Dorset Museum Topping Out Ceremony Video

Friday, August 21st, 2020

We have been watching the developments closely for the exciting refurbishment of Dorset Museum. It was great to see Lord Fellowes of nearby West Stafford join in the celebrations. He placed the final brick in the ‘topping out’ ceremony in Dorchester, to celebrate the completion of structural work. You can watch the ceremony in a video, which also includes a look behind the scenes of the new Museum.

Lord Fellowes dorset musuem topping out ceremony — Photo credit: Dorset County Museum

Despite facing the challenging times the pandemic has thrown at us this year the structural work is complete. A real milestone for all involved to reach such a significant stage of the project. High praise for the Dorset-based construction company Acheson, the team behind the multi-million pound refurbishment

With the Dorset Museum roof now complete, the ‘Topping Out’ ceremony saw Lord Fellowes place the final brick. As Patron of the Tomorrow’s Museum for Dorset project, Lord Fellowes was the perfect man for the job.

A tremendous milestone

Dr Jon Murden, Director of Dorset Museum commented:

“At times over the past few months I did not know whether we would reach this point this summer, but I am absolutely delighted to be joined by Lord Fellowes and the Acheson team to celebrate this tremendous milestone.

“Seeing the structural element of the build come together has made us even more excited for the future and what’s to come over the coming months. As a team, we are very much looking forward to moving into the next stages of the development. The Museum will be turned into the state-of-the-art facility we promised, ready for you all to enjoy next year.”

Board members, donors, supporters and staff were able to be part of the event by watching the ceremony virtually.

Jon also thanked the support and funding from key stakeholders including the National Heritage Lottery Fund and Arts Council England.

A vision for the future

The finished project will come complete with new galleries, a learning centre, collections storage, library and visitor facilities including a café and shop at the heart of the county.

The new Museum will be opening its doors in early 2021 as a world-class and award-winning institution. To follow the progress and for behind the scenes updates visit the website and follow Dorset County Museum on social media. Find out more about the fantastic museums in Dorchester.