Weymouth Museum

Weymouth Museum traces its origins to 1972, when it opened in the old Melcombe Regis Boys’ School on Westham Road. In 1990 it moved to Brewers Quay, a converted brewery beside Weymouth Harbour. The building once housed the Devenish Brewery and later became an indoor shopping complex. After a succession of owners and closures, the museum now occupies temporary space while Brewers Quay is redeveloped. A pop-up shop on St Thomas Street served visitors until October 2023. A new pop-up opened in summer 2025, with plans for a permanent return in 2026. The museum’s displays cover Weymouth’s history in chronological order across six exhibition spaces. It once shared the site with the Timewalk exhibition, which guided visitors through the town’s past from the 14th century. The collection includes material from the 1971 celebration of the 400th anniversary of the union of Weymouth and Melcombe Regis. In 2016 the council approved plans for a £300,000 redevelopment to expand the museum within Brewers Quay. The Heritage Lottery Fund and the council pledged support for the project. Visitors to the current pop-up museum find a small selection of artefacts on display. The shop offers gifts and souvenirs alongside the exhibition area. Outside, the redevelopment of Brewers Quay continues with completion expected in 2026. Once finished, the ground floor will house the permanent museum galleries. Until then, the pop-up provides a temporary home for the collection in the town centre.