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. Talks

    Autumn Lectures: The Story of Highdown Hill

    Richmond Room
    Join us for a lecture revealing the fascinating history of Highdown Hill. From Bronze Age enclosure to Iron Age hill…
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  2. Close-up of a handmade patchwork quilt made from colourful fabric pieces stitched together with visible decorative embroidery. Floral prints in green, blue, yellow and pink sit alongside bold abstract patterns and polka dots, highlighting the quilt's handcrafted detail and vibrant mix of vintage-style fabrics.
    Talks

    Dress in Detail: Homemade, altered and mended

    Museum & Art Gallery
    Take a closer look at the stories stitched into Worthing Museum's historic dress collection in this fascinating talk…
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  3. A young woman in 17th-century dress, wearing a white lace ruff and bonnet, sits smiling as she paints at an easel. She holds a paintbrush poised mid-stroke, turning to look at the viewer. On the canvas beside her is a lively scene of two figures, suggesting a genre painting in progress. The background is softly lit, focusing attention on the artist’s face and hands.
    Talks

    Remarkable Women In The History of Art: Women of the Dutch Golden Age

    Museum & Art Gallery
    Rediscovering female artists of 17th-century NetherlandsJoin Monika Lind, retired university lecturer in Culture and…
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  4. Two oval mixed-media artworks are shown side by side, each featuring the same imaginative design. The left artwork is a black-and-white line drawing, while the right is partially coloured with blue sky, an orange sun, green plants and pink ground. Both depict a cloud containing a single eye above a landscape with a crescent moon, dark circle, stylised sun, trees, plants and a crocodile-like creature, demonstrating the progression from sketch to finished artwork.
    Workshops

    Tetra Pak Printing with Gary Goodman

    Museum & Art Gallery
    Turn everyday recycling into original works of art in this creative Tetra Pak printmaking workshop with Gary…
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  5. Hands holding a piece of flint and an antler tool, demonstrating traditional flint knapping outdoors.
    Workshops

    Stone Age Weekender - Flint Knapping

    Museum & Art Gallery
    Enjoy a two-day festival of Flint with WTM's Stone Age Weekend!You'll knap your own tools in a practical workshop and…
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  6. Talks

    Autumn Lectures: Sussex & the Norman Conquest

    Richmond Room
    We all know that William the Conqueror beat King Harold at Hastings - but what happened in Sussex afterwards? This talk…
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  7. Black-and-white linocut print of a bird standing in profile, rendered with bold, simplified shapes and strong contrast. White carved lines define the bird's eye, wing and tail feathers against a solid black silhouette, creating a striking, graphic composition.
    Workshops

    Black & White Lino-Cut Printmaking with Gary Goodman

    Museum & Art Gallery
    Discover the creative process of linocut printmaking in this practical workshop, where you'll design, carve and print…
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  8. Workshops

    Kids Workshop: Lantern Making with Twigs and Tissue

    Museum & Art Gallery
    Create your own glowing lantern in this fun and creative hands-on workshop. Using willow rods, twigs and colourful…
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  9. Children & Family

    Kids Workshop: Autumn Crafts

    Museum & Art Gallery
    Celebrate the colours of the season in this fun autumn-inspired craft workshop for children. Using leaves, pine cones,…
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  10. Workshops

    Kids Workshop: Spooky Crafts

    Museum & Art Gallery
    Get ready for a frightfully fun creative workshop this Halloween. Make spooky pumpkins, witches, bats and cats using a…
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  11. 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…
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  12. 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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  13. 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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  14. 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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  15. 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…
    More info
  16. 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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  17. 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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  18. 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
  19. 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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  20. 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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  21. 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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  22. 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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  23. 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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  24. 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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