Museums in Wiltshire

Do you want to know more about the history of Wiltshire? Are you intrigued by our history? Then read on to discover more about some of the museums in Wiltshire…

Local history museums Salisbury Museum and Wiltshire Museum both provide an excellent insight into the rich heritage our county has to offer. Within the Salisbury Museum be sure to visit the Stonehenge Gallery and the recently discovered Amesbury Archer. At the Wiltshire Museum you’ll find items from the prehistoric landscapes of Avebury and Stonehenge as well as the best Bronze Age collection in the country.

Amesbury Museum provides a personal tour of one of the greatest Mesolithic collections in the county and describes the story of why Stonehenge is where it is.

The Trowbridge Museum, in our county town gives an insight into the woollen industry that grew the town.

The Town Hall Museum in Royal Wootton Bassett houses many local artefacts and an annual exhibition.

The Swindon Museum and Art Gallery has displays of local history, archaeology and geology.

The Chippenham Museum and Heritage Centre tells the story of the historic market town from prehistoric times until the present day.

For transport enthusiasts and young and old alike there’s STEAM – Museum of the Great Western Railway in Swindon, the Boscombe Down Aviation Collection on the outskirts of Salisbury plus the Atwell-Wilson Motor Museum in Calne.

If your interests lie in military history then a visit to the Rifles Berkshire & Wiltshire Museum shouldn’t go a miss. On display are 2,000 objects dating from 1748 through to the current regiment.

Keen photographers should head to the Fox Talbot Museum of Photography, within the National Trust Village of Lacock where you can learn about the history of photography and photographic developments. 

For a quirky, yet interactive museum, check out Visit Hillbrush, in Mere. This museum details the interesting history of brush and cleaning products

Close by to Wiltshire there's the American Museum in Britain, the Royal Signals Museum, The Museum of Army Flying, and the Roman Baths.

Look out for events taking place in our museums throughout the year including museums at night, exhibitions and talks and lectures.