Just as Ben Stiller’s Hollywood blockbuster Night at the Museum spawned an equally successful sequel Night at the Museum II: Battle of the Smithsonian, Dorchester’s own Museum Night has also returned by popular demand for a second outing in 2011.

For those who didn’t go last year, Museum Night is an initiative to promote Dorchester museums, and gives families and individuals the opportunity to visit a variety of different venues from 5pm to 9pm for just £6. The event takes place on Saturday 14^th May, and there are no fewer than six participating museums:

• The Keep Military Museum
• Dorset County Museum
• The Teddy Bear Museum
• The Tutankhamun Exhibition
• The  Terracotta Warriors Exhibition
• The Dinosaur Museum

Not only that, but this year’s Museum Night also includes the Roman Town House!

So what is there to see?

Ever wondered what Hitler’s desk looked like? Well wonder no longer, because it’s right here in Dorchester, inside the Keep Military Museum! If you’re curious about the Fuhrer’s taste in furniture, and intrigued as to what he kept in his desk drawers, May 14th is your chance to find out for yourself. This strange artefact was recovered from the ruins of the Chancellory in Berlin in 1945 by the Dorsetshire Regiment, and now resides on the first floor of the museum.

The Tutankhamun Exhibition takes you a bit further back in time, to one of the most famous moments in the history of archaeology – the moment in 1922 when Howard Carter and Lord Canarvon chiselled the first hole into the tomb of the pharaoh Tutankhamun, which had been untouched for thousands of years.

“Can you see anything?” Canarvon asked Carter as he peered into the hole. “Yes” he replied “Wonderful things!”

This magical scene is recreated at the exhibition in Dorchester, and so too are many of the “wonderful things” that so entranced Carter and his team of archaeologists. Everything is replicated to the greatest possible level of authenticity, right down to the smells in the exhibition’s replica tomb, which were formulated using samples from aromatic oils found in the real tomb in Egypt.

If you feel like something a bit more quirky and whimsical, there is the Teddy Bear Museum, a collection of teddy bears spanning more than one hundred years.

When you step inside the museum, you enter the home of Edward Bear and his human-sized bear family. You will find the Bear family relaxing around their home with their extensive collection of more conventionally sized teddy bears.

It’s an enchanting and nostalgic experience, and for those of you wanting to take something home with you, there is also a charming period gift shop full of hundred of bears waiting to tempt you!

Museum Night tickets are available now from the Dorchester Tourist Information Centre or any of the participating museums. Family tickets bought in advance will be £6, which covers up to two adults and four children. Tickets bought on the night itself will be £10.

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Museums at night

Just like Ben Stiller and Ricky Gervais now’s your chance to have “A night at the Museum” as Dorchester’s curators open their doors for you to enjoy an evening exploring these fine and varied facilities. Museums at Night 2010 is a special initiative, organised by Culture24 and takes place during the weekend of Friday to Sunday 14-16th May. The event is part of European wide celebrations of International Museums Day and is funded by the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA)

Everything comes to life

‘Museums at Night’ is coming to Dorchester in a big way on Saturday 15th May. The historic county town of Dorset boasts no fewer than five superb museums and this initiative will see all five open to visitors from 5pm to 9pm.

Dorchester is blessed with a wealth of top quality museums covering a fantastic range of topics and themes. There is sure to be something to surprise and educate be it  Roman Britain; Tutankhamun; Teddy bears; Thomas Hardy; Dorset’s military history; Dinosaurs, or simply Dorchester’s rich history. Museums at Night promises to be a very special night offering families and individuals an unrivalled opportunity to explore and discover.

‘Museums at Night’ venues

Dorchester County Museum

Dorset’s award winning County Museum located on High West Street, Dorchester is a fantastic base for exploring the history of Dorchester and the surrounding area. The family friendly Museum has fascinating modern galleries, dealing with a wide range of subjects including archaeology, farming history, Dorset wildlife, art, history and literature with special emphasis on the history of Thomas Hardy and the Jurassic Coast.

Dinosaur Museum

For dinosaur lovers, Dorset has the Dinosaur Museum, most recently chosen as one of Britain’s Ten Best Child-Friendly Museums. Located on Icen Way in the centre of Dorchester, the museum is a real treat for children and it combines life-sized reconstructions of dinosaurs with fossils and skeletons to create an exciting hands-on experience.

Teddy Bear Museum

The Teddy Bear Museum houses a large display of teddy bears from throughout the last century starting from the earliest examples right up to today’s TV favourites.  Located on the corner of High East Street and Salisbury Street, Dorchester, the wonderful and varied displays offer sheer enjoyment for the young, and for the not so young, with a fascinating and nostalgic look at this much loved toy,

The Keep Military Museum

The Keep Military Museum is sited in an impressive prominent historical building located at the top of the town in Dorchester, Dorset. It houses the splendid archive collection of the participating regiments that make up the Military Museum of Devon and Dorset. People of all ages can experience realistic battle environments, together with exhibitions and tales of courage, humour and sacrifice spread over 300 years.

Tutankhamun

The Tutankhamun Exhibition holds a spectacular recreation of Tutankhamun’s tomb and treasures. The Tutankhamun Exhibition opened in 1987 and houses the most comprehensive exhibition on the boy pharaoh outside of Egypt.

Bovington Tank Museum

Away from the town centre, but most certainly not to be overlooked, the Royal Tank Regiment Museum located at Bovington is also joining in this special event. On the evening of May 15^th, you can experience how the Army and tank crews have operated in darkness, from World War One to the present day in an extra special night at The Tank Museum. For this special evening you will be able to experience a torchlight tour of The Museum, try out state of the art night vision equipment with the Export Support Team, watch a night time vehicle exercise by the Army and discover what it’s like to crew a vehicle in the dark.

