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

About our events

Exhibitions

OPEN26

Until Sat 5 Sept
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Burpham Big Dig

Sat 4 Jul - Sat 17 Oct
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Walking With The Crow

Sat 31 Oct - Sat 30 Jan
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Oil painting of four stylised women’s faces with glossy black hairstyles, yellow eye make-up and red lips, arranged symmetrically against a blue background.

Cathy Lomax, Reflexion: enchantment, self-identity and film

Sat 26 Sep - Sat 13 Feb
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Lectures, Talks & Workshops

List of Events

  1. Black-and-white portrait of Marlene Dietrich wearing a top hat and tailored tuxedo jacket with a white shirt and bow tie. She faces the camera with a confident, slightly playful expression, holding a cigarette near her lips. Dramatic lighting creates soft shadows across her face, highlighting her curled hair and refined features against a dark background.
    Talks

    Talks Revisited: Marlene Dietrich

    Museum & Art Gallery
    Hollywood icon, performer and cultural trailblazerJoin Monika Lind, retired university lecturer in Culture and…
    More info
  2. Monochrome artwork of a dark, ghostly tree with a thick twisted trunk and bare, sprawling branches against a pale textured background.
    Workshops

    Mythic Monsters and Ghost Trees with Shona Macdonald (AM)

    Museum & Art Gallery
    Workshop Details: Charcoal and ink drawing workshop with a spooky seasonal theme. Drawing from imagination, using…
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  3. Monochrome artwork of a gnarled, ancient-looking tree with a thick dark trunk and twisted, drooping branches against a pale textured background.
    Workshops

    Mythic Monsters and Ghost Trees with Shona Macdonald (PM)

    Museum & Art Gallery
    Workshop Details: Charcoal and ink drawing workshop with a spooky seasonal theme. Drawing from imagination, using…
    More info
  4. Talks

    Autumn Lectures: The Archaeology of the Arun Valley

    Richmond Room
    A brand-new talk from our curator, James, looking at the archaeology of the River Arun from the Palaeolithic through to…
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  5. Talks

    Autumn Lectures: The Archaeology of the Adur Valley

    Richmond Room
    A brand new talk from our curator James Sainsbury - looking at the archaeology of the river Adur from the Palaeolithic…
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  6. Talks

    Gallery Talk - Reflexion: Enchantment, Self-Identity and Film with Cathy Lomax

    Museum & Art Gallery
    A gallery talk by the artist Cathy Lomax exploring themes in the current exhibition Reflexion.Lomax will discuss the…
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  7. Talks

    Autumn Lectures: Photographic History of Worthing Part One: 1860-1914

    Richmond Room
    The first of two talks looking at the photography of Worthing. This lecture will feature dozens of photographs from…
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  8. Portrait of an elderly woman artist, Rosa Bonheur, seated in a studio, holding a sheet of paper. She has short, light grey hair and wears a dark, formal jacket. Beside her is an easel with a painting of a dog and a table with paintbrushes, suggesting her work as an animal painter. The background is softly lit in warm brown tones, creating a calm, reflective atmosphere.

    Remarkable Women in the History of Art: Rosa Bonheur

    Museum & Art Gallery
    A pioneering artist of 19th-century FranceJoin Monika Lind, retired university lecturer in Culture and Humanities…
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  9. Talks

    Autumn Lectures: Photographic History of Worthing Part Two: 1914-1960

    Richmond Room
    This talk will look at Worthing through the lens of photography from 1914-1960, showing the homefront in both World…
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  10. Workshops

    Adult Workshop: Wreath Making

    Museum & Art Gallery
    Get creative this festive season in our annual Wreath Making workshop. Learn how to weave a traditional willow wreath…
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  11. Portrait of Audrey Hepburn wearing an elegant white lace dress and a wide-brimmed black-and-white striped hat adorned with pink flowers, looking directly at the camera. A flowing black ribbon wraps around her against a clean white background, creating a striking, stylised composition.
    Talks

    Talks Revisited: Audrey Hepburn

    Museum & Art Gallery
    Film legend, fashion icon and humanitarianJoin Monika Lind, retired university lecturer in Culture and Humanities…
    More info
  12. Collagraph printmaking plates and prints featuring detailed animal designs, including a fish and other textured illustrations, arranged on a workshop table.
    Workshops

    Collagraph: Crows and Wolves with Shona Macdonald

    Museum & Art Gallery
    Discover the creative possibilities of collagraph printmaking in this two-part workshop exploring the atmospheric…
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  13. Children & Family

