The Willis Museum and Sainsbury Gallery

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The Willis Museum and Sainsbury Gallery We're the community museum for Basingstoke. We host regional and national exhibitions in our gallery. We're part of Hampshire Cultural Trust.
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Volunteer with us: https://tinyurl.com/3tu7bpk8 Basingstoke’s Willis Museum, housed in the Old Town Hall, is in the historic heart of Basingstoke close to Festival Place, the busy town centre. You can discover Basingstoke and Deane’s past, from the rich archaeological heritage beneath our feet right up to the modern day. In the Sainsbury Gallery there is always something new to see with a regularly changing programme of special exhibitions, workshops, talks and events.

Don't forget to get in your submissions for... Wonders of the Night💫 🌙 ✨️ From starry skies and candlelight to folklore ...
20/10/2026

Don't forget to get in your submissions for...

Wonders of the Night💫 🌙 ✨️

From starry skies and candlelight to folklore and dreams, your interpretation of the theme is up to you. Existing work is very welcome, as long as you feel it fits somewhere in the theme.

‼️ DEADLINE: Monday 25 October‼️

Make your submissions here https://buff.ly/KEgeXYQ

Image: God's House Tower by Moonlight by Abraham Pether.

The Entertainer has stood strong through all the changes that the shops in the town centre have seen! During the 1990s t...
19/10/2026

The Entertainer has stood strong through all the changes that the shops in the town centre have seen!

During the 1990s this area (now part of Festival Place) was known as The Walks and home to many shops we have since lost 🛒

Could you name some of the shops we used to have in town during the 90s?

There's only a few weeks left to have a nostalgic trip back through the 1990s⚡️
'I Grew Up 90s' will be leaving The Willis Museum and Sainsbury Gallery on Sunday 1 November⚡️

https://www.hampshireculture.org.uk/event/i-grew-90s-exhibition

‼️NEXT WEEK‼️ Join Jenny Steven for a look behind the media myths and learn what we were really eating in the Medieval a...
18/10/2026

‼️NEXT WEEK‼️

Join Jenny Steven for a look behind the media myths and learn what we were really eating in the Medieval and Tudor periods 🫜 🐗

Book your tickets! https://buff.ly/Pj17ocs

You can also call the museum to book your place and pay in the museum café!

Tickets £7 (includes refreshments)

Looking for some spooky fun this October half term? 🎃 👻 🦇 🔦 Museum By Torchlight🔦 Explore the Willis Museum by torchligh...
17/10/2026

Looking for some spooky fun this October half term? 🎃 👻 🦇

🔦 Museum By Torchlight🔦

Explore the Willis Museum by torchlight. Inspired by a trip to the carnival, follow our trails around the museum, collect clues and take part in fun games stationed around the museum such as hook a duck and pin the nose on the clown.
Don’t forget to bring your torch!

This event is very popular- please book your ticket in advance to avoid disappointment.

£6 per child (adults go free!) - Under 18s MUST be accompanied at all times

Find out more ➡️ https://buff.ly/H33pBpG

Lecture in the Loft at Museum of The Iron Age & Andover Museum ✨️ TOMORROW✨️ 'Agatha Christie and the ABC Murders'Join s...
17/10/2026

Lecture in the Loft at Museum of The Iron Age & Andover Museum

✨️ TOMORROW✨️

'Agatha Christie and the ABC Murders'

Join speaker Lily Screen as she delves into the life and work of the Queen of Crime!

Sunday 18 October @ 2PM

Tickets - £4.50

BOOK NOW https://buff.ly/wORK4PZ

⚡️ Join us for one last week of 90s fun this October Half Term⚡️ MON 26 & TUES 27 OCTOBER Drop in for some 90s themed cr...
16/10/2026

⚡️ Join us for one last week of 90s fun this October Half Term⚡️

MON 26 & TUES 27 OCTOBER

Drop in for some 90s themed craft activities! https://buff.ly/xpNgYAX

£5 per person

-

SAT 31 OCTOBER

Make a Card Tamagotchi

Make your own 90s digi-pet out of card! https://buff.ly/rdEizso

No need to book - just drop in 10.30-12.00 or 14.00-15.30 😊

Did you know our Ice Hockey team weren't always called the Basingstoke Bison⁉️ Until the mid-1990s the team was known as...
15/10/2026

Did you know our Ice Hockey team weren't always called the Basingstoke Bison⁉️

Until the mid-1990s the team was known as the Basingstoke Beavers - their uniforms featuring the animal alongside a yellow colour scheme- before changing to its more fearsome identity around 1994!

Do you remember the change?

There's not long left to see this photograph in the 'I Grew Up 90s' exhibition , on at The Willis Museum and Sainsbury Gallery until Sunday 1 Nov 2026!

Image: Marian Bond © 1993

On this day in 1645 was the final siege on Basing House during the English Civil WarThis was the last of many attacks on...
14/10/2026

On this day in 1645 was the final siege on Basing House during the English Civil War

This was the last of many attacks on the house since the beginning of the war in 1642 and carried out by Oliver Cromwell himself!

The battle reportedly took no longer than an hour and was followed, once John Paulet the Marquis of Wi******er surrendered, by looting of the remaining valuables in the house.

After the Restoration, King Charles II returned the ruins of Basing House to the Paulet family.

Image: The Basing House 'Raised Work' Embroidery, dating from between 1600 to 1669. https://buff.ly/ZMiSk76

Lecture in the Loft at Museum of The Iron Age & Andover Museum ✨️ THIS WEEKEND✨️ 'Agatha Christie and the ABC Murders'J...
13/10/2026

Lecture in the Loft at Museum of The Iron Age & Andover Museum

✨️ THIS WEEKEND✨️

'Agatha Christie and the ABC Murders'

Join speaker Lily Screen as she delves into the life and work of the Queen of Crime!

Sunday 18 October @ 2PM

Tickets - £4.50

BOOK NOW https://buff.ly/wORK4PZ

Happy Birthday Mr Willis🎉 On this day in 1877 George Willis, the founder of this museum was born! He was born in Henry P...
13/10/2026

Happy Birthday Mr Willis🎉

On this day in 1877 George Willis, the founder of this museum was born!

He was born in Henry Place, Basingstoke, his father (also called George!) was a jeweller and a watchmaker - a trade that George would go on to inherit⌚️

In 1927 he began a campaign for the town to have its own museum and set up a small display at the Mechanics Institute until funding was secured to open the Basingstoke Museum in 1931🏛️

Read more about Mr Willis here ➡️ https://www.cultureoncall.com/georgewillis/

Address

Market Place
Basingstoke
RG217QD

Opening Hours

Wednesday 10am - 5pm
Thursday 10am - 5pm
Friday 10am - 5pm
Saturday 10am - 5pm
Sunday 10am - 4pm

Telephone

+441256465902

Website

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