Stonehenge

About

Stonehenge stands impressively as a prehistoric monument of unique importance, a World Heritage Site, surrounded by remains of ceremonial and domestic structures - some older than the monument itself.

For many people, a glimpse from the car window is as close as they’ve come to the famous stones standing majestically on Salisbury Plain. For others, their last experience of Stonehenge was as a child, perhaps on a family day out or a school trip. Although the stones themselves are timeless, a visit to Stonehenge offers more than you might imagine, so if you haven’t been recently why not come and find out for yourself this Autumn?

Located at the Visitor Centre is a Neolithic village built by our talented team of volunteers. Based on excavated footprints of the houses occupied at the time Stonehenge was constructed, they contain replicas of the everyday items which would have been used 4,500 years ago. Scientific examination of animal bones, food residues on ancient pots and even analysis of the soil around the site tells us what people were growing, cooking and eating. There is also evidence to show that Winter Solstice was a time for feasting! Come in, take a look around and talk to our volunteers who can share with you what life was like here during the Neolithic period. And if all this talk of food makes you hungry, you can refuel in our café with a fresh soup, delicious pasty, or one of our famous rock cakes.

Now showing at the Stonehenge Visitor Centre is Circles of Stone: Stonehenge and Prehistoric Japan. This fascinating temporary exhibition takes a close look at two prehistoric cultures which although were 6,000 miles apart with no contact between them, share some surprising similarities. Find out how they both built stone circles, used stone tools for work but also ceremonially and made beautiful decorated pottery vessels. Learn how Stonehenge endures as a connection between Britain and Japan through the work of pioneering archaeologist William Gowland and woodblock artist Urushibara. You can also explore the permanent exhibition which contains objects on loan from The Salisbury Museum and Wiltshire Museum which tells the story of Stonehenge.

For something really special, why not book for our Stone Circle Experience? From December through to August small groups of up to 30 people can spend an hour walking amongst the giant stones outside of our regular visiting hours. Get up early, wrap up warm and join our knowledgeable host who will show you some of the remarkable features of these megaliths which can only be seen up close. There’s a high demand for this once in a lifetime experience so pre-booking is essential. Details can be found on our website.

When you’ve finished looking around, pop into our gift shop and pick up some unusual Christmas presents. This year, in honour of our special exhibition, we have bottles of sake, silk scarves and even a book explaining furoshiki, the Japanese art of wrapping presents in fabric. 
Stonehenge can be reached by train via Salisbury Train Station and connecting with the Stonehenge Tour Bus from outside the station or by car or by coach. 

Find out more here.