    Family Workshop: Christmas Decorations

    Museum & Art Gallery
    Get creative together in this fun, festive family workshop, making a selection of Christmas decorations using a mix of…
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  14. Three handmade circular textile corsages decorated with layered fabric, sequins, metallic embroidery and beads, including floral and photographic designs.
    Workshops

    Letty Lynton Corsage Making with Alex Michon

    Museum & Art Gallery
    Inspired by the Letty Lynton dress, artist Alex Michon will lead a workshop for you to make your own fashionable fabric…
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  15. A simple black line drawing of a jug and angular still-life forms displayed on an easel, with drawing and printmaking materials arranged on the table below.
    Workshops

    Still Life Drawing with Anna Twinam-Cauchi

    Museum & Art Gallery
    Develop your drawing skills in this taught still life drawing workshop with artist Anna Twinam-Cauchi.Using carefully…
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  16. Black-and-white oval portrait of a young Victorian woman looking directly at the camera. She has dark hair swept up in a neat updo and wears a high-collared dress with a patterned shoulder detail. The formal studio portrait is set against a plain light background.
    Talks

    Lady Butler: Defying Victorian Conventions

    Museum & Art Gallery
    Discover the remarkable story of Elizabeth Thompson (1846–1933), later known as Lady Butler, whose powerful paintings…
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  17. Black-and-white portrait of physicist and chemist Marie Curie looking directly at the camera. She wears a dark high-necked dress, with her hair swept back in a loose updo. The softly lit studio portrait highlights her calm, thoughtful expression against a plain, dark background.
    Talks

    Talks Revisited: Marie Curie

    Museum & Art Gallery
    Discover the extraordinary story of Marie Curie, the pioneering scientist whose groundbreaking research transformed…
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  18. Monochrome illustration of a dense, shadowy woodland, with tall tree trunks surrounding a narrow winding path.
    Workshops

    Illustrating Dark Fairy Tale with Shona Macdonald

    Museum & Art Gallery
    Join artist Shona Macdonald for this two-part workshop to make a short illustrated sequence, drawing inspiration from…
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  19. A flat lay of handmade nature-inspired artwork and creative materials arranged on a white surface. The display includes botanical cyanotype prints, stitched paper art, fabric samples, pressed plant designs, a handmade nature journal, feathers, natural pigments, bark, shells and other found objects, creating a colourful collage celebrating creativity and the natural world.
    Workshops

    Paper Collage and Screen Print on Paper with Zoe Burt

    Museum & Art Gallery
    Create beautiful, layered artwork inspired by the collections at Worthing Museum in this creative workshop with artist…
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  20. Close-up of white soap pieces being carved on a green cutting mat, with carving knives and a partially shaped piece of soap.
    Workshops

    Kids' Workshop: Soap Carving (Ages 5-7)

    Museum & Art Gallery
    Have a go at carving in this fun and creative workshop for young makers.Using soft soap and a blunt knife, learn simple…
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  21. Close-up of white soap pieces being carved on a green cutting mat, with carving knives and a partially shaped piece of soap.
    Workshops

    Kids' Workshop: Soap Carving (Ages 7-11)

    Museum & Art Gallery
    Discover the fun of carving in this creative hands-on workshop for young makers.Using soft soap and a blunt knife,…
    More info
  22. Talks

    Monika Lind Talk: Berthe, Morisot, Mary Cassatt and the Impressionists

    Museum & Art Gallery
    Discover the remarkable stories of Berthe Morisot and Mary Cassatt, two pioneering artists who helped shape the…
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  23. Black-and-white portrait of singer Édith Piaf in a dramatic performance pose. Wearing a dark dress against a black background, she tilts her head back with eyes half closed and one hand raised to her chest, capturing the emotion and intensity of her stage presence.
    Talks

    Talks Revisited: Edith Piaf

    Museum & Art Gallery
    Discover the remarkable story of Édith Piaf, the legendary French singer whose powerful voice and unforgettable songs…
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  24. A coyote peers from behind the curved frame of a brightly lit structure in a desert landscape, rendered in vivid yellow, orange and turquoise tones.
    Theatre

    Rhum + Clay: Technicolor

    Connaught Theatre
    1956. Texas. 104 degrees Rock Hudson, Elizabeth Taylor, James Dean.On an oppressively hot set in the middle of the…
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