Swanage Museum & Heritage Centre

A small museum housed in the old market building on The Square, close to the seafront in Swanage. Its displays trace how the town grew from a fishing village into a Victorian resort on the back of the Purbeck stone trade, with fossils, geology, maritime history and wartime radar stories all in one compact space. Families can pick up a heritage trail leaflet and follow it on foot to see the old London relics saved and re-erected around town. There is a film about the area, a shop with pocket-money souvenirs, and volunteers who are happy to talk through the collection. Because it is a quick, free and fairly compact visit, it suits a rainy afternoon, a stop between beach and ice cream, or a short lesson in local history for children of primary age. Entry is free, though donations are welcomed to keep the volunteer-run museum open.