The Future of the Past

The main build contract at Taunton Castle has now started. Please click on the Latest News link above to view some photographs of the ongoing works - these will be regularly updated as the contract progresses.

The Museum of Somerset is a project being led by Somerset County Council’s Heritage Service to conserve and restore Taunton Castle and to rejuvenate the Somerset County Museum located within it. The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) has confirmed £4.8m funding for the project and a further £1.7m must be raised through grants and public fundraising.

The aim is to create a visitor attraction that will tell the story of Somerset from prehistoric times to the present day, and display its history and heritage in exciting new ways. Free admission to the permanent collections will continue.

For Somerset people the museum will be a place that reflects their heritage, voices their concerns and celebrates their achievements.

For visitors to the county the museum will act as introduction and inspiration; it will communicate what is distinctive about Somerset, it will explain how the county evolved and it will provide information and encouragement to explore the county further.

The new museum will offer greatly improved services for visitors including a cafe, extended opening times and a large temporary gallery capable of staging national touring exhibitions. A new dedicated learning space will be created with state-of-the-art facilities. It is hoped that visitor numbers will double to over 60,000 annually.

Plans also allow for the restoration of Taunton Castle itself, parts of which date back to the 12th century. Much more of the castle will be opened up to the public, and there will be vastly improved access for people with disabilities.

The Museum of Somerset Project is a crucial part of Project Taunton's plans to enhance the county town, with Taunton Castle standing at the heart of a new cultural quarter.

The Somerset County Museum closed to the public in April 2008 and will re-open at the end of the refurbishment and re-fit works as the new Museum of Somerset. Details and timings of the public launch of the Museum of Somerset have not yet been finalised.