Vale & Downland Museum

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Vale & Downland Museum Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from Vale & Downland Museum, History Museum, Church Street, Wantage.

The museum has been nationally acclaimed and offers a very broad range of services, from galleries interpreting the cultural heritage of the Vale of White Horse region, to a coffee shop with a delightful terrace and garden.

Children aged 7 and above can get creative at our Children's Autumn Wreath Workshop this October half term.Thursday 29th...
08/10/2026

Children aged 7 and above can get creative at our Children's Autumn Wreath Workshop this October half term.

Thursday 29th October 10.30 - 11.30am

£10 per child.
Spaces are limited so booking in advance is essential

How to book:
• Online via Ticketsource* link in comments
• Phone 0333 666 3366*
• In person at the museum
*Please note booking by phone or online are subject to a small booking fee

This workshop is for children aged 7+.

What happens when museum objects inspire poetry?A forgotten story. A much-loved doctor. A new mural. A curious mind.Join...
08/10/2026

What happens when museum objects inspire poetry?

A forgotten story. A much-loved doctor. A new mural. A curious mind.

Join Museum Curator Suzie and The Sheep Pens poetry group for a free, fascinating hour of poetry inspired by objects from the Museum's collection.

Expect thought-provoking poems, surprising connections and a fresh way of looking at things around us.

Thursday 5th November 1.30pm
Free to attend - but booking is essential. Visit the event page to get your tickets 👉https://www.facebook.com/events/2066030010715493

This event is sponsored by Wantage Literary Festival

Book your free place now and see where the objects take you!

We have three of these display cabinets that we no longer have a use for.Before we arrange disposal of them, would anyon...
07/10/2026

We have three of these display cabinets that we no longer have a use for.
Before we arrange disposal of them, would anyone like them?

They are in great condition and all we ask is for a donation to the Museum.
To be collected from the Museum during normal opening times.

Aerial view of Wantage town centre in the 1970s.Lots of very recognisable places in this photo: St Peter & St Paul Churc...
07/10/2026

Aerial view of Wantage town centre in the 1970s.

Lots of very recognisable places in this photo: St Peter & St Paul Church, the Market Place, the old Police Station, and St Mary's School is in there.
What else can you see?

We're excited to be welcoming a new group to exhibit at the Museum; 𝘼𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙣 𝘼𝙧𝙩 𝙂𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙥 This talented group of artists insta...
06/10/2026

We're excited to be welcoming a new group to exhibit at the Museum; 𝘼𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙣 𝘼𝙧𝙩 𝙂𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙥

This talented group of artists install their exhibition tomorrow and it will be open to the public on Thursday.

If you find a piece or two that you like, there will be selected artworks available to purchase. They make excellent Christmas presents 😉

Thursday 8th October 2026 - Saturday 2nd January 2027
Open during normal Museum opening times.

FREE admission but please consider donating to the Museum.
𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘝𝘢𝘭𝘦 & 𝘋𝘰𝘸𝘯𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘔𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘶𝘮 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘢 𝘳𝘦𝘨𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘺 (𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘕𝘰. 1126995)

Children (and grown-ups) can now dress the part while playing with our model railway, with these new dressing up Engine ...
02/10/2026

Children (and grown-ups) can now dress the part while playing with our model railway, with these new dressing up Engine Driver hats 🧑‍✈️👩‍✈️
Modelled here by our Curators Suzie and Kirsty.

Volunteer Alan did a fantastic job of giving the Lester Piggott statue a good clean and fresh coat of wax to protect it ...
01/10/2026

Volunteer Alan did a fantastic job of giving the Lester Piggott statue a good clean and fresh coat of wax to protect it over the autumn and winter.

This statue is made from bronze and event though bronze is pretty robust and resistant to corrosion, it still requires looking after. So, our conservation cleaning team regularly clean and wax both the Lester Piggott and John Betjeman statues to keep them in tip-top condition.

The homemade soup and cheese scone is definitely the most popular option on the cafe menu.Made with seasonal produce, th...
01/10/2026

The homemade soup and cheese scone is definitely the most popular option on the cafe menu.

Made with seasonal produce, the soups are warming, filling and perfect for the autumn.
Not a fan of cheese scones? No problem, choose to have a soft locally baked roll instead.

The Cafe are open Monday - Saturday 9.30am - 3.30pm. Lunch is served 11.30am - 2pm and last orders are at 3pm.

Come in and check out the full menu.

Tiny toes, big smiles and lots of singing and dancing!Looking for a fun morning activity for your little ones? Come alon...
30/09/2026

Tiny toes, big smiles and lots of singing and dancing!

Looking for a fun morning activity for your little ones? Come along to Toddler Tunes at the Vale & Downland Museum.

👶 For children under 5
🎼 Traditional songs and rhymes
🪗 Live music played on a variety of instruments
💃 Sing, dance and have fun together

Monday 12th October 10am
£2 per child -adults FREE

Spaces must be booked in advance, so grab your tickets and come make some musical memories with us!

Book online via Ticketsource - the link is in the pinned post on our page - or in person at the Museum

Yesterday was the 43rd anniversary of the official opening of the Museum in what was the Old Surgery, the place that has...
30/09/2026

Yesterday was the 43rd anniversary of the official opening of the Museum in what was the Old Surgery, the place that has been our home ever since.

This is the very first Arbery's display in the Museum on 22nd September 1983, the photo was taken a week before the official opening for a newspaper article. Patricia Hodgson is modelling a very fetching hat.

Arbery & Son was opened in November 1894 by John Nicholas Arbery, but before that he ran a business in partnership with Jesse Lay.
John was married to Maria Farnham and they had at least two children; Howard Farnham (1881-1951) and Mildred Mary (1887-1961)
John's son Howard took over the running of the shop in 1920 and sadly died shortly after the business became a limited company in 1951. The business remained in the family with Howard's wife, Mabel (1875-1965), daughter Eileen (1914-1995), and son John (1920-2006), becoming the directors. John was the final member of the Arbery family to run the business. They celebrated the 100th anniversary in 1994 and the shop closed for the final time in 1995.

John Arbery donated quite a few items from the shop to the Museum and they help make up the current Arbery's display in the main galleries which help us show a nice snapshot of a much-loved local shop.

Address

Church Street
Wantage
OX128BL

Opening Hours

Monday 9:30am - 3:45pm
Tuesday 9:30am - 3:45pm
Wednesday 9:30am - 3:45pm
Thursday 9:30am - 3:45pm
Friday 9:30am - 3:45pm
Saturday 9:30am - 3:45pm

Telephone

+441235771447

Website

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