Dorset Museum & Art Gallery is celebrating a momentous achievement after securing two prestigious accolades at the 12th Dorset Tourism Awards, held at the Marsham Court Hotel in Bournemouth on 6th February 2025.
The Museum was honoured to receive the Gold for the International Tourism Award and Gold for Large Visitor Attraction of the Year, solidifying its position as a leading cultural and heritage destination. In addition, Dorset Museum & Art Gallery was Commended in the Business Event of the Year category, recognising its growing reputation for providing exceptional venue hire and corporate event experiences.
In the last couple of years, the Museum has gone from strength to strength. Its expansive exhibitions, educational programs, and cultural events continue to attract visitors from across the UK and beyond.
One of this year’s standout attractions is the ‘Gladiators of Britain’ exhibition, running until 11th May 2025. A British Museum Partnership Exhibition in collaboration with Colchester + Ipswich Museums, it explores the lesser-known history of gladiatorial contests in Roman Britain. Since its launch, the exhibition has drawn significant visitor numbers and received outstanding feedback from audiences of all ages, further cementing Dorset Museum & Art Gallery’s reputation as a must-visit cultural landmark.
“We are thrilled to receive these awards, which are a testament to the hard work, passion, and dedication of our incredible staff and volunteers,” said Claire Dixon, Executive Director at Dorset Museum & Art Gallery. “We take immense pride in preserving and sharing Dorset’s rich history and heritage, and it’s wonderful to see our efforts recognised on such a prestigious platform.”
The Dorset Tourism Awards celebrate excellence across the county’s tourism sector, showcasing the best visitor attractions, hospitality businesses, and cultural institutions. Winning these awards underscores Dorset Museum & Art Gallery’s continued commitment to delivering exceptional visitor experiences and world-class exhibitions.
Amanda Park of sponsors Visit Dorset said: “Visit Dorset are proud sponsors of the Dorset Tourism Awards and as always, we were delighted to have the opportunity last night to celebrate the sheer variety and quality of businesses across the whole of Dorset’s fantastic tourism industry, which contributes so much to our Dorset economy. Congratulations to all the finalists!”
Awards organiser Robin Barker of Services for Tourism added: “It is such a great reward for the hard working teams in tourism and hospitality to receive this recognition, and it is so deserved. Congratulations to all the winners.”
Many of the Gold winners in the Dorset Awards will also be nominated to represent Dorset in the national VisitEngland awards later in the year.
The full list of winners can be seen here.
