Blandford Fashion Museum, Lime Tree House, 11 The Plocks, Blandford Forum, DT11 7AA
What3Words Address: gravitate.sensual.degree
Telephone: 01258 453006
Email: info@blandfordfashionmuseum.co.uk
The Fashion Museum is open on Monday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 10 am – 4:30 pm, last admission at 4 pm.
Admission: £5.50 (Adult), £4.50 (Seniors 60+), £3 (Students, 16+). Free for accompanied children under 16 and Friends of the Museum.
The Blandford Fashion museum was founded by the late Mrs. Betty Penny MBE in 1996. The Museum is located in Lime Tree House, a beautiful Georgian property built by John and William Bastard after the town’s Great Fire in 1731.
Mrs. Penny’s collection of costumes, known locally as the Cavalcade of Costume, form the nucleus of the present collection. However, since then the collection has almost trebled in size and continues to grow thanks to generous donations from the public.
The Arts Council gave the museum accredited status in 2010, and renewed it in 2015. We receive a small grant from the Town Council, but no other public funding. As a result, all our members of staff are volunteers and we have a reputation locally for our friendly atmosphere.
We have 13 display spaces over two floors, and there is a rolling programme of exhibition changes. Exhibitions show visitors historic dress and textiles and the connection between fashion and social history. Additional facilities include a Resources Room for use by students studying fashion & textiles and a Lecture Room for study days.