The team from Rutherford Appleton Laboratory is coming back to the museum on Tues 4th Aug for another fantastic Science Family Day £6.50 per child, book online www.ticketsource.com/vale-downland-museum

9 and 10 Market Place, Wantage. Circa 1897. Wilkins & Sons Grocery Store, with the staff on the steps and in the doorway. Later it would become Fergusons Grocery Store and in the 1970s it became Drewett, Watson, & Barton Estate Agents. Today it is Coral Bookmakers. #WaybackWednesday

Wantage Market Place in what we believe is the early 1970s. It is definitely after February 1971 due to the sign in the window reading 12p, so we know it was post decimalisation. The car is a Triumph Herald 13/60

It's #WorldSnakeDay and as you can imagine a small Oxfordshire history museum doesn't have many snake related objects in the collection, so this plaque with a three-headed snake is the best we could do! #WorldSnakeDay #History #WWII

Wallingford Street, Wantage. Circa 1932. On the left is Roberts Draper. In 1800 it was the home of the Kirby family, a daughter of the Kirby’s married John Ormond. #WaybackWednesday

It's the final week of term for lots of kids & we are gearing up for a fun filled summer here at the museum. First up is the ever popular LEGO® Club. Perfect for all LEGO® loving children and parents/guardians can enjoy an hour in the museum coffee shop or exploring the galleries

Anna will be here in the museum on Thursday (9th July) afternoon (1.30pm) talking us through her process of creating the mural. Join us to see it, hear about it, and meet Anna. £7.50 per person. Book online www.ticketsource.com/vale-downlan...

Every time we look at this beautiful mural we notice something new! This artwork is called Living Landscape and it was painted by the very talented @annadillon.bsky.social

Church Street in the 1970s. Photo taken from the churchyard of Priory Bookshop owned by John Kent. #WaybackWednesday

Wantage Parish Church. C1895, after some restoration The Church of St Peter & St Paul stands on the site where Christian Worship has been for more than 1300 years, but the building we see today is largely thirteenth century. It has of course had many alterations over the centuries #WaybackWednesday

The first phase of our barn redevelopment is now complete! Talented local artist Anna Dillon the Artist has painted an absolutely stunning mural called Living Landscape and we are so excited to share that it is now on display in our barn gallery. #LivingLandscape

Wantage Recreation Ground 5th June 1943. At a Carnival for Victory, this woman has just walked the plank and fallen into a large canvas water tank. How many of us would love to take a dip in that water today? #WaybackWednesday

The Museum Fundraising Summer Fete is just a month away and raffle tickets to the big raffle are now on sale! We have some epic prizes this year and more are being added everyday £1 per ticket available to buy from the museum The draw will be on Sat 11th Jul at the end of the fete

A charabanc outing from Wantage to Southsea July 1920 They departed from the Abingdon Arms at 7.30am. The photograph was taken in the Market Place outside Cottrell’s shop. It was a very wet day in Southsea, which may explain why they didn’t stay very long and returned at 12.30pm #WaybackWednesday

Wantage Market Place in 1948. A nice view of the King Alfred statue and the Ye Old Post Office Vaults behind. The buses back then were quite a bit smaller than those we see in the town centre today. #WaybackWednesday #WorldBicycleDay

South Oxfordshire & Vale of White Horse district councils are working with Flying Geese to research what people in southern Oxfordshire would like to make it a better place for the people who live here Have your say, complete the survey online by Sun 31st May www.smartsurvey.co.uk/t/SouthernOx...

Rehearsing the play Love Locked Out in the 1970s. Robin Cripps on the left, Roger Smith in the centre, and Ken Stallard on the right. #WaybackWednesday

The heat is on its way but we have you covered with brand new air conditioning in our galleries! Stay cool while you explore.

Book for our Children's Art Workshop online 👉 www.ticketsource.com/vale-downlan...

Main Street, Grove, c1910. Kents Row. Rural District Council cottages with Edgar Povey with his bicycle These cottages are still there today but everything else in this photo has changed quite a bit. Now opposite the cottages is Millbrook Square & the road has gotten wider and there are more houses

Ivy Cottage, Main Street, Grove in the 1950s. According to what is written on the back, this is Mr Sewell gardening at 'Mrs Spanners old house'. #WaybackWednesday #NationalGardeningWeek

The Museum and Coffee Shop will be closed on both Bank Holidays this May. Monday 4th & Monday 25th May

One of two introductory films which you can watch in our auditorium featuring the wonderful David Attenborough as narrator Watch the full film 👉 youtu.be/ev4mm_f6C_c?... #Archive30 #SoundAndVision #WaybackWednesday

This gorgeous banner is the perfect example of why conservation is so important to help preserve our history. The Church of England Working Men’s Society banner is 140 years old, dating back to 1886! #ArchiveConservation #Archive30

The corner of Market Place and Newbury Street in 1904. Walter & Co were a watch, clock and jewellery shop which opened in 1891 and closed in 1939. Today this is Simpsons Estate Agents. #WaybackWednesday

This box of curiosities was collected by Dr Gains as a child in Brightwalton between 1870 and 1899. It contains shells, nuts, seeds, glass, pins, rocks, buttons, teeth, carved ivory, and more! #Archive30 #UnusualArchives

This very colourful hat was worn by the Icknield Way Morris Men Fool 'Little Bob' The Fool is an integral part of any performance, providing a link between the dancers and the audience, persuading them to donate to the charity collection. #Archive30 #ColurfulArchives

It is believed this large group of men is likely to be Wantage Home Guard during World War II. The photo was owned by Harry Glaysher who was part of the 5th Berkshire Battalion Home Guard in Wantage. Do you recognise any one in this photo and can help us put names to faces? #Archive30 #SomethingBig

A wreath party marching towards St Peter & St Paul Church Wantage for the funeral of Lt Napier Burnett Lindsay in 1909. This was such a big funeral that the whole community came to a standstill. #Archive30 #CommunityArchives Read more about this photo 👉 facebook.com/valeanddownlandmuseum

Sports day, probably at King Alfred's School #Wantage on 3rd June 1946. The winner of the race was David East, second was Lester Piggott, who went on to be a top #jockey, and one of the boys in the background is Harry Glaysher #Archive30 #SportsArchive