Wide view of the Historic Dress gallery at Worthing Museum, featuring elegant period garments displayed in illuminated glass cases. A richly embroidered 18th-century-style gown takes centre stage, surrounded by historic dresses, accessories and textiles from different eras. Decorative archways frame the exhibition, while interpretive panels explain the history of dressmaking, Worthing's textile heritage, and the Pavilion Theatre's centenary. The spacious gallery has polished wooden flooring, soft lighting, and a calm, contemporary museum setting.

What's On At The Museum

List of Events

  1. Walks

    Summer Walks 2026 - Highdown Hill

    Museum & Art Gallery
    Join Worthing Museum archaeologist James Sainsbury for an evening walk exploring the archaeology, history and landscape…
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  2. Talks

    Dress in Detail: Rococo to Regency

    Museum & Art Gallery
    Step back into the elegance of the 18th and early 19th centuries with curator Gerry Connolly in this special close-up…
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  3. Walks

    Summer Walks 2026 - Cissbury Ring

    Museum & Art Gallery
    Join Worthing Museum archaeologist James Sainsbury for a guided walk exploring the remarkable 6,000-year history of…
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  4. Abstract artwork made from painted paper, featuring cut-out shapes in pink, yellow, and green layered over a dark painted background with white dots and flowing lines.
    Workshops

    Painted Paper Collage with Ellie Bond

    Museum & Art Gallery
    Come and unwind in this relaxing and creative workshop, designed especially for adults looking to explore their…
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  5. Walks

    Summer Walks 2026 - Chanctonbury Ring

    Museum & Art Gallery
    Join Worthing Museum archaeologist James Sainsbury for a guided walk exploring one of Sussex’s most iconic and…
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  6. Talks

    Dress in Detail: Fashion and Fancy Dress

    Museum & Art Gallery
    Step into the imaginative world of fancy dress with curator Jo Lance in this fascinating exploration of costume and…
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  7. Blurred motion of people dancing on a wooden floor, capturing energetic footwork and movement during a lively social dance.
    Workshops

    Highdown Goblet - Dance Workshop

    Museum & Art Gallery
    Discover history through movement, music and storytellingCelebrate the story of the Highdown Goblet in this unique and…
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  8. Person drawing a comic strip on a whiteboard while children watch, with bookshelves filled with colourful books in the background.
    Workshops

    Highdown Goblet - Comic Workshop

    Museum & Art Gallery
    Create your own comic inspired by local historyDiscover the story behind the Highdown Goblet in this creative comic…
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  9. Close-up of colourful craft materials spread across a surface, including bright orange netting, balls of yarn, tangled blue threads, and textured woven fabric pieces in green and pink tones.
    Workshops

    Kids Workshop: First Weavers

    Museum & Art Gallery
    A fun introduction to weaving for young creatorsLet creativity take shape in this hands-on First Weavers workshop,…
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  10. Assorted colourful yarns and textured craft materials spread across a table, including balls of grey and orange wool, bright yellow strands, green and multicoloured fibres, and handmade woven pieces with netting and thread.
    Workshops

    Kids Workshop: Wacky Weaving

    Museum & Art Gallery
    Creative weaving with recycled and natural materialsGet creative in this fun and hands-on Wacky Weaving workshop for…
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  11. Talks

    Dress in Detail: 1926-2026 100 Years of the Pavilion Theatre

    Museum & Art Gallery
    Celebrate 100 years of the Pavilion Theatre with this special fashion history event led by curator Gerry Connolly.…
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  12. Handwoven willow baskets and sculptural forms arranged on moss-covered tree roots in a woodland setting, with fallen leaves and greenery surrounding the base of a large tree.
    Workshops

    Kids Workshop - Young Willow Weavers

    Museum & Art Gallery
    Learn traditional willow weaving for ages 11–16Discover the art of willow weaving in this hands-on workshop designed…
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  13. Assorted colourful craft supplies on a table, including stacks of bright paper in a plastic tray, rolls of corrugated card, scissors, tape, and a pot of multicoloured paper clips.
    Workshops

    Kids Workshop - Colour Crazy

    Museum & Art Gallery
    Mosaic and collage fun for young creatorsGet creative with colour, shape and design in this hands-on Colour Crazy…
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  14. Watercolour painting setup with a small canvas on a wooden easel, tubes of paint, brushes, and a paint palette with mixed colours on a white surface.
    Workshops

    Kids Workshop - Painting with Watercolour

    Museum & Art Gallery
    Create your own artwork inspired by the MuseumExplore colour, creativity and technique in this hands-on Painting with…
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  15. Talks

    Dress in Detail: 200 years in Hats and Headwear

    Museum & Art Gallery
    Discover two centuries of fashion history through the art of hats and headwear in this fascinating talk with curator…
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  16. Walks

    Summer Walks 2026 - Burpham Downland

    Museum & Art Gallery
    Discover thousands of years of history hidden within one of the South Downs’ most picturesque landscapes on this guided…
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  17. Four small folded paper booklets in bright colours (green, orange, yellow, and blue) arranged in a row, with a set of colourful felt-tip pens laid out in front on a white background.
    Workshops

    Kids Workshop - Little Booklet Making

    Museum & Art Gallery
    Create your own story with colour and pop-up ideasLet imagination lead the way in this fun and creative Little Booklet…
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  18. Small handmade booklet titled “My Zine” displayed among museum artefacts, including metal rings, bracelets, and other aged objects arranged on a dark display surface.
    Workshops

    Kids Workshop - Make a Zine

    Museum & Art Gallery
    Create your own story, ideas and designsGet creative in this hands-on Make a Zine workshop for children aged 7–11. A…
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  19. Handmade cardboard props arranged together, including a sword, axe, shields, and helmet, crafted from corrugated card, tape, and foil with simple painted details.
    Workshops

    Kids Workshop - Making History

    Museum & Art Gallery
    Create swords, shields and imaginative designsStep into the past and get creative in this hands-on Making History…
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  20. Talks

    Dress in Detail: Dressed and Dandy

    Museum & Art Gallery
    Step into the stylish world of the well-dressed gentleman with curator Gerry Connolly in this fascinating exploration…
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  21. Close-up of decorative stitched fabrics, showing geometric embroidery patterns in white, red, and yellow thread on dark blue and warm-toned cloth pieces.
    Workshops

    Sashiko with Jayne Eagle

    Museum & Art Gallery
    Workshop aim - to learn how to create sashiko style stitching - a Japanese form of hand sewing. Also, an introduction…
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  22. Medieval-style illustration of a veiled woman, representing Hildegard of Bingen, looking upward with a contemplative expression. She holds a stylus over a tablet or manuscript, as golden light or divine rays arc around her against a textured gold and dark background, suggesting inspiration or vision.
    Talks

    Remarkable Women in the History of Art: Hildegard Von Bingen

    Museum & Art Gallery
    Mystic, composer and visionary of the Middle AgesJoin Monika Lind, retired university lecturer in Culture and…
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  23. Talks

    Autumn Lectures: The Story of Cissbury Ring

    Richmond Room
    Cissbury Ring is one of the most important archaeological sites in Britain, with a palimpsest of human activity…
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  24. Illustrated portrait of Emmeline Pankhurst wearing a large decorative hat with feathers, long textured hair falling over her shoulders, and a patterned Victorian-style dress with puffed sleeves, set against a plain beige background.
    Talks

    Talks Revisited: Emmeline Pankhurst with Monika Lind

    Museum & Art Gallery
    The leader who transformed women’s rights in BritainJoin Monika Lind, retired university lecturer in Culture and…
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