Britain’s regional museums & galleries – South West England
South West England’s regional museums & galleries
Covering the counties of Devon, Cornwall, Somerset, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire, South West England is a popular tourist destination and its wonderful museums and galleries play an important role in attracting visitors. Let’s have a closer look at what is on offer.
Robert Opie Collection (Gloucestershire)
Head for the county of Gloucestershire to visit the Robert Opie Collection (www.robertopiecollection.com/), the world’s largest collection of British advertising imagery and memorabilia. Featured many times in the press, the collection comprises over half a million items, and is continually expanding.
Alexander Keiller Museum (Wiltshire)
Avebury in Wiltshire is a World Heritage Site and home to the largest prehistoric stone circle in Europe and some of the most important Neolithic artefacts in the world. The Alexander Keiller Museum and Barn gallery include objects surviving from over 4,000 years ago and describe the work of Alexander Keiller and others in revealing the story of this ancient landscape.
The Museum of Witchcraft (Cornwall)
In the Cornish seaside town of Boscastle you’ll find a rather unusual museum, The Museum of Witchcraft (www.museumofwitchcraft.com/). This centre houses the world's largest collection of witchcraft related artefacts and dedicated to furthering learning about the occult and witchcraft. The library holds over 3,000 books and various artefacts including the Richel Collection of ritual magic.
Sheppy's Cider Farm Centre (Somerset)
Further north in the county of Somerset is the family run Sheppy's Cider Farm Centre (www.sheppyscider.com/) who have been making quality ciders on their 370-acre farm for over 200 years. Visitors can tour the farm and museum to learn about cider making through the seasons. When you’re there don’t forget to buy some of their produce.
Devon Guild of Craftsmen (Devon)
The major centre for Devon Guild of Craftsmen (www.crafts.org.uk/) at The Riverside Mill in Devon, has recently been refurbished to include the purpose built Jubilee Gallery for staging high quality exhibitions and to help further the understanding of crafts in the 21st century. You can also participate in talks and workshops by featured craftspeople who give an insight into their life, work, influences and inspirations.
www.24hourmuseum.org.uk (www.24hourmuseum.org.uk)