By the 1860s Taunton Castle was threatened with destruction. Its ancient roles as royal stronghold, bishop’s residence and a setting for the law courts were finally at an end. But now a new role began. From 1874 the castle was progressively transformed into a museum celebrating Somerset’s rich history and historic collections. 150 years on, Tom Mayberry tells the remarkable story of how the museum was made.
There will also be the opportunity to view and handle museum objects from the collections, not currently on display, but specially selected from the museum stores.