Dover Museum & Bronze Age Boat Gallery
LightNews LightNews
banner
dovermuseum.bsky.social
Dover Museum & Bronze Age Boat Gallery
@dovermuseum.bsky.social
2.9K followers 540 following 180 posts
Dover Museum and Bronze Age Boat Gallery is one of the oldest museums in Kent, founded in 1836. Free Entry.

Our blog page: https://www.dovermuseum.co.uk/Information-Resources/Blog/Blog-Home.aspx
Posts Replies Media Videos
dovermuseum.bsky.social
Next Saturday, come to Dover Museum and make a paper ship in a bottle!
📅Saturday 21st February
🕙Drop in 10.00-3.00
You can draw your own, or colour in a ship, cut it out and it will stand up!
On the left are examples of free-standing paper ships in bottles in different colours are lined up on shelves next to a window. Next to the shelves is a block colour illustration of a window view of ships near the coastline.
February 11, 2026 at 9:12 AM
dovermuseum.bsky.social
The models were carefully crafted by Stephen Fooks at Thorpe Models and commissioned for Dover Museum in 1991 with the help of Dover Harbour Board. Stephen, now at New Venture Models, also built the 3D medieval Stone Hall model for the Maison Dieu in Dover last year.
February 9, 2026 at 8:30 AM
dovermuseum.bsky.social
For #worldpizzaday we’re highlighting the #Dover Harbour models in the museum’s galleries, affectionately named the #pizza slices. And what better choice of topographies than Dover Harbour. Each model gives a different slice of the Harbour’s history mapping the developments over the centuries.
A colour photograph of three of the different topographical models of Dover Harbour. The models are divided into three separate rounded slices and covered in Perspex. The central slice is of the Dover Harbour area in 1595
February 9, 2026 at 8:30 AM
Reposted by Dover Museum & Bronze Age Boat Gallery
dovermuseum.bsky.social
Captain, customs officer, amateur painter, draughtsman, watercolourist and etcher: the many occupations held by Captain Thomas Hastings (1778–1854). The pictured sketchbook is attributed to him, and it contains drawings of recognisable scenes in #Dover, including St Nicholas' #church in Barfrestone.
A closed landscape sketchbook with marbled decorative cover. The sketchbook cover is worn with age. It is closed with an metal clasp. The sketchbook is open at a page with a pencil drawing of the outside of a Norman church in Barfrestone called St Nicholas' church. The picture is of the East end, featuring its wheel window. A recent photograph of the outside of a Norman church called St Nicholas' in Barfrestone. The picture is of the East end, featuring its wheel window.
February 3, 2026 at 3:46 PM
dovermuseum.bsky.social
The sketchbook is currently on display in our ground floor case, where you can find out more about Thomas's life and work and see more sketches from around Dover.
Admission to Dover Museum is free and open 9.30am-5pm Monday to Saturday (closed Sunday) from October-March
February 3, 2026 at 3:46 PM
dovermuseum.bsky.social
Alongside his careers in the military and customs service, Thomas produced a number of artworks of the places he lived and visited, which developed into producing work for art exhibitions, taking professional commissions and publishing engravings.
February 3, 2026 at 3:46 PM
dovermuseum.bsky.social
During his military career, Thomas was trained in land-surveying at High Wycombe. Sketching was a part of their senior officer training, so they could record the terrain armies needed to pass through for military operations.
February 3, 2026 at 3:46 PM
dovermuseum.bsky.social
Captain, customs officer, amateur painter, draughtsman, watercolourist and etcher: the many occupations held by Captain Thomas Hastings (1778–1854). The pictured sketchbook is attributed to him, and it contains drawings of recognisable scenes in #Dover, including St Nicholas' #church in Barfrestone.
A closed landscape sketchbook with marbled decorative cover. The sketchbook cover is worn with age. It is closed with an metal clasp. The sketchbook is open at a page with a pencil drawing of the outside of a Norman church in Barfrestone called St Nicholas' church. The picture is of the East end, featuring its wheel window. A recent photograph of the outside of a Norman church called St Nicholas' in Barfrestone. The picture is of the East end, featuring its wheel window.
February 3, 2026 at 3:46 PM
dovermuseum.bsky.social
This #FindsFriday we wanted to highlight a new acquisition: two axe head mould halves dated to Middle #BronzeAge (c 1500-1200BC). The moulds cast a type of axe head known as a palstave. Discovered by metal detectors and acquired by #Dover Museum through @findsorguk.bsky.social .
PAS ID: KENT-CDA99E
Two halves of a Bronze Age axe head mould laid side by side. The mould shows the shape of the axe head that would have been cast. The sides run parallel before flaring out to a curved cutting edge. The side flanges and central ridge in the mould create a shape in the axe head for hafting, which is the process of attaching the axe head firmly within a split in the haft (handle). A photo of two halves of a Bronze Age axe head mould laid side by side. The photo shows the outside of the mould with teardrop-shaped ridges towards the end.
January 23, 2026 at 8:59 AM
dovermuseum.bsky.social
Behind the scenes, Dover Museum’s Collections Team and volunteers have been condition checking collections and cleaning their cases in the Roman Painted House.
The Roman Painted House remains closed for the Winter season, but we look forward to welcoming you back in the Spring
#Roman #Dover #Museum
The museum collection's manager and a volunteer are positioning glass from Roman Painted House display cases ready to clean. On the right a volunteer is cleaning the inside of the case. A museum volunteer is repositioning Roman coins in a case after they have been condition checked and the case cleaned. Another museum volunteer is repositioning a Samian ware bowl after condition checking objects and cleaning the case.
January 20, 2026 at 10:09 AM
Reposted by Dover Museum & Bronze Age Boat Gallery
exeterunispeccoll.bsky.social
Cyclamen bring welcome colour to winter!

