Summer museums pages 3 - 5.qxp_Layout 1 21/07/2016 09:16 Page 3
MUSEUMS | GUIDE
VICTORIA ART GALLERY Bridge Street, Bath, BA2 4AT Tel: 01225 477233 Web: victoriagal.org.uk The Victoria Art Gallery is Bath & North East Somerset's most popular art gallery and is situated in the heart of the historic city. Spread over two floors, the council owned collection covers three centuries of British paintings and sculptures, from Gainsborough to Constable to Sickert and Turner. Marvel at the display of 1,500 decorative art treasures, including glittering Bohemian glass and ceramics. Browse the collection of Bath images in the first floor drawer units, relax with a cup of coffee in the beautiful upstairs rotunda. There is also a lovely book, card and gift shop and there are often exhibition works of art for sale. There is an exciting temporary exhibition programme, including national touring exhibitions and major retrospectives plus school holiday activities and workshops. Upcoming exhibitions include works by Kenneth Armitage, Peter Brown, Chalkie Davies, John Eaves, Howard Hodgkin and Kaffe Fassett. The permanent collection is free of charge. The gallery is open daily from 10.30am – 5pm, including bank holidays.
WILTSHIRE MUSEUM 41 Long Street, Devizes, SN10 1NS Tel: 01380 727369 Web: wiltshiremuseum.org.uk Wiltshire Museum is just two minutes from the Market Place in Devizes and has an international reputation attracting visitors from all over the world. The archaeology collections, among the finest in Britain, present 500,000 years of Wiltshire’s Story. The award-winning displays feature gold from the time of Stonehenge, worn by
the people who worshipped inside the stone circle. It’s also a great place to visit with children as every gallery has at least one interactive activity to enjoy; including costumes and the chance to grind wheat using quern-stones. The family exhibition Fantastic Fossils is now open until early 2017. Work is also underway to build a First World War dug-out ready for a special exhibition focusing on the Battle of the Somme, which will run until November 2016. Opening times: Monday – Saturday 10am – 5pm, Sunday noon – 4pm. Admission: adults £5.50, concessions £4.50. Children under 16 go free (excluding school and organised groups).
BRADFORD ON AVON MUSEUM The Library, Bridge Street, Bradford on Avon, BA15 1BY Tel: 01225 863280 Web: bradfordonavonmuseum.co.uk
Bradford on Avon is a beautiful market town of Saxon, Medieval and Georgian buildings, only eight miles away from Bath. Bradford’s small volunteer-run museum provides a background to the rich archaeology and history of the town and its surrounding villages, from Jurassic fossils, remains of its Roman beginnings, memories of an industrial past, up to recent times. Pride of place is given to a complete old chemist shop from the town that was relocated when it closed. The pharmacists kept all the old furnishings and glittering bottles of colourful medicines with their Latin labels. During August the museum's Millennium Embroidery will be on show. Open: 10.30am – 12.30pm and 2 – 4pm Wednesday to Saturday, 2 – 4pm on Sunday and August bank holiday. Admission is free. 80 TheBATHMagazine
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AUGUST 2016