Bridport Museum is a museum in Bridport, Dorset, England. It is housed within an early 16th century building known as the Castle, located on South Street. The building has been Grade II* Listed since 1950.[1]
The Bridport Museum and Art Gallery was established in 1932 by Captain Alfred Percy Codd, who had purchased the Castle for £1,800 the year before.[2] He offered to donate the building to Bridport Borough Council on the condition that it would be transformed into a museum and art gallery, which would house his own paintings. The council accepted Codd's offer and the museum opened on 28 May 1932.[3][4]
In 1974, the management of the museum was taken over by West Dorset District Council, and later in 2002 by the Bridport Museum Trust.[2] After years of planning, the museum closed to undergo a £1.3 million redevelopment in 2016. Funding had been received from various sources, including the Heritage Lottery Fund, Bridport Town Council, West Dorset District Council and public donation.[5] It reopened in May 2017 with new galleries and displays, while repair work had been completed on the building.[6][7]
