Things to see & do > Museums
More things to see and do in and around Weymouth
Dorset is home to so many museums and places of interest that it is impossible to list them all on this page. The ones we have chosen are the most popular museums visited by our guests and all the ones situated in Weymouth are within walking distance of our B&B.
Tank Museum, Bovington
The Tank Museum houses the best collection of armoured fighting vehicles in the world. The Family Activity Trail is designed to educate and entertain the whole family whilst the free audio tour provides visitors with fascinating facts about the crew and the battles in which they fought. An average visit to the museum lasts about three and a half hours. There is ample free parking and disabled access.
Tolpuddle Martyrs Museum, Tolpuddle
The exhibition itself contains illustrated display panels and multimedia presentations of the story of the Tolpuddle Martyrs, told through the eyes and voices of the main characters. Near to the exhibition is the Church of St John the Evangelist where James Hammett's grave lies under trees in the churchyard. To the east of the church is Thomas Standfield's cottage, scene of the fateful oath ceremony. In Dorchester you can also visit the Old Crown Court and Cells where the six Tolpuddle Martyrs were sentenced before being transported to Australia.
Royal Signals Museum, Blandford
The Royal Corps of Signals Museum is located in Blandford Camp and is the national museum of Army communications designed to explain the part that communications have played in the many wars and campaigns of the last 150 years. Permanent exhibits include ENIGMA - Codes and Codebreakers, Special Operations Executive, Animals at War, Long Range Desert Group and Despatch Riders & Motorbike Collection. The museum of spies, codes and secret agents is fully wheelchair accessible, has free car parking and is open weekdays all year round and weekends/bank holidays between the middle of February and the end of October.
The Keep Military Museum, Dorchester
Built in the 1880s, the Keep was once the gateway to the Dorset Regiment Barracks and contained the guardroom, cells and armoury. Today it has been transformed into a state-of-the-art military museum dedicated to the Dorset and Devon Regiments and their part in the defence of the realm since 1685. The exhibition has been designed to appeal to all ages through its use of creative and interactive displays.
Dinosaurland Fossil Museum, Lyme Regis
This museum houses a collection of Jurassic fossils and dinosaurs in a Grade 1 listed building where Mary Anning, discoverer of the first Ichthyosaur in 1811, was baptised. There is also a Natural History Room, a Time Gallery where you can discover how experts date rocks and build up a history of the earth back to its birth 4.6 billion years ago, and a Discovery section where you can find out why Lyme Regis is so good for fossils and where the best places are to find your own fossils. For one hour each day, the museum organises a Fossil Clinic where you can bring your fossils for a free expert analysis.
Also Worth a Visit...
Weymouth Museum, Brewers Quay - entry is free to this museum of Weymouth's history depicted through paintings, prints, costumes, regalia and archives.
Discovery, Brewers Quay, Weymouth - interactive science centre with five separate areas packed with hands-on exhibits for all the family.
Timewalk, Brewers Quay, Weymouth - award-winning attraction that journeys through time to tell you the story of Weymouth's turbulent past and strong maritime connections.
Deep Sea Adventure, Weymouth - explore the fascinating world of underwater exploration and maritime exploits both past and present and discover the history of Weymouth's Old Harbour with tales of shipwrecks and the Titanic disaster.
Dorset County Museum, Dorchester - visitors can find out about local writers, history, archaeology, geology and the natural sciences and its diverse collections include Roman mosaics, original Thomas Hardy manuscripts and fossilised dinosaur footprints.
The Dinosaur Museum, Dorchester - Britain's only Dinosaur Museum, which combines audio-visual and hands-on exhibits with actual fossils, skeletons, and life-size reconstructions of dinosaurs and other prehistoric animals.
The Tutankhamun Exhibition, Dorchester - you can walk through Tutankhamun's tomb filled with all its treasures, where the sight, sound and smell combine to produce an excellent reproduction of this ancient Egyptian wonder.
The Terracotta Warriors Museum, Dorchester - see superb replicas of China's Terracotta Warriors displayed alongside reconstructions of costumes and armour taking you back in time to the First Emperor of China 2000 years ago.
The Dorset Teddy Bear Museum, Dorchester - a superb collection from the earliest teddies to today's TV favourites.
