From hunter/gatherers to mediaeval farmer - explaining the landscape, geology and history of early life in North Devon.

The Museum holds the collections of the North Devon Athenaeum and the old Barnstaple Town Museum, and uses them in exciting and innovative ways to tell the fascinating story of this beautiful part of Devon.

As well as social history, the museum holds archaeology, natural history, and decorative arts collections covering the whole of North Devon.

North Devon from 1780 to 1914, with an insight into schooling, industry, entertainment, rural life, health, shooting, fishing and ferns.

 

The Tarka Gallery uses the story of Tarka the otter to look at river ecology and biodiversity in North Devon.

The Undersea World includes turtles, fish and marine mammals from North Devon's coast and looks at the marine environment of this wonderful region.  Beneath the  ocean we reveal the underwater life of the turtles, dolphins, gulls, porpoises and ganets.

The museum is home to the largest public collection of North Devon Art Pottery. Building on the established tradition of sgraffito decoration, the three potters Brannam, Lauder and Baron produced some very distinctive work.
 
The Art Pottery Gallery was redisplayed in 2004 and shows the range of pottery made and gives you the chance to explore the process, history and materials.

The Shapland & Petter collection is based on the archive and furniture donated by the company and is gradually being built up. We are always interested to hear from anyone who has items of furniture we could record for the archive.