About
Horsham Museum and Art Gallery is one of the most comprehensive local history museums in the south of England, housed in a magnificent medieval timber-framed building known as Causeway House in the heart of Horsham's historic town centre. With 26 rooms spread across this atmospheric Grade II listed building, the museum offers an immersive journey through the history, art, and natural heritage of Horsham and the surrounding Weald of Sussex.
The museum's collections are remarkably diverse, ranging from fine art and costume to dinosaur fossils and archaeological finds. The art gallery displays works from the museum's permanent collection alongside a programme of temporary exhibitions, featuring paintings, prints, and sculpture with particular strength in Sussex topographical art and twentieth-century British painting. The costume collection is outstanding, with garments and accessories spanning four centuries, displayed in period room settings that bring fashion history to life.
Among the museum's most unexpected treasures are its dinosaur fossils, including remains of the Horsham Stone dinosaur and other Cretaceous-period specimens discovered in the local Wealden clay. These fossils connect Horsham to the earliest days of dinosaur discovery in Britain, when fossils found in Sussex helped establish the science of palaeontology. The geological displays place these finds within the broader context of the Weald's 130-million-year geological history.
The museum also preserves an extensive collection of local history material including agricultural tools, domestic objects, photographs, and trade artefacts that document the social and economic life of Horsham from medieval times to the present day. The building itself is a major exhibit, with its medieval hall, Tudor additions, and Victorian extensions creating a fascinating architectural journey. Free admission ensures this rich community resource is accessible to all visitors.
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Plan Your Visit
⏱️ Recommended Visit Duration
📅 Best Times to Visit
Quietest: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday
Busiest: Saturday
💡 Weekday mornings for the quietest experience. Saturday mornings are busier but the museum is rarely overcrowded.
💡 Visitor Tips
- The museum spans 26 rooms across the historic Causeway House - pick up a floor plan at reception to navigate the different galleries and floors.
- Admission is free, making this an excellent value family outing. Donations are gratefully received and help maintain the collections and building.
- The dinosaur gallery is a highlight for children. Ask at reception about any current family trails or activity sheets designed for younger visitors.
- The building itself is a treasure - look up to admire the exposed medieval timber beams and notice how the rooms change character as you move through different architectural periods.
- Horsham station is a 10-minute walk away with direct trains from London Victoria and London Bridge, making this easily accessible for a day trip from London.
- There is no cafe in the museum, but Horsham town centre has many cafes and restaurants within a 2-minute walk along The Causeway and Carfax.
- Check the museum website for the current temporary exhibition programme in the art gallery, which changes regularly throughout the year.
- Combine your visit with a walk along The Causeway, one of England's finest historic streets, and into Horsham Park for a full morning of heritage and green space.
Highlights
Causeway House - The Medieval Building
The museum is housed in Causeway House, a magnificent medieval timber-framed building that is itself one of Horsham's most important historic structures.
Dating from the late medieval period with Tudor and later additions, the building preserves its original hall, exposed timber beams, inglenook fireplaces, and atmospheric rooms that create a unique setting for the collections. The house stands on The Causeway, one of England's finest medieval streets, lined with listed buildings spanning five centuries.
Exploring the 26 rooms of the museum is as much an architectural adventure as a historical one, with each room revealing different periods of the building's evolution from medieval hall to Victorian gentleman's residence.
Dinosaur and Fossil Gallery
One of the museum's most popular displays features dinosaur fossils discovered in the Horsham area, connecting this Sussex town to the earliest chapters of palaeontological discovery in Britain. The centrepiece is material from dinosaurs found in the local Wealden clay, which dates from the Cretaceous period around 130 million years ago.
The fossils include bones, teeth, and footprints from several species of dinosaur that roamed the ancient landscape.
Sussex played a crucial role in the development of dinosaur science, with some of the first dinosaurs ever scientifically described coming from the county. Geological specimens and interactive displays explain the Weald's deep history and the environments in which these creatures lived.
Art Gallery and Exhibition Programme
The museum's art gallery displays works from the permanent collection alongside a rolling programme of temporary exhibitions featuring local and national artists.
The permanent collection has particular strength in Sussex topographical art, with paintings and prints showing how the landscape around Horsham has changed over centuries. Holdings include twentieth-century British art, watercolours, prints, and drawings.
The gallery space within the historic building provides an intimate and atmospheric setting for art viewing, with natural light from original windows complementing the displays.
Temporary exhibitions change regularly, ensuring there is always something new for repeat visitors.
Costume and Textile Collection
An outstanding collection of costumes and textiles spanning four centuries, from seventeenth-century garments to twentieth-century fashions. The collection is displayed in period room settings within the historic building, creating an immersive experience that places fashion within its social and domestic context.
Highlights include Georgian and Regency gowns, Victorian mourning dress, Edwardian formal wear, and wartime utility clothing that tells the story of how world events shaped what people wore.
Accessories including hats, shoes, fans, and jewellery complement the garments. The collection is particularly strong in everyday dress as well as special occasion wear, providing a social history of clothing beyond high fashion.
Collections
Horsham Museum and Art Gallery holds extensive collections spanning fine art, decorative arts, costume, natural history, archaeology, and social history relating to Horsham and the wider Weald of Sussex. The art collection features Sussex topographical paintings, twentieth-century British art, watercolours, and prints.
The costume collection of over 6,000 items spanning four centuries is one of the most significant in the south of England.
Natural history holdings include important dinosaur fossils from the Wealden clay, geological specimens, and Horsham Stone samples. Archaeological collections cover finds from the Mesolithic period through to the post-medieval era. Social history collections include agricultural tools, domestic objects, trade artefacts, photographs, and an extensive local history archive.
The Wealden iron collection documents the region's industrial heritage. The museum also holds a significant collection of Horsham tiles and architectural fragments.
Horsham and the Weald
Local history of Horsham and the surrounding Weald from prehistoric times to the present, told through artefacts, photographs, and personal stories.
📍 Local History Galleries
Dinosaurs and Deep Time
Dinosaur fossils and geological specimens from the Horsham area, exploring the Cretaceous landscape of Sussex 130 million years ago.
📍 Natural History Gallery
Costume Through the Centuries
Four centuries of fashion displayed in period room settings, from seventeenth-century garments to twentieth-century styles.
📍 Costume Galleries
Art Gallery
Permanent art collection and rotating temporary exhibitions featuring Sussex topographical art, twentieth-century British painting, and contemporary artists.
📍 Art Gallery
Themes
Time Periods
Current Exhibitions
No current exhibitions. Please check the museum website for updates.