Please help us to purchase a WW2 POW Diary!

The Wiltshire Heritage Museum is hoping to purchase an unusual diary written by a German prisoner of war held at Le Marchant Camp in Devizes between 1944 and 1946.

Find out more from the special page on our website, where you can also donate online!

Museum open ove New Year

The Museum is open every day over the New Year.
29-30 December: open 10am to 5pm
31 December: close at 1pm
1 January 2010: open noon to 4pm (free entry)

Developing Devizes DVD - now back in stock!

After selling out of the first edition of the Developing Devizes DVD, we now have more copies available. A perfect present for Christmas.

Christmas opening - every day except 25-27 December

The Museum will be open throughout the festive period except 25-27 December.

Opening Times:
Christmas Eve: close at 1pm
Christmas Day: closed
26-27 December: closed
Monday 28 December: open noon to 4pm (free entry)
29-30 December: open 10am to 5pm
31 December: close at 1pm
1 January 2010: open noon to 4pm (free entry)

The Library is closed until Tuesday 5 January.

Looking for a last minute gift?

The Museum shop is doing a brisk trade in the last few shopping days before Christmas. We have interesting and unusual gifts at a range of prices. Drop in and have a look!

Lecture programme now launched

You can now book for our new lecture programme that runs until March! See the list, and remember that you can book tickets for all of them online. Several of last season's talks were fully booked, so book your ticket before it is too late.

Illicit Antiquities

Chris Chippindale is talking at the Museum on Saturday about illicit antiquities - the way that looted antiquities appear on the art market. It will be a fascinating lecture. More information and booking details on the lecture webpage.

Last chance to buy your 2009 Christmas cards!

We only have a few 2009 Christmas cards left - now is your last chance to order them online!

Director presents to Parliamentary Archives Group

Director David Dawson is Chair of the UNESCO UK National Commission Working Group for the Memory of the World programme. He gave a presentation on the UK Memory of the World Register to the All Party Group on Archives last night, and you can see the presentation below. Nominations for the Register are open until 8 January, and we will be launching the Register in Spring 2010.

UNESCO UK Memory of the World Register

View more presentations from Wiltshire Archaeological and Natural History Society.

Museum cat needs a name

We have just acquired a new (toy) cat at the Museum and they need a name! We are asking children to suggest a name and will choose our favourite name on New Years Eve. We expect that the cat will find their way into lots of nooks and crannies in the Museum and we will need lots of help to find it!

Relaunch for Designation

Wiltshire Heritage Museum is Designated - a status awarded by Government.

MLA have relaunched Designation, and have created a new value statement which says that "Designation is a mark of distinction. It is an accolade, celebrating unique collections of national and international importance."

We are delighted that the importance of the collections are recognised in this way, and hope that we may be able to benefit from the funding that is to be awarded to Designated Museums.