Dorchester Abbey Museum is an independent, accredited Museum, run by about 30 local volunteers. We are funded entirely from donations, project grants, and proceeds from our wonderfully stocked little shop.

The Museum, with ‘Dorchester through the ages’ as its theme, is housed in one room, part of the Abbey Guest House next to the historic Dorchester Abbey. It was founded in 1960 by Edith Stedman, an American, who spent over 30 years raising funds for the Abbey.

Our displays cover prehistoric times, through Roman and Saxon, to more recent history. Highlights include a model of a Roman house surrounded by fascinating artefacts from a local archaeological dig, and many objects found in and around Dorchester. We have occasional temporary displays that reflect particular themes or current events.

There is more to discover in Dorchester Abbey. The prize-winning Cloister Gallery, also part of the Museum, captures the atmosphere of the medieval cloister and provides the backdrop for a permanent exhibition of medieval worked stone, the only reminder, other than the surviving parish church and the Guest House, of the pre-Reformation Abbey buildings. The gallery is open during Abbey opening times throughout the year.