Wiltshire Museum facts for kids
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| Established | 1873 |
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| Location | Long Street, Devizes, Wiltshire, England |
| Type | Archaeology Museum, History museum |
The Wiltshire Museum is a cool place in Devizes, Wiltshire, England. It's a museum, a library, and an art gallery all in one! It first opened its doors in 1874.
This museum is looked after by the Wiltshire Archaeological and Natural History Society. This group started way back in 1853 and helps keep the museum running.
Contents
Discovering the Museum's History
The museum is located in an old grammar school building on Long Street. Over time, it grew bigger by adding two beautiful Georgian houses next door. It still uses these buildings today.
What You Can See Inside
The Wiltshire Museum has amazing collections that tell the story of Wiltshire. You can explore archaeology, art, history, and even natural history.
The collections cover a huge amount of time, from the very first humans in the Palaeolithic period. You'll also find items from the Stone Age, Bronze Age, Roman times, and the Saxon period. There are even things from the Mediaeval era and more recent history.
Some of the most special items come from the famous Stonehenge and Avebury World Heritage Site. Many of the museum's collections are so important that they are officially recognized as key parts of England's cultural heritage.
The Bush Barrow Gold
One of the most exciting collections is from Bush Barrow. This was an ancient burial mound from the early Bronze Age, located near Stonehenge.
In 1808, a person named William Cunnington explored this burial mound. He found the richest and most important treasures ever discovered in a Bronze Age grave near Stonehenge!
The museum got these amazing finds in 1883. They were on display until 1922 when they were loaned to the British Museum. After some careful work to fix the largest piece, these treasures came back home to Devizes in 1985.
Ancient Sea Creatures
The museum also has a cool natural history collection. It includes parts of a plesiosaur called Bathyspondylus. This ancient sea reptile was found in Swindon in 1774.
Scientists first described Bathyspondylus swindoniensis in 1982, using the specimens from the museum.
Special Exhibitions
The museum often has special displays for visitors.
Gold from Stonehenge
Since 2013, there has been a permanent exhibition called Gold from the Time of Stonehenge. This display shows 30 pieces of real gold from the Early Bronze Age. This includes the incredible finds from Bush Barrow!
Art by Eric Ravilious
From September 2021 to January 2022, the museum hosted a big art exhibition. It was called Eric Ravilious: Downland Man and featured works by the artist Eric Ravilious.
Many famous places loaned their artworks for this show. These included the Victoria and Albert Museum, the British Museum, the Imperial War Museum, and the Towner Eastbourne gallery. There were also pieces from private collections.
Future Plans for the Museum
Since 2018, there have been plans to move the museum to a new, bigger location. The idea is to move it to the old Devizes Assize Court building in the town centre.
In June 2023, the Wiltshire Museum received £300,000 from the National Lottery Heritage Fund. This money helps the museum and the Assize Court Trust plan for the big move. They are working on their ideas before applying for a larger grant in 2025.
See Also
