A talk on the Dorset Museum and Art Gallery will be given on 7th February at the next Frome Society Saturday afternoon lecture.
Frome resident Claire Dixon is Executive Director of the Dorset Museum and Art Gallery in Dorchester. She will give a talk about the museum, its collections, and its recent major transformation and extension, funded by Lottery grants, into the modern museum it is today.
Organisers say, “Founded in 1846, the museum covers the county’s history and environment. Its neo-Gothic building was built in 1881 and was designed to house the museum’s enormous collections. But collections grow and in 2016 the museum launched its vision to extend its historic building and bring all its collections under one roof for the first time. Transformation on this scale takes time and the museum was closed from October 2018 until May 2021, the Covid pandemic hindering the process of rebirth.
“Claire joined Dorset Museum as Executive Director in July 2023. She has a wealth of experience, having spent the last 20 years working and volunteering in the cultural sector.
“At the Bath Preservation Trust, as Director of Museums, she was responsible for four museum sites, including No 1 Royal Crescent, the Museum of Bath Architecture, Herschel’s Museum of Astronomy and Beckford’s Tower. She has a strong background in visitor experience, having worked for the National Trust, the Hampshire Cultural Trust and, at the start of her career, the Tank Museum at Bovington.”
Frome Society’s programme of lectures takes place in the Assembly Rooms at the rear of Frome Memorial Theatre, starting at 2.30pm. Visitors are welcome but are asked to pay an entry fee of £5. The society’s talks are proving very popular and to be sure of a seat, it is advisable to book a place through the society’s website.
Pictured: Claire Dixon Executive Director of the Dorset Museum and Art Gallery
