News
Kids go free every day of the year at Dorset Museum
July 3, 2023
Dorset Museum is delighted to announce that from Monday 3rd July all children under 17 will be able to come and enjoy 250 million years of history for free.
Children will need to be accompanied by a full-paying adult. In addition, all adult tickets will now allow for unlimited visits for a whole year. This amazing offer provides great value for families to return time and again to enjoy the Museum’s exciting range of exhibitions and events – from hands-on fun and creative activities to regularly changing exhibitions.
Elizabeth Selby, Interim Director said: ‘We have been offering Kids Go Free at weekends for the last few months and we have been blown away by how well it has been received. We are very conscious of the financial challenges a lot of people are facing at the moment, so we have decided to extend this offer to all children, whenever they come during the year.’
The fun starts this summer, as alongside our permanent exhibitions the Museum is excited to be hosting The Natural History Museum’s world-famous exhibition ‘Wildlife Photographer of the Year’. Running from 21st July–29th October, more than 100 incredible images of nature and wildlife will shine a light on stories and species from around the world. The stunning photography will highlight the astonishing, varied animal kingdom, as well as reveal the impact of human activity on the planet, in a way that words simply cannot.
The National Festival of Archaeology runs from 15th – 30th July, and the Museum has a host of events planned to celebrate Dorset’s rich archaeological heritage. Visitors can take a tour of the Roman Town House, one of the best examples of its kind in England. Or bring children to watch history come to life as the Vikings invade Dorset Museum. A living history encampment will showcase the lifestyles of Viking and Anglo-Saxon people, and children can get hands-on and create their own Viking-themed art activities.
The Museum has something for everyone. History, the arts, the natural world, archaeology, culture: Dorset Museum offers all this and more.
What'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 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 more27 October 2023 5:00pm-9:00pm
Museums After Dark 2023
Discover three incredible Dorchester museums on one unforgettable night.
Find out more