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Opening Times
We are now OPEN:
Tuesdays to Sundays: 10.00 to 16.00
On View at Winchcombe Museum
Channel 5, 'Museum of Natural Wonder'. Mondays at 8pm.
The Winchcombe Meteorite makes a star appearance in the first episode. Visit Winchcombe to see a piece of history and to learn the story behind this fascinating object..
New Arrivals
The 500 years old Winchcombe Town Maces
The Winchcombe Meteorite
Follow the story of the Winchcombe Meteorite's arrival
New Publication!
Winchcombe: Once a Town of Some Importance.
"by Anne Crow and Carol Harris. A brilliant incite into the part Winchcombe played in local and national Historical events.
£8.00 plus £2,00 p&p or visit the musuem shop and pick up your copy.
THE WINCHCOMBE METEORITE
The Winchcombe Meteorite
Our collection includes fragments of an exceptionally rare meteorite, which made worldwide headlines when it fell on a driveway in the Cotswolds town of Winchcombe in February 2021. The fall was the UK's first for 30 years. The meteorite is 4.6 billion years old and pre-dates the earth itself. It is of a very rare type, known as a Carbonaceous Chondrite. Only five per cent of meteorites are of this type, and they, are therefore, of great scientific importance. This is because they are believed to have brought the water and organic matter that led to the first life on earth. The meteor was caught on many cameras as it sped, glowing brightly, through the earth's atmosphere. This not only allowed scientists to accurately predict that Winchcombe was where it might shed meteorites on the ground, but also to plot that it came from the asteroid belt between Jupiter and Mars.
The Wilcock family, on whose drive it fell, wanted to ensure that the amazing discovery on their drive would benefit the local community and science in general. They donated the meteorite to be displayed in Winchcombe Museum and The Wilson in Cheltenham. They also donated the main mass of the meteorite to the Natural History Museum in London, where it will be studied for hundreds of years to come, and shared with scientific institutions across the world.
In our dedicated Meteorite room you can view fragments of this remarkable extra-terrestrial rock. The room tell the story of the meteorite's arrival, how it was tracked and discovered, what it is made of, and where if came from in space. Colourful charts of the planets and several books on space are available for our younger visitors to enjoy.
To discover more on the Winchcombe Meteorite and for more information on the Wilcock's story
Read and watch the story of the initial reaction to the amazing WINCHCOMBE METEORITE.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8PmCxl8na8&authuser=0
Preparing the Winchcombe Meteorite Exhibition
Small in stature, mighty in Scientific importance
Experts from the Natural History Museum previewing the Winchcombe Meteorite Exhibition
Our Mission
'Our museum seeks to encourage and promote further interest, understanding and involvement in the historical heritage of Winchcombe and the surrounding area through its unique collections and archives for the benefit of both the local community and visitors.'
Looking to the Future
We have very ambitious plans for the future of the museum. These starred with the glazing in of the undercroft area in 2020. This development enabled us to create a new entrance to the museum through an improved visitor centre, we also incorporated a new passenger lift to enable those who couldn't manage the stairs to access the main display areas on the first floor as well as new 'disabled washroom' facilities.
The museum team are now working on the complete transformation of the main area with new and improved
displays, video and interactive displays.