Creating a Sensory Map for the Museum

Our Museum Assistant, Bethany, discusses her work and research into making museums more autism-friendly. "As part of Autism Acceptance Week (28th March – 3rd April), I decided to look into different ways to make the museum more ‘autism-friendly’. As an autistic person myself, I can understand different reasons as to

Continue reading

What happens in an oral history interview?

Hear from Linda, one of our two Bath Spa University Placement students, on how the Voices of the Assizes oral history project is going. I have now completed my first interview for the ‘Voices of the Assize Project’, and I was definitely more nervous than my interviewee! But it all

Continue reading

Welcome to our Bath Spa University Placements

Hello to Linda and Helen! Who are joining us as part of the Voices for the Devizes Assize Court project. We are delighted to have two Bath Spa University students with us over the next few months. They will be working on the Voice of the Devizes Assize Court project

Continue reading

Students turn Assize Court into Virtual Reality

Explore plans for the Devizes Assize Court, virtually! Students at Lavington School, as part of their Duke of Edinburgh Award, have been working with Wiltshire Museum and 3D Model Designer Sophie Russell to transform the Devizes Assize Court into a digital model. Using initial architect plans for the building’s redevelopment,

Continue reading

World of Stonehenge: British Museum and Wiltshire Museum

Important objects loaned by the Wiltshire Museum are in pride of place at the British Museum ‘World of Stonehenge’ exhibition, which runs 17 February until 17 July 2022. In return, the British Museum have loaned us objects never before displayed in Wiltshire.

Continue reading

The Great Wiltshire Storm of 1859

I shall offer no apology to the members our of our Society for bringing them a detailed account of a terrific hurricane, of unprecedented violence in this county, I believe.. With storm Eurnice battering the South of England on the 18th February 2022, we thought we would take a timely

Continue reading
Beige cardboard trays containing microscope slides made by William Cunnington.

Museum stores shine light on Stonehenge

A rediscovery in our Museum stores featured in the February 2022 British Archaeology Magazine with an article by Mike Pitts. Stonehenge must be as thoroughly researched as any ancient site in the world. Yet important evidence can still be found in museum archives.   The discovery identified in the Wiltshire

Continue reading

Bronze Age Daggers: Symbols of Power

Bronze Age Daggers: Symbols of Power Gold decorated daggers, like the one from Bush Barrow found close to Stonehenge, were a symbol of power throughout Bronze Age Europe and beyond.  The finds from Bush Barrow, Britain’s richest Bronze Age burial, are currently featured in the ‘World of Stonehenge’ exhibition at

Continue reading

The Aldbourne Cup

The Aldbourne Cup The exquisitely made Aldbourne Cup, complete with its lid, is beautifully decorated inside and out with V-shapes, diamonds and triangular patterns. This decoration was made using a sharp object, a bone pin or bronze awl, which was repeatedly pushed into the soft clay. Similar cups have been

Continue reading

Seend Iron Works – research by volunteer Anna

Volunteer Anna has been undertaking research into the Seend Iron Works and links to our collections...   The Seend Iron Works began when J.E. Holloway gained mining rights on a small area of land in Seend, located just below the Bell Inn. J.E. Holloway was the first person to extract

Continue reading