The Salisbury Museum — Attraction in England

What a treasure trove this place is . We went with friends whilst on a long weekend staying locally. As with a lot of town (city) museums I was interested to visit here. We parked the car and walked thru to the Cathedral grounds which is where the museum is to be found. I have an Arts Council card which allows free entry to a great many museums, art galleries, National Trust properties especially those with large art collections . Anyway, I digress....... We went into the museum at about 12.15 and I thought enough time to see everything and the we could be away to find somewhere for lunch.... We started off in a large room which gave a history of Salisbury from before the Romans arrived ..... in fact about 3,500 years before ! ! ! So many artefacts and stories of the past, absolutely fascinating. A guide in the room had so much interesting information to give . I have never visited a museum which held my attention for so much and so long. So , at about 1.30 we decided we were feeling a bit peckish.... we had seen a cafe advertised as we went in and thought we could get a snack there..... between us we had baked potatoes with cheese, baked potatoes with prawns and an open sandwich with prawns and advacado. And of course with cups of tea afterward we felt we should try the slices of cakes and pastries .... ( it would have been rude not to really ! ) OK so after lunch was over we went back to where we left off in the museum to carry on. We spent nearly 3 and a half hours in this museum. And to be honest even then we did not see everything.. If you should find yourself in Salisbury with several hours to spare I can easily recommend the perfect place .........

The Museum boasts an incredible array of artefacts from throughout our history. We were surprised (pleasantly) at the care that has gone into the design of the galleries, which ensures that the Disabled or people short of sight/hearing are catered for. From low information boards, to well laid-out exhibits, as well as seats throughout the galleries. The level of thought that has gone into ensuring that people from minority groups are represented through fact-checking and getting outside opinions is incredible. Our visit to the Museum was only let down by the cafe. While their menu is certainly unique from other museum cafes, with an all-day breakfast and toasted bagels, as well as a fish finger brioche bun, quiche, and chilli con carne, the lack of vegan options is stark. From a menu which isn't labelled at all for allergy and dietary requirement, to unclear options for sandwiches, toasties and jacket potato fillings, I was the only let down member of my party, with only a bag of crisps to satisfy me, while my group had full lunches. A review from 2017 on TripAdvisor also lists this problem, so it would be good if reviews could be checked, and adequate steps are made to ensure that all Dietary Requirements are catered from (even if it is just a generic vegan cheese toastie). This won't stop us from revisiting the museum by any means, but we will certainly have to rethink our plans on what to eat while we visit. Top marks to the Museum, but the...

I had such a fantastic experience at the Salisbury Museum! The museum is beautifully laid out, well-structured, and packed with fascinating things to see – I ended up spending around three hours there because there was so much history to take in, and it honestly surprised me how engaging it all was.

The volunteers and staff are absolutely wonderful – friendly, welcoming, and incredibly knowledgeable. They’re more than happy to guide you through the exhibits and share the stories behind the history, which really brought everything to life. I felt genuinely proud to have moved here and to be able to support such an amazing museum.

If you’re as lucky as I was, you might get to meet Nigel – he was brilliant, taking the time to explain many of the displays in a really engaging way. It made the visit even more memorable.

The museum also has a lovely café and a gift shop, which was the perfect way to finish the visit with a tea and a snack. It’s very family-friendly too, with activities to keep children entertained.

I can’t recommend this museum enough – it’s a must-visit...