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Ahoy, me Hearties! Pirate workshop Make a pirate mask to wear. Craft a pirate bookmark and magnet.Make your pirate mask, a pirate bookmark and a pirate magnet. All materials are provided. A drink and biscuit are included in the admission price. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ahoy-me-hearties-pirate-workshop-tickets-1992994894379?aff=ebdsoporgprofile&_gl=1*b87bk7*_up*MQ..*_ga*MTMyODc1NzQ3OC4xNzg0MTI1OTky*_ga_TQVES5V6SH*czE3ODQxMjU5ODkkbzEkZzAkdDE3ODQxMjU5ODkkajYwJGwwJGgw

'Laura Ashley : From Kitchen to Catwalk' Extended until Summer 2026 In 1953, inspired by a Women's Institute exhibition at the V and A Museum, Laura and Bernard Ashley started printing fabrics in their kitchen. They soon started selling tea towels, and in 1955 opened a showroom in Old Burlington Street in London. Gardening aprons and smocks marked a move towards garments. In 1959, Laura Ashley started to use flower motifs, something the company would become well known for. Once the Ashley family relocated to Mid Wales and opened a shop in Machylleth, Laura Ashley began to experiment with historical styles. After initially having a small factory in Kent, an old social club in Carno provided a new location for the Welsh factory. Five years later, the company was so successful they moved to disused railway station to build a new factory. Through the 1960s and 1970s, there was a boom in small British led boutiques that would shape the British high street for the next few decades. Along with other British female designers, such as Mary Quant and Barbara Hulanicki (Biba), Laura Ashley became a household name and her dresses, especially her floral, prairie-style, maxi dresses became highly desirable and synonymous with the era. Throughout the 1970s, the Laura Ashley brand achieved international recognition and in 1980 they launched their homewares catalogue. Laura Ashley passed away in 1985 and the company was floated on the stock market. By the 2000s, the brand had started to fall out of favour and focused back on homewares. The late 2010s and early 2020s started to see a revival for the brand as original pieces appeared in vintage shops but the company went into administration

Step out in Style this Spring! Have some eggs-tra special fun at our workshop and decorate an Easter hat to wear at all your Easter activities. We will be decorating an Easter hat with chicks, bunnies, flowers and stickers. All materials are supplied. A drink and a biscuit are also included in the price, as is a look around the Museum, if you wish. All children must be accompanied by a parent/carer. This workshop must have at least 4 attendees to run. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/step-out-in-style-this-spring-tickets-1984761806993?aff=ebdssbdestsearch

Pants - a Brief History Dive into the wild ride of pants through history—styles, stories, and all the crazy twists! Join Anya Gliski for a fun, in-person dive into the world of pants! Discover how this everyday wardrobe staple evolved through the ages, from ancient times to modern fashion statements. Whether you're a history buff, a fashion lover, or just curious, Pants - a Brief History is the perfect chance to learn and laugh together. Don’t miss out on this casual and engaging event! https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/pants-a-brief-history-tickets-1984766701633

Clean and Occasionally Decent - Personal Hygiene Across the Ages Anya Glinski presents an illustrated talk about the quirky world of hygiene through history and see how we all got so fresh! Join us in person for a fun dive into how folks kept clean (or tried to) through the ages! From ancient baths to modern showers, discover the quirky, weird, and sometimes downright funny history of personal hygiene. It's an event for anyone curious about where our grooming habits come from and how they've evolved. Join us and ready for some unexpected stories about staying clean! https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/clean-and-occasionally-decent-personal-hygiene-across-the-ages-tickets-1984876081792?aff=ebdsoporgprofile

Email - facilities@blandfordfashionmuseum.co.uk - Daily operational queries collections@blandfordfashionmuseum.co.uk - Collections related enquiries Phone - 01258 453 006 Post - Lime Tree House, The Plocks, Blandford Forum, Dorset, DT11 7AA Getting Here - Our opening days are Monday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday 10.00 am to 4.30 pm (last entry 4pm) . We are closed December- Mid-February each year for the change of exhibitions. Entrance: Adults - £6.00 Seniors (60+) - £5.00 Students (16+) - £4.00 Children under 16 - Free Friends of the Museum - Free Essential Carer - Free Please note that under 16s must be accompanied by a fee paying adult. On Foot Lime Tree house is on The Plocks, opposite the Royal British Legion in the centre of Blandford Forum. From the Market Place, follow the lane at the front of the Church (Church Lane) up past the small Short Stay car park. The museum is on your left. By Car The museum is in the centre of town, in the middle of Blandford’s one way system. From the Market Place, follow the system around to Salisbury Street, and then bear right at the fork. Turn immediately right into The Plocks and you will see the museum on your right. There is some on-street parking opposite the museum, and a short stay car park on Church Lane. Further parking (including Long Stay) can be found at Eagle House Gardens or at the Stour Meadows Car Park (free of charge). Both of which are only a short walk away. By Train Blandford Forum does not have a train station, but our nearest stations are Salisbury, Sherborne, Poole and Bournemouth (all around 40 mins by car). By Bus Y4 – Yeovil7 – Blandford St MaryX8 – PooleX12 – Weymouth20 – Blandford187 – Dorchester Advertising Partners If you are visiting Dorset on holiday, visit Cottage Holidays for places to stay: https://www.cottageholidays.com/blandford-forum/ Contact Us

