Festival of Archaeology: Walk
Tour of Dorchester Water Meadows | Ian Gosling
30 July 2022, 2:00pm - 4:00pm
A guided walk across Dorchester’s water meadows
Join Ian Gosling of Dorchester Civic Society and STAND for a scenic walk across the water meadows. Find out how the 17th-century system of hatches and weirs that created the water meadows were used to manage the land and how they increased agricultural productivity.
The walk will start at the bridge at the North end of Friary Lane, Dorchester (SY694909) – the West end of Frome Terrace – for a 3.5-mile walk across the water meadows and over the downland to the North of Dorchester
STAND are a group of local people campaigning against the proposal to build over 4,000 houses on countryside to the north of Dorchester in Dorset, which would result in the loss of the water meadows and this important part of Dorchester’s heritage.
Important Announcement
Friday 22 September 2023, The Victorian Hall will also be closed all day for a private function. The Fine Foundation Dorset Story Space, next the the Thomas Hardy's Dorset Gallery will also be closed for an hour around Midday.
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Opening hours:
Daily: 9.00am - 4.30pm
Sunday: 10.00am - 4.00pm
Bank Holidays: 10.00am - 4.00pm -
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Miles King
Miles King FLS has worked in nature conservation for 35 years, leading the conservation work for three different conservation charities during that time. He is also written several books and a blog on nature and other things that interest him. He’s lived in Dorchester for 20 years and founded People Need Nature in 2015. PNN works to promote the value of nature as a source of inspiration for arts, and the spiritual value of nature (www.peopleneednature.org.uk). Most recently PNN has been working with the Duchy of Cornwall on the Poundbury Nature Project. King has also worked with Dorchester Town Council for 15 years, to restore chalk downland at Maumbury Rings, in the town.
People Need Nature (PNN) exists to promote the value and need for nature in people’s lives.
Home of Hillforts & Henges is an exciting new event from 21st to 31st July that will celebrate Dorchester’s neolithic and iron age landscape, rich in earthworks and the people that have lived here for over 6,000 years.
Find out more
Co-ordinated by the Council for British Archaeology, the Festival offers hundreds of events nationwide, organised by museums, heritage organisations, national and country parks, universities, local societies, and community archaeologists.
The Festival of Archaeology will take place between 16 – 31 July 2022.
Find out moreWhat's On
21 July - 29 October 2023
Nature Heals | Photography by Trevor Parsons
Dorset Museum and Dorchester Arts co-present Nature Heals, an exhibition of nature photography by Trevor Parsons.
Find out more21 July - 29 October 2023
Wildlife Photographer of the Year
Wildlife Photographer of the Year, the world-famous exhibition from the Natural History Museum, is coming to Dorset Museum this summer.
Find out more4 August – 28 September 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 more6 October 2023, 10:00am -1:00pm,
Creative Journeys Through Time | 6 week art workshop with Helen Garrett
Designed for adults interested in art, prehistory and archaeology, and running as a six-week block, this course is an exciting opportunity to get up close with some extraordinary artefacts in the collection at Dorset Museum.
Find out more9 October 2023, 2:00pm to 4:30pm
Life Drawing at Dorset Museum – Eight-week course led by James Meiklejohn
This eight-week structured course is suitable for complete beginners to those with some experience.
Find out more10 October 2023, 2:00pm - 3:00pm
Wildlife friendly gardening | Mitch Perkins
Would you like to make your garden more wildlife friendly? Join Mitch Perkins to find out how.
Find out more19 October 2023, 5:00pm - 6:30pm
FREE | Museum After Hours
Join us for an opportunity to explore the Museum at this FREE late opening.
Find out more19 October 2023, 7:00pm - 8:30pm
Real Dorset | Jon Woolcott
In this lecture, let Jon Woolcott take you on an amusing whistle-stop tour through some of the discoveries and oddities that make Dorset unique.
Find out more25 October 2023, 2:00pm - 2:45pm
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 more