The Museum of Somerset is to extend its opening hours to welcome visitors on Sundays thanks to funding from Somerset West and Taunton Council (SWT.) From Sunday 3 October the Museum will begin a six-month trial of Sunday opening.
What’s On
There will be a programme of popular events and activities on Sundays including Dino Day (24 October) and Santa (throughout December.) The Museum continues its successful run of exhibiting 20th-century art with a new exhibition that opens on 13 November. ‘The Art of Brian Rice: 60 Years of Painting and Prints’ will display more than 30 colourful abstract works by a painter-printmaker who was born in Somerset but made an international name for himself in 1960s London.
New Cafe
The Museum has recently welcomed a new café provider, The Shed from Goodland Garden. The café will be open on Sundays serving brunch from 10.00 am, as well as lunches, teas, coffee and cake.
10th Anniversary
The extension to opening hours happens as the Museum celebrates its 10th anniversary. It opened on 29 September 2011 after a major redevelopment funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund and other funders. Since then, it has welcomed over 600,000 visitors to its galleries, events and exhibitions. In addition, over 10,000 young people annually engage with its learning programmes for schools.
“We are delighted to support Sunday opening at the Museum of Somerset which will be a major boost to the vitality of Taunton town centre. Strategic investment in improved access to great culture and heritage experiences for residents and visitors is a key plank of SWT’s newly adopted Cultural Strategy and is vital to the district’s economic recovery post-Covid.”
Cllr Caroline Ellis, Executive Member for Culture at SWT
“The Museum is a major attraction in Somerset and one of the most popular destinations in the Taunton area. We look forward to playing our part in the economic recovery of the town and welcoming more visitors to the County Museum,”
SAM ASTILL, HEAD OF MUSEUMS
Visit The Museum
From 3 October the Museum of Somerset will be open from Tuesday to Sunday, 10.00 am to 5.00 pm.