Dorset Museum
Client: Dorset Museum
We have played a critical part in the £16.4m transformation of Dorset Museum, which re-opened in spring 2021, working closely with the client over five years on interpretation, Heritage Lottery Funding applications and masterplanning. Our interior design skills have also been deployed across the entire site, bringing charm and character, as well as contemporary flair to the original Victorian structures and a new, four-storey gallery space that has been built at its core, more than doubling the display space.
One of our major achievements has been integrating the Museum’s world class but diverse collections comprising 250m years of Dorset history – from outstanding fossils and dinosaur artefacts to the works of artistic and literary legends - into a coherent, fully accessible and appealing presentation for family visitors, enthusiasts and experts alike.
Incorporating the collection into three main headings - geology, people and fine art – we have layered diverse elements throughout, to enrich and unify the experience, from sculptural display elements to a rich assortment of fine art, illustrations, interactives and specially commissioned films. Along with a newly restored, publicly accessible library and reading room, dedicated education and archive spaces, plus a new shop and café that combines with the Victorian Hall to create an attractive and commercially appealing entertainment venue, the result is a 21st century museum experience that is immersive, entertaining and informative.
Our role:
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Interpretation masterplanning
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Funding bid support – HLF 2
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Exhibition design
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Lighting Design with DHA Designs
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Graphic design with Surface 3
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Software Design Concept & Creative Direction
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Overseeing Installation
