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
| Type | Online | On the door |
|---|---|---|
| Adult* | £12.60 | £14 |
| Child** | £5.40 | £6 |
| Student | £9.90 | £11 |
* 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.
| Type | Online | On 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 Members | FREE |
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 todayWessex 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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Opening hours:
Daily: 9.00am - 4.30pm
Sunday: 10.00am - 4.00pm
Bank Holidays: 10.00am - 4.00pm -
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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 informationMuseum Map
You can also purchase a copy of our map which features in our Guidebook.
Download MapVisual Story
Download our visual story with pictures of the Museum and information about what to expect.
Download StoryAccessibility
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 moreDiscounts and Offers
KIDS GO FREE!
Under 26s Go Free Every Weekend
We are pleased to be offering under 26-year-olds FREE Museum entry at weekends during the ARTIST ROOMS Louise Bourgeois exhibition from 22 March – 25 June 2023.
Please note, You may be asked to show that you are aged 16 – 26 when attending, so you should bring along proof of ID.
5-15-year-olds must be accompanied by an adult, annual pass holder, or member.
10% Discount if you book online
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
Parking Voucher Scheme
Any visitor parking in any of the Dorset Council Pay and Display car parks in Dorchester, will find the pay and display machine gives them a two-part ticket. Part one stays in the car, part two has the Dorchester BID either ‘Max £1 refund voucher’ or ‘Dorchester BID voucher’ printed on the lower part of the ticket.
This voucher can be redeemed against an Adult or Family full price entry ticket to the value of £1. This cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer.
Get Around for £2 by bus
The UK Government has announced an extension of the £2 Fare Cap scheme from 01 April 2023 to 31 October 2023 which will see single tickets on most bus routes across England continue to cost no more than £2. This scheme is aimed at allowing millions of people to access affordable bus travel as part of the Government’s wider measures to support households with cost-of-living pressures.
So visitors will not pay more than £4 for a return if they are to travel to the museum.
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 parksBy 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 SouthDorchester 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 BusesDiscover
Galleries
Let us take you on a journey spanning 250 million years, and explore Dorset’s natural world, archaeology, history, art and culture along the way.
Library
Spend some quiet time in our stunning, light-filled Library with its magnificent Victorian oriel window, coats of arms, carved arches and fireplace.
Victorian Hall
Dating from 1883, the arches of fine cast ironwork are offset by the simple elegance of a single rose window pouring soft light down onto the exhibits below
What's On
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 more22 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 more29 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 more3 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 more3 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 more4 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 more4 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 more10 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 more17 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 moreTASTE Café
Food and Drink
Our new café is welcoming and inviting with freshly prepared food from Taste*.