School and Group Visits to Dorset Museum & Art Gallery
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250 Million Years of History
Step into a world of dinosaurs, Romans, and Vikings! Dorset Museum offers a hands-on journey through 250 million years of history, with interactive galleries and a famous fossil collection.
Jurassic Coast Giants
Stand face-to-face with the massive skull of a Pliosaur and other marine reptiles. This gallery is a premier resource for studying dinosaurs, fossils, rocks and soils, showing how prehistoric creatures once ruled the Dorset seas.
Explore the Jurassic Coast, Roman life, and Dorset’s incredible social historyEducation Destination
With a collection of more than 4 million artefacts spread over several themed galleries, Dorset Museum is the place to connect with over 250 million years of history.
The Natural Dorset gallery reveals the secrets of the county's geography, habitats and wildlife, with a particular focus on the Jurassic Coast.
The Hardy Gallery celebrates the life and work of Thomas Hardy, including precious manuscripts and personal letters.
The People's Gallery walks through half a million years from the Palaeolithic to the Anthropocene (current day) with a particular focus on the Roman period.
The Artist's Gallery shows off a superb collection of artworks including pieces by Gainsborough and Romney.
The Victorian Hall is replete with cast iron columns and arches inspired by the Great Exhibition of 1851.
There's also a library of some 30,000+ books covering Dorset's geology, history, people, art and culture to browse!
Walking with the Romans
Youngsters can walk over authentic Roman mosaics and explore the secrets of Durnovaria. By investigating burial finds and domestic items, pupils gain a visceral understanding of the technology and culture of ancient civilisations.
Maiden Castle Mysteries
Discover the lives of the people who built Europe’s largest hillfort. Students can examine Iron Age weaponry and jewellery, exploring how these early communities developed their own defences and social structures in the local landscape.
Dorset’s Natural World
Investigate the diverse animals, habitats and biodiversity of the county. Students learn how the environment has shifted over millennia, from tropical lagoons to the modern countryside.
Social History Stories
Explore changes within living memory and the harsh realities of crime and punishment. From the struggles of the Tolpuddle Martyrs to life during World War II, the museum brings the human stories of the past into sharp focus.
Literature and Writing
As the home of the Thomas Hardy archives, the atmospheric galleries serve as a brilliant stimulus for literature and creative writing. Pupils can use the evocative settings and artefacts to build vocabulary and craft their own stories.
Scientific Discovery
Every gallery is designed to foster curiosity through hands-on engagement. Whether students are researching the Saxons or the Victorians, the museum provides a safe, modern environment for youngsters to develop their skills as historians.
Ancient Civilisations
The museum houses exceptional collections that allow students to compare Ancient Civilisations with local developments. Pupils can explore how Dorset’s early inhabitants organised their societies and crafted intricate jewellery and tools.
Animals, Habitats & Biodiversity
Through the Natural Dorset gallery, youngsters investigate the diverse animals, habitats and biodiversity of the county. Students can see how the local landscape supports rare species and how these ecosystems have changed over millennia.
Bronze Age
Dorset is famous for its ceremonial landscapes, and the museum displays significant Bronze Age gold and pottery. Pupils can learn about the lives of the people who built the burial mounds that still dot the local hills.
Changes Within Living Memory
The social history collections allow youngsters to explore how domestic life and work have shifted. Students can handle objects from the mid-20th century to discuss changes within living memory in the home and high street.
Climate, Weather & Environment
The museum showcases how the climate, weather and environment have shaped Dorset, from tropical seas to ice ages. Students can examine how environmental shifts have impacted both wildlife and human settlement patterns.
Crime & Punishment
Dorchester has a grim history of justice, and the museum explores the lives of those caught in the legal system. Pupils can learn about the Tolpuddle Martyrs and the harsh realities of crime and punishment in the 19th century.
Dinosaurs
The Jurassic Coast gallery is a premier resource for studying dinosaurs. Youngsters can see the massive skull of a Pliosaur and other marine reptiles, bringing the prehistoric world of the Mesozoic Era into sharp focus.
Fossils, Rocks & Soils
This is a core focus of the museum’s geology collection. Students can investigate world-class fossils, rocks and soils, learning how the unique geology of the Jurassic Coast led to such incredible preservation.
Iron Age
The museum houses spectacular finds from Maiden Castle, one of Europe’s largest hillforts. Pupils can explore Iron Age weaponry and domestic items, gaining a visceral understanding of life in a tribal hillfort society.
Literature & Creative Writing
As the home of the Thomas Hardy and William Barnes archives, the museum is a brilliant stimulus for literature and creative writing. The atmospheric galleries provide endless inspiration for pupils to craft their own stories and poetry.
Local History
The museum is the definitive archive for Dorset’s local history. Students can trace the development of Dorchester and the wider county from a small Roman town to the bustling community it is today.
Medieval / Middle Ages
The collection includes significant stone carvings and daily objects from the Medieval / Middle Ages. Pupils can learn about the influence of the church and the lives of ordinary people in Dorset during this period.
Prehistoric
From the earliest flint tools to massive mammoth tusks, the museum provides a comprehensive look at the prehistoric world. Youngsters can investigate how humans first adapted to the changing British landscape.
Romans
Dorchester was the Roman town of Durnovaria, and the museum displays incredible mosaics and burial finds. Students can walk over authentic Roman floors and explore the technology and culture of the Roman occupation.
Saxons
The museum highlights the transition into the era of the Saxons. Pupils can see metalwork and pottery that reveal the craftsmanship and the shifting power structures in early medieval Wessex.
Stone Age / Neolithic
Examine the sophisticated tools and pottery from the Stone Age / Neolithic period. The museum explains the move toward farming and the building of the first great henges in the Dorset landscape.
Victorians
The museum itself was founded during the era of the Victorians, and the galleries reflect their passion for collecting. Pupils can explore the industrial and social changes that defined 19th-century Dorset life.
World War II
The museum documents the impact of the conflict on the Home Front. Youngsters can learn about the local preparations for D-Day and the daily lives of Dorset residents during World War II.
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