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Museum Details
God's House Tower Museum of Archaeology, Southampton
Image
Museum of Archaeology
Winkle Street
Southampton
SO14 2NY
Hampshire
England
Collection details
Archaeology
Facilities
Shop: yes
Study area: yes
Wheelchair access: yes
Visual disability facilities: yes
There are stairs to all exhibition floors, ground floor access to museum shop only. There are NO public lavatory facilities available.
Contact details
General information (Tel)
:
023 8063 5904
General information (Fax)
:
023 8033 9601
E-mail
:
museums@southampton.gov.uk
Website
:
www.southampton.gov.uk/leisure/history/museums-galleries/ghtower-museumofarchaeology
Open
Tues-Sat 10.00-16.00
Sun 13.00-16.00
Closed
Mondays
Admission charges
Adults £2, Children 7-16 £1, Children under 7 FREE, Concessions £1, Family Ticket £5.
Description
Built in 1417, God’s House Tower is the first purpose built artillery fortification in England. Gunpowder, shot and guns were stored on the ground floor and the main firing platform was on the roof. The name comes from the neighbouring God’s House Hospital, founded in 1196.
The building had fallen into disrepair by 1600 but from 1786 to 1855 it was used as the town gaol.
In 1963 God’s House Tower opened as Southampton’s Museum of Archaeology and now displays finds from over fifty years of excavations in the city. The three main galleries tell the story of Southampton in the Roman, Saxon and Medieval periods. Southampton’s archaeology collection has been Designated in recognition of its national and international importance.
Collections description
The City's Archaeology collections include spectacular Roman, Saxon and medieval material, and are Designated as being of outstanding importance to the nation. The size and range of the collections reflect the importance of Southampton as a port, in the past and in the present, and 50 years of systematic archaeological investigations in the City. This means that the collections are amongst the top 50 in the country (outside national museums), and in the top ten most significant archaeology collections
Key artists and exhibits
Archaeological Collections
;
Prehistory
;
Roman
;
Saxon
;
Medieval
Articles
Trowels At The Ready For National Archaeology Week 2007
MGM 2007 - Big Bank Holiday Museum Events Round-Up
Lottery Cash To Help Secure Future Of 'Agincourt' Church
Events
The Three Towns: Roman, Saxon and Medieval Galleries
Exhibition (temporary)
Archaeology in Southampton: An Introduction
Exhibition (temporary)
Available resources
Archaeology On-line!
CD-ROM or DVD; Digitised collection; Handling collection or artefacts; Online game or interactive; Website
Handling Session at School or the Museum
Handling collection or artefacts; Workshop or activity session (Resource)
Hands on activities using museum objects
Handling collection or artefacts; Online game or interactive
Teacher Training
Workshop or activity session (Resource)
Young Archaeologists' Club
Workshop or activity session (Resource)
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Information published here was believed to be correct at the time it was prepared. Welsh language pages developed with CYMAL: Museums Archives and Libraries Wales, funded by the Welsh Assembly Government.