Watchet Museums

There are three museums within easy walking distance of each other in the town of Watchet. The Radio Museum, Watchet Market House Museum and the Watchet Boat Museum all have something for everyone.

Watchet Market House Museum -free entry

Watchet Market House Museum  can be found opposit the Esplanade in Market Street.The museum is open from March to October, 10.30am – 4.30pm daily - see website for confirmation of times

The Museum focuses on Watchet and its maritime history.  It presents fossils, Roman, Saxon and Viking relics found locally.   A star attraction within the display is a near complete lchthyosaur, a marine creature that swum in the warm seas that were Somerset millions of years ago. Some wonderful artefacts, paintings, photographs, etc, depicting Watchet’s colourful history can be seen in the Museum and a varied selection of books of local interest, postcards, etc are also available. 

There is no admission charge, but donations are gratefully accepted to help meet expenses.    http://watchetmuseum.co.uk/

Watchet Boat Museum -free entry

Watchet Boat Museum is located at the top of Swain Street next to the West Somerset Railway and Harbour Road car park and is accessed through Watchet Visitor Centre.  The building that houses the Boat Museum was designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel. It started life as a goods shed built in 1862 as the terminus for the Bristol and Exeter Railway.

The museum is home of the Flatner, a local boat, and celebrates the history of Flatner boats with photographs, displays and a number of full size local finds and fishing paraphernalia. There is also a collection of scale models on the mezzanine level.There are interactive exhibits for children with a flatner play boat, ships wheel and navigation, pulleys and weights and children’s trails and activity sheets.

Admission is free. Donations are gratefully received        http://www.lovewatchet.co.uk/boat-museum/

The Radio Museum, Watchet - free entry

The museum consists of my own collection of radio, television and broadcasting equipment, ephemera, documentation and recordings with some emphasis on the history of the Washford Transmitting Station. It is currently open onThursday,Friday and Saturdays , 10.00am-5.00pm

There are presently about 40 radios, televisions, gramophones and record players on display as well as several items of BBC and military equipment. There is much more to come when more space has been prepared

There is no admission fee but donations are welcome   http://www.orbem.co.uk/misc/washford.htm