Dorchester Abbey Museum facts for kids
The Dorchester Abbey Museum is a cool local museum in the village of Dorchester, which is in Oxfordshire, England. It's right next to the famous Dorchester Abbey.
This museum is actually in two special buildings that are part of Dorchester Abbey. One part is called the Old Schoolroom. This used to be a guest house way back in the 1300s! Inside, you can see old objects, pictures, and maps that tell the story of Dorchester and the area around it. People have lived here for over 6,000 years, which is a very long time! The Old Schoolroom also keeps a collection of old records and documents.
The other part of the museum is the Cloister Gallery. This is a newer gallery that was built in 2001. It has a special display called "If Stones Could Speak." This exhibition shows off amazing old stone carvings and shapes from the Middle Ages that were found at the Abbey. They help tell the Abbey's history.
The Cloister Gallery was even nominated for a big award called the Gulbenkian Prize in 2006. That shows how special it is!
What You Can See
The museum has different areas to explore.
- The Old Schoolroom shows how people lived in Dorchester long ago.
- You can see tools, pottery, and other items from ancient times.
- Maps help you understand how the area has changed over thousands of years.
The Cloister Gallery
- This gallery focuses on the history of Dorchester Abbey itself.
- It displays beautiful stone pieces that were once part of the Abbey buildings.
- These stones tell stories about the Abbey's past and the people who built it.
External Links
- Visit the Dorchester Abbey Museum website
- More information about Dorchester Abbey Museum
