Wells and Mendip Museum

The Museum was formed in 1893 and has the object of “maintaining a museum for the benefit of the public of the city of Wells and the Mendip area, and advancing the education of the public in the conservation, protection and improvement of the historical & natural environment of the Wells & Mendip area”.

The Balch Room houses a unique collection of artefacts, the bulk of which were collected on and around Mendip. The collection includes the skull of a brown bear discovered at Wookey Hole, a large number of stone-age tools, and an impressive collection of Iron Age artefacts discovered by Balch during his many years of excavation at Wookey Hole caves.

The Museum’s activities include:

• museum exhibitions (permanent and a programme of shorter-term displays);
• events and talks in association with related groups;
• tourist information;
• hosting art exhibitions and community events;
• storing the city archives and making these available to the public; and
• a research library.