The Exhibition Room is used for exhibitions which are changed two or three times a year.
Weymouth began its function as a seaside resort in 1750 when Ralph Allen, a rich man from Bath, began to come here for his health and persuaded others to do likewise, and the 1774 map of Weymouth shows bathing machines on the beach. In 1789 King George III came to Weymouth because others, including his brother, the Duke of Gloucester had paved the way. Until this time the sea had been regarded as only for fishermen to earn their living from and merchants to trade from. To use the sea to swim in was revolutionary, even the houses that had always faced away from the sea found that a sea view was more desirable.
Weymouth now offers its holiday makers fish and chips, ice cream, candy floss, amusement arcades, fair ground rides, pedalos to hire, deck chairs, sun beds, blow-up water toys, sailboards, kite boards, in fact everything the beach bound holiday maker requires and much, much more. But stop - we have forgotten the most important ingredients of all, the glorious sands and the shallow, calm waters of Weymouth Bay; without these ingredients our holiday town would disappear.
Through a selection of photographs held by our Local History Unit, photographs loaned by local people, their memories, their postcards and items from our collections we have drawn together a glimpse of the past - or is it? Much is different but much is the same, particularly Punch and Judy, the Sand Modeller and the donkeys.
Start your visit to this Exhibition at our Floral Clock, there has been one in Weymouth since 1936, and perhaps end your visit by taking a holiday snap through the Beach Photographer's Board.
The exhibition will be open until 7th September, 2008.
New Exhibition: The Wind in the Willows
An exhibition to celebrate the centenary of the publication of this much loved children's book.
This exhibition welcomes you to the River Bank where, through various displays, you may learn more about Kenneth Grahame, the man and the writer - follow the progress of the book from plain text to the fully illustrated - read the story board - take a peep into Mole’s house - and browse the many associated “collectables” that inevitably abound.
The exhibition is open from 29 September until 23 November, 2008.
Future Exhibitions
Details of these can be found on our Events page