The Vale and Downland Museum is a local museum in the

market town A market town is a settlement most common in Europe that obtained by custom or royal charter, in the Middle Ages, a market right, which allowed it to host a regular market; this distinguished it from a village or city. In Britain, small rural ...

of Wantage,

Oxfordshire Oxfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the north west of South East England. It is a mainly rural county, with its largest settlement being the city of Oxford. The county is a centre of research and development, primarily ...

, England. Its galleries present the

cultural heritage Cultural heritage is the heritage of tangible and intangible heritage assets of a group or society that is inherited from past generations. Not all heritages of past generations are "heritage"; rather, heritage is a product of selection by soci ...

of the

Vale of White Horse The Vale of White Horse is a local government district of Oxfordshire in England. It was historically a north-west projection of Berkshire. The area is commonly referred to as the 'Vale of ''the'' White Horse'. It is crossed by the Ridgeway Nat ...

region around Wantage. A Victorian kitchen, Iron Age skeleton and a bust of

Sir John Betjeman Sir John Betjeman (; 28 August 190619 May 1984) was an English poet, writer, and broadcaster. He was Poet Laureate from 1972 until his death. He was a founding member of The Victorian Society and a passionate defender of Victorian architecture, ...

are amongst its attractions, along with a cafe serving home-made food. During school holidays there are several themed days, most of which are 'entry by donation'. The museum also acts as a community hub, holding a weekly

Women's Institute The Women's Institute (WI) is a community-based organisation for women in the United Kingdom, Canada, South Africa and New Zealand. The movement was founded in Stoney Creek, Ontario, Canada, by Erland and Janet Lee with Adelaide Hoodless being th ...

market, several book groups and various drawing, knitting and needlework classes. The museum is housed in the Old Surgery, Church Street, in the centre of the town. It has around 1,500 books, pamphlets and periodicals in its library.

References

External links

* Museums in Oxfordshire Local museums in Oxfordshire Art museums and galleries in Oxfordshire Wantage {{UK-museum-stub