Chippenham Museum & Heritage Centre

histphoto1 Chippenham Museum & Heritage Centre is located in a fine 18th century grade II listed building in the Market Place. Our permanent displays tell the story of this historic market town, from prehistoric times up until the present day. You can discover more about the history of the town and local area by investigating our collections and by meeting some of our famous former residents as they guide you through history.

We have a regular series of changing temporary exhibitions, many of which we do in partnership with local clubs and societies. Go to our Diary Page to see what exhibitions we currently have.

histphoto2 Our education service provides advice, workshops, talks and lectures to schools, colleges, life long learning and community groups. The education service is free to civic area school groups, with minimal charges to other areas. Further details are available on the education pages.

Our fully fitted lecture room is also available for hire, offering space for up to 40 people. The room contains audio visual equipment, a hearing loop and tea & coffee making facilities. For further information, please contact us here.

We also have a dedicated research room that has access to our collection of maps, photographs, trade directories, town council minutes, burial records, historical electoral records and historic periodicals that can be used for genealogical and local history research. To see if we can help with your research or to book our research room please contact us.

There is also a shop, selling local history books and publications, relating to the town and local area.

histphoto3 There are many opportunities to become involved with Chippenham Museum & Heritage Centre. We have a dedicated team of wardens who assist with all aspects of our work, from dealing with visitors, answering queries, working with the collection, assisting with educational work, helping with future exhibitions and researching local history subjects. To find our more about the work of our wardens and get involved yourself, see the information on our Wardens Newsletter.

The Past is Another Country: an Exhibition by The Elementals Art Group

Winter exhibition of artwork inspired by the pre-history of Wiltshire, at Chippenham Museum and Heritage Centre from Monday 9^th January 2012 - Tuesday April 10^th 2012.

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The Elementals art group brings together the ideas and inspirations of six different artists under a central theme - Jenny Ford, Jan Knight, Julia Leyden, Christine Shorney, Josephine Sumner, plus guest artist Charlotte Sainsbury. The project has been as much about the process of an idea, as the finished works of art.

The group studied archival maps and diagrams, artefacts in museums and photographic aerial views of the landscape - and walked and looked, and looked and walked! Rather than recreating the past they have distilled their own personal and emotional responses to the creations of the Neolithic and Bronze Age peoples of Wessex. Inevitably this involved straying outside Wiltshire to look at and compare sites and artefacts from other places.

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Each artist has an individual 'take' on the project and this is reflected in the finished works themselves; which includes paintings, printmaking and mixed media, plus a twelve verse illustrated poem in book form and as a wall hanging.