The Museum of Barnstaple & North Devon

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The Museum of Barnstaple & North Devon A centre for curiosity | A house of stories | A place for learning
Admission FREE The history of the museum building. Connecting wires run all over the building.

The most prominent building on the Square was built for William Thorne, in 1872. ( Thorne was a quarry owner and operator of the horse-drawn railway to Fremington Quay.) His new house was constructed of brick with decorative stone details. It is said that Thorne never actually lived in the house. The house was a sizeable building, with a grand staircase and 15 servants' bells in the back corridor. The house was bought by William Rock (Barnstaple benefactor) in 1887, to house the North Devon Athenaeum, a free library and Museum. It was opened to the public the following year. The Athenaeum inherited the collections of the Barnstaple Literary and Scientific Institution - founded by William Rock in 1845 and continued to accumulate a wide variety of objects, papers and books. From 1956, the Athenaeum shared the building with the local branch of the County Library Service. Local people remember coming to the Athenaeum to do their homework. In 1988, North Devon District Council bought the building. The Athenaeum, its collection of documents and the County Library moved to purpose-built premises in Tuly Street. Many of the Athenaeum's objects remain in the Museum of Barnstaple and North Devon. These include the rocks and minerals in the first gallery, local paintings and part of the pottery collection.

20/10/2026

Join us on Wednesday 28 October
Sessions run 5.30-6.30pm and 6.30-7.30pm
£2 per child | accompanying adults FREE

Our new exhibition opening on Saturday reflects on North Devon's welcome of sanctuary seekers placed in Ilfracombe 'for ...
19/10/2026

Our new exhibition opening on Saturday reflects on North Devon's welcome of sanctuary seekers placed in Ilfracombe 'for A time' from 2022 to 2023.

📌 For A Time: Sanctuary Seekers in North Devon
📆 17 October 2026 – 2 January 2027
🎟 Admission free

An exhibition co-curated with The Pickwell Foundation featuring photographs by celebrated photographer Toby Adamson and accompanying words by Mark Read from the North Devon Salvation Army. Toby Adamson is a UK based photographer who has worked over 90 countries worldwide.

Find out more on our website - link in bio.

© Toby Adamson

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🤫 Here's a sneaky peak at some of the objects from our collection that are on display as part of The Peopling of North D...
16/10/2026

🤫 Here's a sneaky peak at some of the objects from our collection that are on display as part of The Peopling of North Devon exhibition, which opens with a launch event this ⚡️Saturday 17 October, 2–4pm! ⚡️

Our new exhibition, The Peopling of North Devon, looks at our shared ancestry and the migration stories that have shaped us. Alongside the stories of local people who took part in our recent DNA study, see some museum objects from our own collections that are rarely seen.

Objects play an important role in the telling of stories. They are things made by hand, treasured and passed on through generations, and help bring those personal stories to life.

📍 The Peopling of North Devon Exhibition Launch Event
Saturday 17 October, 2–4pm | Entrance FREE

The exhibition runs until 30 January 2027.

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For fans of our beloved model railway, and those with an eye for classic design - these beautiful poster reproductions a...
16/10/2026

For fans of our beloved model railway, and those with an eye for classic design - these beautiful poster reproductions are available as prints and other keepsake items in the museum shop.

📷 Beach huts along Woolacombe Sand and the village, 1930Our current exhibition, North Devon’s Home Front Writers, 1937-4...
15/10/2026

📷 Beach huts along Woolacombe Sand and the village, 1930

Our current exhibition, North Devon’s Home Front Writers, 1937-45, features the story of Alice Raley, a London secretary who woke up in Woolacombe on VJ Day.

"... the sleepy little place was transformed. Every house had hung out a flag, or was busy doing so, and all down the road excited children were letting off penny squibs..."

"We heard the news on the wireless that morning... Nobody said very much; they were just sincerely thankful, and then went off and really enjoyed themselves, getting a kick out of being the first people to be holidaying in peacetime... it was grand, feeling that we weren't fighting any longer."

📖 Reading the diary entries and written extracts of peopling living or holidaying in North Devon during war time - including as the war came to an end - captures the personal thoughts, feelings and reflections that are so often difficult to access.

🙏 With thanks to writer and historian Dr Todd Gray for co-curating this fascinating exhibition, offering deeply personal perspectives on a significant point in British history.

📌 North Devon’s Home Front Writers, 1937-45
Exhibition closes on 17 October, 4.30pm | Admission is FREE

📷 © Historic Environment Scotland

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Join us for creative family-friendly fun and games at the Museum this October half term!🎃🎃🎃 Wednesday 28 OctoberCurious ...
14/10/2026

Join us for creative family-friendly fun and games at the Museum this October half term!

🎃🎃🎃 Wednesday 28 October

Curious Creators: Craft an ideal home!
Free | Drop-in
AM slot: 10am-12pm
PM slot: 1-3pm

After-hours Halloween Fun!
£2 per child | Accompanying adults free
First slot: 5.30-6.30pm
Second slot: 6/30-7.30pm

👻 In addition, a new skeleton themed holiday trail will be available to enjoy throughout the week during Museum opening hours - created by our curator and all-round superstar, Nicole Hickin. Simply collect your trail from the Welcome Desk upon arrival.

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It's the final week of our Community Gallery exhibition, North Devon’s Home Front Writers, 1937-45. An exhibition of dia...
13/10/2026

It's the final week of our Community Gallery exhibition, North Devon’s Home Front Writers, 1937-45.

An exhibition of diary entries and written extracts by people from Northern Devon during war time as part of the Mass Observation project. A fascinating insight into the thoughts and feelings of local people who volunteered to participate in the project at a significant time in British history.

🔥Open until Saturday 17 October | 10am-4.30pm | Admission FREE

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Join us for the launch of The Peopling of North Devon!An exhibition exploring North Devon's migration stories through ti...
12/10/2026

Join us for the launch of The Peopling of North Devon!

An exhibition exploring North Devon's migration stories through time, including present day stories of local people and the results from our recent DNA study.

📆 Saturday 17 October 2026, 2-4pm
🎟 All welcome | Drop in | Free

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Thank you for all your comments about our exhibition, Sir Alfred Munnings: Exmoor Through the Seasons... which closes th...
10/10/2026

Thank you for all your comments about our exhibition, Sir Alfred Munnings: Exmoor Through the Seasons... which closes this Saturday 10 October!

💫"Beautiful in the 'flesh'. Inspiring to me as an artist from Exmoor."
✨"Wonderful display, beautiful paintings, an excellent show!"
💫"A very excellent exhibition."
✨"My first glimpse of Munnings' art. I love the text that accompanies them."
💫"Wonderful. Thank you!"
✨"So lucky to be in the area to view this amazing collection!"

And thank you to The Munnings Art Museum and to Arts Council England for enabling us to share such a fantastic collection of artworks and objects with our audiences in North Devon.

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Just a few titles from the museum shop to highlight Black History Month and Bookshop Day today! Celebrate your independe...
09/10/2026

Just a few titles from the museum shop to highlight Black History Month and Bookshop Day today! Celebrate your independent bookshops and discover the incredible stories of Black British people ahead of our next exhibition, the Peopling of North Devon.

Address

The Square
Barnstaple
EX328LN

Opening Hours

Monday 10am - 4:30pm
Tuesday 10am - 4:30pm
Wednesday 10am - 4:30pm
Thursday 10am - 4:30pm
Friday 10am - 4:30pm
Saturday 10am - 4:30pm

Telephone

+441271346747

Website

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