Plan Your Visit

Visitors are central to all that we do at Dorset Museum.

The museum prides itself on the quality of our customer service and our commitment to offering access to all.

We believe that, given the richness of our collection, the size of the Museum, and the quality of visitor experience we provide, our admission prices represent great value for money.


Admissions

Visitors do not have to book in advance, but buying online is cheaper than purchasing on arrival. A 10% discount is offered for Annual Pass or Day Entry booked online using discount code DM01

Day Entry

TypeOnlineOn the door
Adult*£12.60£14
Child**£5.40£6
Student£9.90£11
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* 15.50 with Donation/Gift Aid

**Children 5-16 years, under 5’s FREE

Annual Pass

Includes unlimited access to the Museum and Library. Our Annual Passes now include a copy of our Guidebook, with Family Annual Passes including copies of our Children’s Activity Trails.

TypeOnlineOn the door
Adult£31.50£35
Student£24.30£27
Child*£13.50£15
Family - 1 adult + 3 children
£40.50£45
Family - 2 adults + 3 children£45.00£50
DNHAS MembersFREE
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Membership and Passes

Proof is required for all those listed below and for this reason free tickets can not be booked online.

Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society – for more details of rates and benefits of membership.

Join today

Wessex Museums Partnership – The Salisbury Museum, Wiltshire Archaeological, and Natural History Society, Poole Museum, and Swindon Museum and Art Gallery.

Museum Association Card – Membership of the Museum Association gets you free and discounted entry to over 900 museums and galleries.

Art Fund Pass – A National Art Pass lets you enjoy free entry to hundreds of museums, galleries, and historic houses across the UK as well as discounts off major exhibitions.

Dorset Carers Card – Carers with the Dorset Carers Card is free with a paying visitor

Important Announcement

On Friday 2nd June 2023 the cafe TASTE at Dorset Museum cafe will be closed from 2pm
for a private function.


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You could help us even more – at no extra cost

As a charitable organisation, we rely on the generosity of our Annual Pass Holders, Members and visitors to maintain our collections and continue our programme of exhibitions.

How Gift Aid works

The government’s Gift Aid scheme allows us to reclaim 25p for every £1 of your Annual Pass.  All we need is your consent – no extra payments! Simply make your declaration to support the Museum even more!

For more information

Museum Map

You can also purchase a copy of our map which features in our Guidebook.

Download Map

Visual Story

Download our visual story with pictures of the Museum and information about what to expect.

Download Story

Accessibility

Everyone is welcome at Dorset Museum. Our teams are here to offer support and resources and help you make the most of your visit.

Find out more

Discounts and Offers

Getting here


By Car

The Museum has a set-down point, but no car park. The nearest car park of substantial size is the Top o’ Town, just beyond the roundabout at the top of High West Street. It has six accessible spaces in total. The museum is a five-minute walk (500 metres) along High West Street on an even tarmac surface. The route is slightly downhill and is a short, smooth walk to the Museum. There is one road to cross on the way, using a Zebra Crossing.

Find car parks

By Train

Dorchester has two railway stations, both of which are less than 12 minutes’ walk from Dorset Museum.There is no step-free platform access at either Dorchester station. Find more information on using these stations, including accessibility, on their websites.

Dorchester South

 

Dorchester West

By Bus

These buses stop outside the Museum entrance. Services can change, so please check with the bus companies before travelling. All First Wessex Dorset buses have disabled access with a ramp or hydraulic system to lower the bus to the kerb level

Find Buses

Discover

Community Exhibition

18 February - 22 June 2023

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

The Club is delighted to have this opportunity to exhibit some of their members’ prints in the Dorset Museum together with an audio-visual presentation.

Find out more

Special Exhibition

22 March - 25 June 2023

ARTIST ROOMS Louise Bourgeois

Explore the work of Louise Bourgeois (1911–2010), one of the most important figures of modern and contemporary art. This spring Dorset Museum will show a major presentation of her work in this ARTIST ROOMS touring exhibition featuring works jointly owned by Tate and the National Galleries of Scotland.

Find out more

Special Display

29 March - 9 July 2023

PJ Harvey – Orlam

Dorset Museum is now displaying an archive of material relating to PJ Harvey’s verse novel Orlam.

Find out more

CANCELLED

3 June 2023, 10:00am - 1:00pm

Louise Bourgeois | Drawing and Printmaking Workshop

Explore some of the themes and techniques in the Artist Rooms: Louise Bourgeois exhibition with fine art practitioners from Dorset Museum

Find out more

Tours

3 June 2023, 10:00am - 12:00noon

Roman Town House Tours

A guided tour of one of the best examples of a Roman Town House in England.

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ArtyFacts Workshop

4 June 2023, 10:00am-12:00noon

Louise Bourgeois’ Weaving | ArtyFacts

Help us to create a wonderful woven installation in our Sculpture Courtyard inspired by spider's webs and the artworks of Louise Bourgeois.

Find out more

FULLY BOOKED

4 June 2023, 2:00pm - 3:00pm

Dorchester Through the Lens of Thomas Hardy | Mark Chutter

Join Mark Chutter, Chairman and Academic Director of the Thomas Hardy Society, to explore how Hardy presents the town of Dorchester in his writing.

Find out more

Tours

10 June 2023, 10:00am - 12:00noon

Roman Town House Tours

A guided tour of one of the best examples of a Roman Town House in England.

Find out more

Tours

17 June 2023, 10:00am - 12:00noon

Roman Town House Tours

A guided tour of one of the best examples of a Roman Town House in England.

Find out more

TASTE Café

Open daily 9.00am - 4.30pm | Sunday 10.00am - 4.00pm
Cafe

Food and Drink

Our new café is welcoming and inviting with freshly prepared food from Taste*.