Join us at Dorset History Centre for Heritage Open Day this Sunday 21 September, 10am to 4pm, to find out more about what we do and how we do it! Our behind-the-scenes tours are now sold out, but there will still be plenty to drop in and do on the day! In our searchroom, there will… Read more Heritage Open Day 2025
On Saturday 26 July 2025 Dorset History Centre will be hosting an all-day conference about the history of railways in Dorset. The conference is free to attend, but we have a maximum capacity in our lecture room, so need to be booked ahead of time. You can book your tickets here. **Please be aware that… Read more Rail 200: Dorset On Rail
Join us at Dorset History Centre for Heritage Open Day on Sunday 15 September to find out more about what we do and how we do it! There will be a range of documents on display, archaeological finds to explore, activities for children; and hourly tours of our building offering you the chance to see… Read more Heritage Open Day 2024
Do come and join us for a glimpse into Dorset’s summers past. Over-dressed Victorians, hard-working Edwardians, Fair folk and sporting lasses from the twenties – Dorset History Centre houses thousands of photos. On 17th August we will be displaying images drawn from a wide range of archive collections illustrating summers in Dorset over the last… Read more Dorset’s Summer Past photography exhibition
Dorset Archives Trust with the Thomas Hardy Society are promoting a series of three fascinating lectures which will examine aspects of Hardy’s life and work referencing elements of his archival legacy. You can find details of the talks below. Hardy’s UNESCO-inscribed archive – 150 boxes of the author’s records ranging from the manuscript of The… Read more Thomas Hardy lecture series: fundraising to open up Hardy’s archives to the wider world!
‘Times have changed from the Times they used to be; people don’t care about us much now. I’ve been thinking we must be almost the last left in the country of the old String players; Barrel-organs, and they things next door to ‘em that you blow with your foot [ Harmoniums!] have come in terrible… Read more The Hardy Family Music Manuscript Books
On the 16th June 2022, supporters of the Dorset Archive Trust attended a fund-raising Gala event at Smedmore House, a house residing on an estate rich with history. The event was attended by Dorset History Centre volunteer Toby, who is developing skills in film and photography, and has written this blog. — The Dorset Archives… Read more Smedmore House Gala
David Johnston-Smith, the project archivist currently cataloguing the Dame Elisabeth Frink archival collection, was delighted to be invited to speak at a recent Christie’s Lates event on 13th January in London. David was due to be introducing the archival collection to the large and enthusiastic crowd these popular evening events encourage, whilst Annette Ratuszniak, former… Read more Dame Elisabeth Frink at Christie’s Lates
Dorset History Centre holds many fascinating documents and books that tell the stories of the people, villages and towns of Dorset. We would like to give people the chance to discover these stories, so in January 2020 we will be starting monthly ‘Explore Dorset’s Archives’ sessions. These sessions will be run from 10.15 to 11.45… Read more Explore Dorset Archives through Shared Texts
Thursday 6 June 2019 is the 75th anniversary of D Day. This important landmark of World War Two will be commemorated across the country, and much of Europe. D Day holds particular significance for Dorset as the county was in the front line of the build up to the invasion of Europe. Soldiers from America,… Read more D Day on the Home Front
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