Alexander Keiller Museum

The museum was opened in 1938 by Alexander Keiller, the archaeologist responsible for the most comprehensive investigation into the Neolithic sites around Avebury.

What to see at the Alexander Keiller Museum

The museum is home to one of Britain’s most important collections of prehistoric artefacts. It is comprised of two galleries: the Barn and the Stables.

The Barn Gallery is located inside a restored 17th-century threshing barn. It has interactive exhibits that depict life in Avebury during Neolithic times and also during the Bronze Age.

This gallery includes some exhibits suitable for children including an activity area where children can dress up in Bronze Age costumes and make an archaeological rubbing.

The Stables gallery contains exhibits of artefacts that have been unearthed at Avebury and the surrounding countryside. This includes 5,500-year-old animal skeletons that demonstrate the bond between humans and animals at that time, 4,000-year-old tools including knives, scrapers and arrowheads as well as Neolithic-era pottery.

Visiting the Alexander Keiller Museum

The museum is located in Avebury village right on the edge of the stone circle. It is only a one-minute walk from the High Street and most points of interest in the village are no more than a five-minute walk away.

The museum is jointly operated by English Heritage and the National Trust and members of either organisation have free entry.

You should allow between one and two hours for your visit.