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We have extensive collections on the archaeology, history, art and environment of the county on display in our museums and held in reserve at our stores at Chilcomb House in Winchester.

Why we collect

One of our fundamental purposes is to acquire and preserve objects as a permanent collection for the general benefit and enjoyment of the people of Hampshire. Many people are extremely generous in offering objects to museums. Here, we explain that we only collect objects for a purpose, where they are kept, and why they are not necessarily displayed all the time.

What do we collect

Caring for and using museum collections properly costs a great deal of time and money. We collect items that tell us something important about the area which they serve.

We are currently reviewing our Collecting Policy, however a copy of the 2007-2012 Collecting Policy 312kb pdf can be downloaded.

We are scrupulous about observing various legal and ethical concerns about collecting. We try to ensure that the donor or vendor does really own the object and has a right to offer it, and that items have not been obtained wrongly, for example, birds' eggs, stolen artwork, or improperly obtained archaeological objects. The mammals and birds prepared for our displays have died from natural causes, or were road casualties.

• NEW - Bromfield Herbarium
  
  
  Bags
• Boot and shoes
• Captain Durrant drawings and watercolours 1803-12
• Fans
• Gosport photographs and postcards
• Havant photographs and postcards
• Hampshire Record Office collections
• Herbert Druitt Collection of Brass Rubbings
• Old Hampshire Mapped
• Pictures by Flora Twort
• Registered Designs
• Teapots
• Topographical prints
• Tichborne Claimant
• Visiting Card Cases
• WH Allen watercolours
• William Grant artist
• Winchester photographs and postcards