Calling all Fashion Designers! Be inspired by our 'Youthquake:1960s' exhibition to design your own garments. We will use our Youthquake:1960s exhibition as a starting point to spark creativity in designing some exciting and innovative garments. Students from Arts University Bournemouth and local 6th forms worked with the staff from the Fashion Museum to bring this dynamic exhibition to life. We will also examine the the sketches, paintings and collage work of Heidy and Isabelle Becks. All materials will be supplied but feel free to bring your own pens, pencils and colouring materials with you. Under 16s must be accompanied by a parent/carer https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/calling-all-fashion-designers-tickets-1984958686866?aff=ebdsoporgprofile

Step out in Style this Spring! Join us at the Blandford Fashion Museum on April 2, 2026 at 1:30 PM for a fun, hands-on Easter craft session! We'll be making cute Easter chicks and colorful Easter baskets—perfect for celebrating the season. Don’t miss out on this egg-cellent event! All materials are supplied. Children must be accompanied by a parent/carer. A drink and a biscuit are included in the price and you may also look around the Fashion Museum if you wish. This workshop must have 4 attendees to run. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/get-egg-cited-and-make-some-easter-chicks-and-easter-baskets-tickets-1984769484958?aff=ebdssbdestsearch

Become a Member For information about becoming a Member of the Museum, which includes free access and discounts to our events, please email fashionmuseumblandford@gmail.com

Privacy Policy Effective Date 17/11/2018 This Privacy Policy applies to the Blandford Fashion Museum website www.blandfordfashionmuseum.co.uk and operated websites and its subdomains. This Privacy Policy explains what information of yours will be collected by the museum when you access the website and how the information will be used, and how you can control the collection, correction and/or deletion of information. We will not use or share your information with anyone except as described in this Privacy Policy. This Privacy Policy does not apply to information we collect by other means (including offline) or from other sources. The use of information collected through our websites shall be limited to the purposes under this Privacy Policy and our Terms of Service to customers. This website may log some information about website users (such as IP addresses). This information is anonymous and is held purely for system administration purposes. 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'Youthquake:1960s' 16th February 2026 Blandford Fashion Museum is excited to present the 'Youthquake:1960s' exhibition, as part of the Fashioning Our Future project with The Salisbury Museum. Thanks to funding received from The National Lottery Heritage Fund for the Fashioning Our Future project, students from Arts University Bournemouth and local Sixth Forms have been working with the museum team to bring to life this dynamic exhibition. Choosing objects from the museum’s extensive fashion collection, the students explored 1960s boutique fashion alongside homemade garments encapsulating the free-spirited energy of the 1960s. Many of the garments featured in the exhibition represent innovative sartorial statements expressed during the 1960s era through bold garments made at home. This adventurous attitude to style is a theme that resonated with the students, aligning with their concerns around sustainability and making conscious fashion choices. In addition to marveling at the glorious 1960s fashions on display, visitors can also step into fashions of the era with a specially selected collection of garments for dressing up and handling. From crochet to patchwork, bold minidresses and boho maxi dresses, expect to be immersed in the 1960s era in this fantastic fashion exhibition.

Get egg-cited and make some Easter chicks and Easter baskets! Join our Easter workshop and decorate some Easter chicks and construct an Easter basket. Get egg-cited and make some Easter chicks and Easter baskets! Join us at the Blandford Fashion Museum on April 2, 2026 at 1:30 PM for a fun, hands-on Easter craft session! We'll be making cute Easter chicks and colorful Easter baskets—perfect for celebrating the season. Don’t miss out on this egg-cellent event! All materials are supplied. Children must be accompanied by a parent/carer. A drink and a biscuit are included in the price and you may also look around the Fashion Museum if you wish. This workshop must have 4 attendees to run. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/get-egg-cited-and-make-some-easter-chicks-and-easter-baskets-tickets-1984769484958?aff=ebdsoporgprofile