Did you known a common name for cyclamen is sowbread or swinebread? Pigs are fond of eating the roots! 🐷

📷 Illustration from ‘The Flowering Plants of Great Britain’ (1855) by Anne Pratt [Baring-Gould Library 0691]

#FlowersOnFriday #FridayFlowers #RareBooks
Photograph of an opened book, tshowing a full page colour illustration of Sow Bread (cylcamen), Sea Milkwort, and Chickweed Winter Green. The flowers are coloured in shades of pink and white, the stems and leaves are coloured in shades of pink and green, and the roots are coloured in shades of brown.
January 9, 2026 at 10:27 AM
Reposted by Dover Museum & Bronze Age Boat Gallery
dovermuseum.bsky.social
Watch until the end for our special guest feature!
Over on Dover Museum's reels we've been sharing The 12 Displays of Christmas each day. Here's the 12th and final day for you all. Join in!
🎵"On the twelfth day of Christmas in Dover's Galleries..."🎵
#12daysofChristmas #twelfthday #Dover #Deal
January 5, 2026 at 8:52 AM
dovermuseum.bsky.social
Watch until the end for our special guest feature!
Over on Dover Museum's reels we've been sharing The 12 Displays of Christmas each day. Here's the 12th and final day for you all. Join in!
🎵"On the twelfth day of Christmas in Dover's Galleries..."🎵
#12daysofChristmas #twelfthday #Dover #Deal
January 5, 2026 at 8:52 AM
Reposted by Dover Museum & Bronze Age Boat Gallery
dovermuseum.bsky.social
A detail from a John Lewis Roget (1828–1908) watercolour sketch for all the umbrella weather ☂️

