The castle site was originally an Anglo-Saxon defensive fortification before the Norman stone structure was built.
The Shapwick Hoard, discovered in 1998, remains one of the largest collections of Roman silver denarii ever found in Britain.
The courtroom where Judge Jeffreys sentenced participants of the Monmouth Rebellion in 1685 is historically preserved within the museum complex.
The building incorporates elements of a medieval great hall and a 12th-century gatehouse.
The museum holds a comprehensive collection of Somerset-made glass and pottery from the 18th and 19th centuries.
Archaeological excavations on-site have revealed evidence of early Iron Age occupation beneath the castle foundations.
The Museum of Somerset is housed within the restored 12th-century Taunton Castle, a scheduled ancient monument. Its galleries span 400 million years of geological and human history within the county. The collection includes significant prehistoric finds, including the Shapwick Hoard of over 9,000 Roman coins. Exhibits trace the county's involvement in the Monmouth Rebellion and the subsequent Bloody Assizes held by Judge Jeffreys. The site serves as the headquarters for the South West Heritage Trust. Interactive displays explore the cultural evolution of the Somerset Levels and Moors. Visitors can walk through the remains of the medieval great hall. The museum features a dedicated gallery for contemporary Somerset art and crafts. The grounds contain historical earthworks from the original castle construction.
The view of the stone archway and the Norman gatehouse entrance from the courtyard.
Visit the second floor first to follow the chronological path through the county's history from the top down.
Check the South West Heritage Trust website for temporary exhibitions, as the contemporary gallery space rotates frequently.
The museum courtyard is an excellent quiet space for a break, even if you are not touring the entire interior.
Do not rush through the ground floor geology section, as it provides essential context for the later human history exhibits.
Closed on Sundays and Mondays.
