Free Entry to Treasury Museum

30th September 2019
BY Suzanne Ceirog-Hughes, Curator

The Winchester College Treasury houses the school’s unique collections of art and archaeology. These include artefacts from Egypt, Greece and Rome, casts of the Parthenon Frieze, and Chinese ceramics from the Tang to Qing dynasties. The medieval stables were converted into a museum in 2016 and the Treasury has welcomed many schools pupils, scholars, tourists, and international visitors over the past three years.  The museum is a valuable teaching resource for the school's own pupils and the boys curate their own exhibitions annually.

However, the school recognised there was an opportunity to make these treasures more accessible and last month made entry to the museum free for all visitors. We have also extended the opening hours to 2 - 4pm, every day of the year (except between Christmas and New Year, the Easter weekend, and for exhibition changeovers).

Winchester residents and their families often pass our gates walking to the water meadows or into town.  By offering free, daily access to the Treasury, it is hoped that passers-by will drop in regularly, to see the latest exhibition, or perhaps revisit a favourite object from the permanent collection.  

There is an interesting and varied programme of changing exhibitions scheduled for the coming year. The current exhibition, 'Keats in Winchester,' has proved very popular and runs until 20th December. This is followed by 'Art at Winchester between the Wars', January - March 2020, 'Thomas Browne and the Scientific Revolution', curated by our pupils, April - August 2020, and 'Hans Coper' for Autumn 2020.

Finally, to help younger visitors engage with the collection, we are delighted to have launched a new children's trail, inviting them to discover any horses left hiding in the old stables.

 

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