#watercolour #wind #rain #weather #Dover #archives
A man is holding an umbrella while sat on a fold out chair in the countryside. He is wearing a brown brimmed hat, grey shawl, and brown trousers and shoes.
December 9, 2025 at 9:22 AM
dovermuseum.bsky.social
Old St James’ façade and doorways are still standing among the ‘Tidy ruin’ which is kept as a commemorative monument to the wartime experience of the people of Dover.
#adoorable #adoorableThursday #explorechurches
A photograph of the 'tidy ruins' of old St James' church Dover from the West entrance showing arches to doorways.
December 18, 2025 at 8:22 AM
dovermuseum.bsky.social
In 1949 this museum doorway was widened and fitted with doors repurposed from old St James’ church, a building also damaged in the war. The painting shows St James’ church in 1868 by architect Thomas Talbot Bury (1809-1877) during work to uncover and consolidate Norman architectural details.
A watercolour and ink drawing with white highlights of old St James' church Dover from 1868 during its restoration work.
December 18, 2025 at 8:22 AM
dovermuseum.bsky.social
This door for #adoorablethursday is from the Maison Dieu. Above the door a carving of the word Museum in the stonework can still be seen marking a former entrance to Dover Museum. After bomb damage at its Market Square site in 1942 the museum temporarily moved to the ground floor of the Maison Dieu.
A colour photograph of a wooden door with intricate metal work. The word museum is carved in stone above the door. Above the door are stained glass windows set into flint stone work.
December 18, 2025 at 8:22 AM
Reposted by Dover Museum & Bronze Age Boat Gallery
dovermuseum.bsky.social
Come along to a free family art workshop at Dover Museum to make a doll house sized Christmas dinner!
📅Saturday 20th December
🕙Drop in 10.00-3.00
Make your choice of Christmas dinner out of clay and then when it is dry you can paint it. Just in time for Christmas!
[Image description: clay models of doll house sized Christmas food before and after painting. Models are of a turkey with vegetables, a nut roast and a Christmas pudding. They can be seen through an illustration of a doll house window in a room set for Christmas dinner.]
December 10, 2025 at 8:58 AM
dovermuseum.bsky.social
Unfortunately the artist is unknown.
December 12, 2025 at 8:16 AM
dovermuseum.bsky.social
Seeing @danherb10.bsky.social photograph of this beautiful church door in Barfreston reminded me of this pen drawing of the same door in a sketchbook dated c1830 from #Dover Museum's archives.

#adoorable #AdoorableThursday #church
A sepia pen drawing of a church door in Barfreston. The drawing is of a rounded carved stone archway featuring details of Christ. The archway is above a wooden door with metal work. There are stone columns either side of the door.
December 11, 2025 at 9:43 AM
dovermuseum.bsky.social
Come along to a free family art workshop at Dover Museum to make a doll house sized Christmas dinner!
📅Saturday 20th December
🕙Drop in 10.00-3.00
Make your choice of Christmas dinner out of clay and then when it is dry you can paint it. Just in time for Christmas!
[Image description: clay models of doll house sized Christmas food before and after painting. Models are of a turkey with vegetables, a nut roast and a Christmas pudding. They can be seen through an illustration of a doll house window in a room set for Christmas dinner.]
December 10, 2025 at 8:58 AM
dovermuseum.bsky.social
A detail from a John Lewis Roget (1828–1908) watercolour sketch for all the umbrella weather ☂️

#watercolour #wind #rain #weather #Dover #archives
A man is holding an umbrella while sat on a fold out chair in the countryside. He is wearing a brown brimmed hat, grey shawl, and brown trousers and shoes.
December 9, 2025 at 9:22 AM
Reposted by Dover Museum & Bronze Age Boat Gallery
exeterunispeccoll.bsky.social
A warning from the past: if there is anything you would like to preserve long-term in good condition, please don't stick tape on it!

As tape deteriorates, it can discolour, become brittle, lose its adhesive strength, and leave a residue stain.

Enough to give an archivist nightmares! 👻
A pile of discoloured tape strips on the right, next to a piece of paper on the left with an orange residue stain.
December 2, 2025 at 12:24 PM
dovermuseum.bsky.social
At the End of History can be found in Dover Museum’s Bronze Age Boat Galley and is free to enter. Part of the exhibition includes a VR experience. Admission to the VR experience is available through advanced booking: tinyurl.com/mw4m4bbj

@accentuateuk.bsky.social
November 28, 2025 at 8:15 AM
dovermuseum.bsky.social
Anne combined scientific understanding and folk knowledge and discussed the use of flowers in art and poetry to demonstrate their beauty and importance beyond purely scientific description. Anne Pratt moved to #Dover in 1849 where she continued to successfully publish works.
November 28, 2025 at 8:15 AM