:30pm
What’s new in the British and Irish Neolithic? | Dr Alison Sheridan
While the past doesn’t change, our knowledge and understanding of it are being transformed by new discoveries and new research – and this is especially the case with the Neolithic period, the time of the first farming communities from the late 5th millennium to around 2500 BCE. This lecture offers some highlights from the past decade or so.
Find out more17 December 2023, 11:30am - 12:30pm | 1:00pm - 2:00pm
Elf Workshop
The Elves need your help in the workshop. Join them and lend a hand! You're invited to embark on a magical journey filled with Christmas crafts, fun activities, and the chance to learn all the secrets of the elves
Find out more20 December 2023, 2:00pm - 3:00pm
Collections Discovery Centre Tour
Join our Collections Team for an opportunity to explore behind the scenes in the Museum’s Collections Discovery Centre.
Find out more21 December 2023, 11:30am - 12:30pm | 1:00pm - 2:00pm
Elf Workshop
The Elves need your help in the workshop. Join them and lend a hand! You're invited to embark on a magical journey filled with Christmas crafts, fun activities, and the chance to learn all the secrets of the elves
Find out more