The Teddy Bear Museum, Dorchester, Dorset
Kids love the Teddy Bear Museum just off Dorchester’s main street, and for some of us grown-ups it’s something of a trip down memory lane. Bear with us, if you’ll excuse the pun, and we’ll explain what to expect here, as the Teddy Bear Museum isn’t set out in the usual way of exhibits that you walk around and look at; this is something entirely different.
The Victorian building has been put to very good use as a backdrop to Teddy Bear House, which is where Edward Bear lives with his family (all people-sized) and his collection of teddy bears. So you go round his house from room to room, each with it’s own very vintage setting where you see his family going about their day, and of course, you get to see teddies galore from antique bears that are over 100 years old to modern TV favourites. All the celebrity bears are there too – Rupert, Paddington and Winnie The Pooh among them, and no doubt plenty more you’ll recognise.
Any teddy bear fan will love this museum, and it’s something the little ones will remember because it’s actually rather enchanting. You can request an introductory talk and there are worksheets for children, plus a shop that sells…. yep, teddy bears.
It’s worth bearing in mind that you can get joint rates for groups visiting the Teddy Bear Museum and another of Dorchester’s attractions – the Terracotta Warrior Museum, TheTutankhamun Exhibition or The Dinosaur Museum.
Open 7 days a week 10.00am-5.00pm, closed 22nd-26th December
T: 01305 266040 All information correct at the time of writing