Jane's Midlife Journey

Note: Poole Museum is closed for refurbishment until Spring 2025. In the meantime, there will be a series of Museum on the Move activities and events to take Poole’s stories and heritage out into the local community.

Poole Museum is housed in a former Victorian flour mill and grain warehouse on Poole Quay. It tells the town’s story through artefacts and displays, some static, some interactive.

How to get to Poole Museum

The museum is in Poole High Street, close to the Quay. From Bournemouth, it is a 7 mile drive west along the A338/A35. It is around a 15 minute walk from Poole Station and Poole Bus Station.

Parking

There is council operated parking at Quay Visitors Multi Storey Car Park. Parking costs £1.20 for one hour. Further details can be found here. There is also a private car park at Quayside Poole, where parking costs £2 for one hour.

Opening Times

Th museum opens daily from 10 am until 5 pm between April and October.

Price

General entry is free. There may be a fee for temporary exhibitions.

Exhibits

Ground Floor

Exhibits are housed across four floors. The museum is entered via a modern glass and steel atrium where you will find a gift shop and also Poole’s Tourist Information Centre. The remainder of the Ground Floor starts Poole’s story with the the formation of Poole Harbour. On display are some artefacts discovered in the harbour, like the 8 metre long carved rudder from 17th Century shipwreck, The Fame. On a nearby screen, the rudder’s talking head tells its own story.

The Poole Logboat

Dominating the ground floor is The Poole Logboat; a 10 metre long boat carved from a single oak tree over 2,300 years ago. Apart from being incredibly old, it is also unique in that, after many years of trying to work out how to preserve it, experts came up with the idea of soaking it in sugar and immersed the boat in a solution similar to that used to make cola.

First Floor

The First Floor tells the story of the development of the town and port of Poole. Displays include this collection of seaside souvenirs though the ages.

The First Floor also focuses on the town’s maritime history with more old boat parts on display, like a 17th Century binnacle (housing for a compass) adorned with sea creatures which was salvaged from a locally based ship.

Second Floor

The Second Floor tells the story of the people of Poole in general and focusing on some of the area’s most noteworthy figures. Displays include an interactive 1950s kitchen together with some products of the era. I was particularly intrigued by the Quaker Oats which are so simple that ‘even a bride can prepare’!

People connected with the history of Poole include Robert Baden Powell, who set up the Scout Movement with a camp on Brownsea Island in Poole Harbour in 1907.

Third Floor

The Third Floor displays pottery either found or manufactured in Poole. The bulk of the exhibit tells the Story of Poole Pottery. Pottery was made by hand on the quayside for over a century, starting in 1873. The company started out manufacturing tiles and and architectural ceramics, before branching out into decorative pottery. I’m sure, like me, most locals have a piece or two of the iconic art deco pottery displayed in their home. And those that don’t are likely to have seen its works displayed, as Poole Pottery tiles were used to tile many of the stations of the London Underground.

The café and toilets are also located on the Third Floor.

Future Plans

Check out the website to find out more about the museum development plans, which include three new galleries, more interactive displays and a restored wool hall.

Museum on the Move

During refurbishment, the museum staff and its artefacts can be found popping up at various locations across Poole including libraries, shopping centres and festivals.

Scaplen’s Court

Across the road from the Museum is Scaplen’s Court, a medieval house with herb and physic garden. Scaplen’s Court is managed by the museum and opens during the summer to visitors.

I hope you found this information useful. For more inspiration on things to do in and around Bournemouth, check out my 101 Things to do in Bournemouth here.

• Updated: October 2023