Dorchester is the county town of Dorset.  The writer Thomas Hardy was born in a village nearby, and his novels are set in the surrounding countryside.  There is a statue of him erected in the town.  For more information visit the Thomas Hardy Society.

Judge Jeffreys, born in 1648, came to Dorchester where he presided over the court that came to be known as "The Bloody Assizes".  He was quite merciless in his punishments.  for more information see Judge Jeffreys.

Dorchester is home to the original award winning Dinosaur Museum which combines actual fossils, skeletons, and life-size reconstructions with video, computer and hands-on displays.

Famous for the trial of the martyrs, the Old Crown Court & Cells in Dorchester is now a visitor attraction. Here you can experience four centuries of gruesome crime and punishment in a setting little changed over the years. Stand in the dock and sit in the dimly lit cells where prisoners waited for their appearance before the judge.

The Dorset Teddy Bear Museum, with its large family of human-sized teddy bears in their 'Edwardian' house is always worth a visit. The museum also traces the history of the teddy bear.

The Terracotta Warriors Museum is a set of unique replicas of the terracotta warriors from China along with reconstructions of costumes and armour with multimedia presentations.

The Tutankhamun Exhibition captures that moment when Howard Carter discovered the tomb of Tutankhamun. Walk through the antechamber filled with its treasures, and in the burial chamber observe the raising of the golden coffin.