Situated just above the stunning Church Ope Cove, Portland Museum sits in an area that features dinosaurs, fossils, shipwrecks and smugglers, Rufus Castle, Pennsylvania Castle and the ruins of St Andrew's Church. It houses a collection based on the themes of quarrying and the Portland stone industry, maritime history, archaeology, folklore and local customs, and fossils and the Jurassic era. Portland Museum was founded in 1929 by Dr Marie Stopes, the famous writer, paleobotanist and birth control pioneer. In 1930, Stopes gifted the two 17th century thatched cottages that house its collection to the people of Portland.
This pretty little museum is surprisingly bigger once through the door! They have a lovely collection of artefacts, local history and information about Marie Stopes who also purchased the two attached houses in order for them to be used as a museum! There is ample free parking opposite in a shady carpark. If you walk down the lane past the museum you will pass the ruins of Rufus Castle with a viewing platform and benches to look across the sea. Continue down the many steps until you reach the secluded and pebbly Church Ope Cove. There are a lot of steps so not suitable for the elderly or unfit, but great to wear out the kids!
I haven't been in the Museum since 2020 and was really impressed by how snazzy it looks. The shop is amazing, some gorgeous things for sale, many by local artists, and a range of price points so the little 'uns can spend their pocket money too. The shop is a very attractive start and finish to the tour. Great to see some new displays with a different focus and relevance to national events (the D-Day exhibition). There is so much of Portland's long and diverse history featured in the Museum and it's all under one roof. As ever, it's not too big and grandiose to absorb in one visit and the fact that the two of the buildings are in themselves significant in Portland history is an added bonus Well done to everybody involved these days. The charm of the place is undiminished but the current offering is fresh, up to date, welcoming and an excellent way to pass a couple of hours.
I found the museum very interesting, especially the ammonite fossils, as I already had an interest in them. The ladies who were working were very welcoming and helpful. 100% recommend.
I enjoyed my visit to the small but quirky museum in April 2024. Very friendly and helpful staff, mostly volunteers, who were happy to share the details of the diverse mixture of exhibits (Ask about the cats ) I was surprised to hear that Marie Stopes was the original curator of the museum, years ago !! Well worth a visit, if you are in the area and wish to learn a little about the local history of Portland. Recommended.
It's amazing how many interesting artefacts have been fitted into quite a small place. We spent a good 1.5 hours here and really enjoyed it. Something for everyone including a quiz for the children. Really helpful lady on reception! If you want to know more about the history of Portland then this is the place to go.
Lovely quiet garden out back. Museum full of all sorts of objects both Jurassic and otherwise. Includes the Canadian message in a bottle my daughter found on the beach during a clean up.
Wheelchair-accessible entrance
Toilets
Restaurant
Good for kids
Hello! I'm your AI guide for Portland Museum. I can help you with information about this attraction, including its history, best times to visit, and tips for your visit. What would you like to know?
Discover hotels in 217 Wakeham, Easton, Portland DT5 1HS
Searching for hotels...
This pretty little museum is surprisingly bigger once through the door! They have a lovely collection of artefacts, local history and information about Marie Stopes who also purchased the two attached houses in order for them to be used as a museum! There is ample free parking opposite in a shady carpark. If you walk down the lane past the museum you will pass the ruins of Rufus Castle with a viewing platform and benches to look across the sea. Continue down the many steps until you reach the secluded and pebbly Church Ope Cove. There are a lot of steps so not suitable for the elderly or unfit, but great to wear out the kids!
I haven't been in the Museum since 2020 and was really impressed by how snazzy it looks. The shop is amazing, some gorgeous things for sale, many by local artists, and a range of price points so the little 'uns can spend their pocket money too. The shop is a very attractive start and finish to the tour. Great to see some new displays with a different focus and relevance to national events (the D-Day exhibition). There is so much of Portland's long and diverse history featured in the Museum and it's all under one roof. As ever, it's not too big and grandiose to absorb in one visit and the fact that the two of the buildings are in themselves significant in Portland history is an added bonus Well done to everybody involved these days. The charm of the place is undiminished but the current offering is fresh, up to date, welcoming and an excellent way to pass a couple of hours.
I found the museum very interesting, especially the ammonite fossils, as I already had an interest in them. The ladies who were working were very welcoming and helpful. 100% recommend.
I enjoyed my visit to the small but quirky museum in April 2024. Very friendly and helpful staff, mostly volunteers, who were happy to share the details of the diverse mixture of exhibits (Ask about the cats ) I was surprised to hear that Marie Stopes was the original curator of the museum, years ago !! Well worth a visit, if you are in the area and wish to learn a little about the local history of Portland. Recommended.
It's amazing how many interesting artefacts have been fitted into quite a small place. We spent a good 1.5 hours here and really enjoyed it. Something for everyone including a quiz for the children. Really helpful lady on reception! If you want to know more about the history of Portland then this is the place to go.
Lovely quiet garden out back. Museum full of all sorts of objects both Jurassic and otherwise. Includes the Canadian message in a bottle my daughter found on the beach during a clean up.
