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Coronavirus (COVID-19): updates and advice.
... a thousand years, a million stories
Dorset History Centre is the archives service and local studies library for Bournemouth, Christchurch, Dorset and Poole. We house Dorset's local archives - from council records to personal collections.
Following government guidelines we will be closed to the public from 5 January 2021. We hope to answer enquiries by email but this may take longer than usual.
See our opening times, how to get to us and what to expect when you visit.
Descriptions of records we hold on the history of people and places in Bournemouth, Dorset and Poole.
Information about our enquiry, research and copying services plus tips for your research.
We care for and provide access to thousands of archive collections.
Our conservation and preservation activities ensure the longevity of the collections.
Deposit records, volunteer with us or find support for your project.
Resource packs and information on the records we hold related to curriculum topics.
We are dedicated to preserving, sharing and celebrating the rich heritage of Dorset.
In 2020 we completed our LGBT+ Speakout! project to capture 25 people's experiences of living in Dorset. Our blog… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…
Dorset History Centre is open 9am to 5pm Tuesday to Friday and 9am to 4:30pm on the first and third Saturday of each month.
Email: archives@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk Full contact details for Dorset History Centre
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