Special admission ticket

There is a special ticket available for the evening of 15^th May only, giving you admission to all six museums. Advance family tickets can be purchased for £6 from any of the ‘Museums at Night’ participating museums or from the Dorchester Tourist Information Centre. Special tickets purchased on the night will be £10. Five of the museums are within a short walk of each other and Culture 24 have produced a Google map listing all the participating ‘Museums at Night’ venues and their locations in Dorchester.

Many of the high quality restaurants, cafes and pubs in the centre of Dorchester, Dorset are linking in with ‘Museums at Night’ with special offers for those on the museum trail. The town will be sure to have a special vibrant atmosphere on the night so come along and enjoy a really great evening out.

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The Keep Military Museum

The Keep Military Museum is housed in an impressive prominent historical building located at the top of the town in Dorchester, Dorset. ‘The Keep’ used to be the guardroom and gateway to the depot barracks of the former Dorset Regiment and was in active use until 1958. It houses the splendid archive collection of the participating regiments that make up the Military Museum of Devon and Dorset. People of all ages can experience realistic battle environments, together with exhibitions and tales of courage, humour and sacrifice spread over 300 years.

The Keep Museum’s Constituent Regiments

The Keep Museum’s constituent Regiments are The Devonshire Regiment, The Dorset Regiment, The Devonshire and Dorset Regiment, The Dorset Yeomanry, The Queen’s Own Dorset Yeomanry, The Dorset Militia, The Royal Devon Yeomanry and 94 Field Regiment RA. The Museum aims to provide a fine tribute to all those who have served in the regiments of Devon and Dorset and to preserve the memory of the Countys’ infantry and yeomanry cavalry.

The Keep Museum Experience

You can transport yourself back in time while at the Museum and experience the heroic stories of the soldiers and their families and much more.  The artefacts, weapons, uniforms, and medals are on display over three floors. The museum uses computer and digital presentation to relate the history of the Napoleonic Wars, Boer War, World Wars I and II, and the Falklands and Iraq conflicts. A vast array of military campaigns are represented and put into a historical context in the video introduction in the bunker. There are also Spectacular views from the battlements from where you can observe Hardy’s Dorset.  On-line is a new 360 degree virtual tour of The Keep Military Museum that provides an excellent overview of this unmissable family attraction.

Regimental & Military History books

The Keep Museum Ground Floor

If you are researching your family’s military background, The Keep Military Museum Library holds an extensive collection of rare books and military journals which have been donated to the Museum over the years. Photocopies can be made dependent on copyright restrictions and the general condition of the volume concerned.

War Diaries

Copies of some War Diaries, more so for World War I than for World War II, are also held in The Keep Military Museum. The museum is happy to check these records for you if you let them know the name of the Battalion and approximate dates in which you have an interest.

The Accessions Database

The Keep Museum 2nd Floor

The Keep Military Museum’s MODES accessions database holds details of 28,000 documents, photographs, medals and artefacts donated to the Museum over the years. The searchable database is updated daily and all names of individuals are recorded wherever possible. Other records available include Nominal Rolls for the Queens Own Dorset Yeomanry (QODY), Enlistment Records for the Dorsetshire Regiment and Journals for the Devonshire and Dorset and Dorset Regiments and much more.

Home Front 1939 – 1945

There are also web pages dedicated to the Home Front 1939 – 1945 with historical and educational information as well as image galleries featuring photographs taken of The Blitz, The Home Guard and front line Dorset and American troops. The Home Front Recall Project was completed with the support of Heritage Lottery Funding.

The Keep Military Museum is open, Monday to Saturday during April to September from 10.00am to 5.00pm (last admission 4.00pm) and opens Tuesday to Saturday during October to March (plus Mondays during school holidays) from10.00am to 4:30pm (last admission 3.30pm). The Museum is closed on Sundays throughout the year . Note, during March 2010, The Keep Military Museum is also closed on Saturdays in addition to Sunday and Monday.

Admission is £6 per adult, Children 8-16 years £2 (under 8 years free), Seniors/concessions £4 and a family ticket (2 adults and 2 children) is £13. Please contact the Keep Military Museum for special rates for groups and schools.

There is Wheelchair access to all display floors by lift. Disabled toilet facilities are available.

Virtual Galleries

The Keep Museum Roof

Having visited ‘The Keep’ you may want to view their website which contains Virtual Galleries and documents covering the regiments’ part in the Gallipoli Campaign (WWI) of 1915, the Middle East Campaign (WWI) , the Battle of the Somme (WWI) and the Home Front (WWII). The Keep Military Museum has developed educational teaching packs in support of Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 3 and these packs are available to download from the website.

The Keep Military Museum shop holds a large selection of items in the Museum shop, including books, DVD and museum souvenirs. Entry to the shop is free. The online shop also sells a selection of Regimental goods including books, badges, cufflinks, ties and plaques.  You can also become a member of ‘Keep Friends’ which was established in 2002 to provide practical and financial assistance – individual £10, Family £15 and Corporate £75.

Archive Research Service

The Keep Military Museum offers an enquiries and research service, in return for a donation, based on the information held in its archives. The Keep Military Museum holds collections and archives for its constituent Regiments listed above. The National Archives also holds many records and is a good source of information.

If you are visiting Dorchester, do take time out to see this historic Military Museum which is located next to the ‘Top of town’ car park. This is a great Dorset attraction to combine with a bit of shopping in Dorchester which is only a short walk away..

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