Museum of Somerset

The Museum of Somerset sits in the 12th-century great hall of Taunton Castle, a medieval fortress in the heart of Taunton. The castle once belonged to the Somerset Archaeological and Natural History Society, which still owns it today. The museum itself opened in 2011 after a major refurbishment supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund. It replaced the older Somerset County Museum, which had operated since the 19th century. Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh visited the site in 1987 during its earlier incarnation. The displays include some of the most important finds from the county’s past. The Frome Hoard, uncovered in 2010, contains 52,503 Roman coins buried between AD 253 and 305. Another highlight is the Low Ham Roman Mosaic, recovered from a villa near the town of Low Ham. Visitors can also see the South Cadbury shield, a bronze-age relic, and objects gathered by local archaeologist Mary Harfield. The Somerset Military Museum traces the history of the Somerset Light Infantry through its campaigns worldwide. Inside, the museum is arranged around a striking oak sculpture called the Tree of Somerset. This carving, made from wood taken from the Quantock Hills, shows key moments in the county’s history. Visitors move through rooms filled with toys, dolls, fossils, silverware and pottery. The great hall itself, with its high vaulted ceiling, provides a dramatic setting for the displays. Outside, the castle grounds sit close to Taunton’s town centre, linking the past with the present.