Dover Museum & Bronze Age Boat Gallery

14/10/2026

Another stage in the process of creating replicas of Deal Man from Cat's Eye Carving

13/10/2026

Notice: Lift out of order

The lift in the museum is out of order. This means the middle and top floor galleries are currently only accessible by staris. We are working to repair the lift as soon as possible.

We apologise for any inconvenience caused.

09/10/2026

See the exciting update from Cat's Eye Carving's and her replicas of the Iron Age chalk figurine, Deal Man.

Deal Man is an Iron Age carved chalk figurine on display at Dover Museum. He was discovered in 1984 during excavations by the Dover Archaeological Group ahead of construction work on a site adjacent to St Richards Road in, Deal.

Dover Museum is looking to get Deal Man conserved so that he remains well preserved for the future. Replicas are being carefully carved by stone mason Carrie Horwood using repurposed chalk from Dover so that these replicas can be loaned out for other places to display, study and enjoy. Casts of Deal Man will also be made so that more replicas can be made in the future.

The replicas are looking great and we look forward to sharing more updates soon.

I'm hiding away in the education room at Dover Museum today. I plan on finishing the four replicas of the Iron age Chalkman from Deal.
Working with my small carving tools I am whittling some chalk to look like this curious little fella.
Dover Museum

26/09/2026

🎶New display: Dover Choral Union 🎶

In 1913, Harry James Taylor, the first conductor of Dover Choral Union, was presented with a "coming of age" souvenir book filled with concert programmes to commemorate his 21st anniversary in that role.

Celebrating Dover's musical history, this new display explores the early years of Dover Choral Union, now Dover Choral Society, through key figures who performed with the choir.

This exhibition was curated by Dover Museum volunteer, Leonie Carrette.

The case is located on the ground floor of the Dover Museum and Bronze Age Boat gallery. Admission to Dover Museum and all exhibitions is free and open at the following times:
April-September:
Monday-Saturday 9.30am-5pm
Sunday 10am-3pm
October-March:
Monday-Saturday 9.30am-5pm

23/09/2026

Professor Paul Bennett MBE

It is with enormous sadness that we must mark the passing of Paul Bennett. The loss to British archaeology and to all that knew him is immeasurable.

Paul’s sage advice was matched by his enormous enthusiasm, and he was a great supporter of Dover Museum and, as the excavator and Chairman, of the Dover Bronze Age Boat. We had many adventures including the recent preparation and successful venture of the replica half-size Bronze Age Boat across the Channel to go on display at Musée d'Archéologie Nationale in France. He was integral to the reconstruction and preservation of this once seaworthy replica and is pictured here on one of its many voyages.

Paul will be greatly missed at Dover Museum and Bronze Age Boat Gallery.

16/09/2026

Queen of the Waves: The story of Gertrude Ederle

This Friday, Dover Museum’s Catherine Holt will be giving a talk on Gertrude Ederle and her historic Channel swim as part of Dover Heritage Open Days 2026

📅Friday 18th September, 6-7pm
📍Cinema at Dover Museum
See link for more details and how to book: https://DSTalk03.eventbrite.com

10/09/2026

Next week, a series of talks will be taking place in the cinema at Dover Museum for Dover Heritage Open Days 2026. Check out the links below for more details and how to book:

Monday 14th September 6-7pm: Dover's Forgotten Cavalry 1863-1914 by Andy Rayner. https://DSTalk01.eventbrite.com

Wednesday 16th September 6-7pm: London Road Pubs by Paul Skelton. https://DSTalk02.eventbrite.com

Friday 18th September 6-7pm: Queen of the Waves: The story of Gertrude Ederle by Catherine Holt. https://DSTalk03.eventbrite.com

08/09/2026

❗Gallery Closure Today❗8th September 2026

The Bronze Age Boat Gallery and History Gallery on the top floor of the museum will be closed today from 1:30-3:30 pm for filming. The rest of the museum will remain open as usual.

We apologise for any inconvenience caused.

05/09/2026

It’s the first Saturday of September, which means it’s time to celebrate World Beard Day. History is full of amazing beards and what better place than a museum to showcase beards and the fashions that influenced them. We’ve explored Romans and Vikings, and now we look to the Tudors and their wonderful sense of style.

This neatly sculpted beard and gloriously styled moustache belongs to William Brooke, tenth Baron Cobham (1527-1597), a nobleman, diplomat, and most notably Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports and Constable of Dover Castle. The Lord Warden was in charge of the five major ports on the South East coast of England: Dover, Sandwich, Hythe, New Romney and Hastings. Appointed 16th of December 1558, Brooke held the post of Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports until his death on 6th of March 1597 making him the longest serving Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports to date.

His style of beard can be compared to the fashionable ‘peak de bon’ (pique-devant) beard that a number of Elizabeth I’s court grew. This bearded trend later became smaller and thinner, which may hint where our celebration of the beard takes the museum in the future.

Brooke’s beard was finely captured by Antonis Mor (1512–1516–c.1576), a Netherlandish portrait painter. Mor was a successful court portraitist, whose career that took him to England, Germany, Italy, Portugal, and Spain, where a number of other bearded portraits expanded his portfolio.

The portrait of William Brooke, tenth Baron Cobham (1527-1597), can be found on permanent display in Dover Museum’s history gallery. Admission to Dover Museum is free and open 9.30am-5pm Monday to Saturday, 10am-3pm Sunday.

31/08/2026

Today Dover Museum's Catherine Holt and Maison Dieu's Katy Tuck continued celebrating Gertrude Ederle by taking part in the Gertrude Ederle 100 Years Anniversary swim events at Dover Harbour.

Maison Dieu