Gateway to the Forest of Dean

History of the Collection

The Dean Heritage Centre is run by the Dean Heritage Museum Trust, a registered charity formed in 1979 out of public concern that the heritage of the Forest of Dean was fast disappearing. In 1981 the Trust acquired its current site at Camp Mill and with generous donations from the local community was able to open a museum in 1983.

As an accredited museum our main aim is to make the collections accessible to visitors through exhibitions, displays, outreach and research whilst safeguarding the collections for future generations. The museum now houses over 20,000 precious objects and documents relating to the heritage of the Forest of Dean including a working Beam Engine, Sopwith's unique geological model of the Forest and an extensive collection of 18th Century Voyce clocks. The museum continues to collect objects that will further enrich the collection and preserve the Forest's heritage.

Download a history of the Dean Heritage Centre's site at Camp Mill here.

An illustrated leaflet of the History of the Dean Heritage Centre can be purchased in the gift shop.