Dartmouth Museum

Dartmouth Museum occupies part of the historic Butterwalk, a terrace of merchants' houses built around 1640, and tells the story of the town and the surrounding district. The rooms hold ship models, some displayed inside bottles, along with maps, paintings, photographs and everyday artefacts. Families can look through microscopes in the re-created Victorian study of William Henley, try the quizzes written for children and grown-ups, and peek into drawers below the displays. The plaster Tree of Jesse ceiling and the Newcomen steam engine models add something different for older children and adults. The museum is compact, so a visit suits a rainy afternoon or a short break between harbour walks. Volunteer stewards are on hand to suggest things to look at, and school groups are welcomed as well as family visitors.