The Museum has two display rooms & a Library, with a wealth of documentation, photographs & local history information.
A wide angle view of the Frome Museum Exhibition space.
Industrial
Artefacts, documents, photographs and printed material illustrating the development of local industries are displayed.
Cloth Making
Cloth making was an important local industry. Frome with its river and close proximity to the sheep areas of the Mendips, Cotswolds and Salisbury Plain, developed in Mediaeval times as an important centre for the making of cloth.
Metalworking
Of special importance is a large deposit of photographs and glass negatives from J.W.Singer & Sons Ltd. Art Metal Works showing the works in production and some of the fascinating statuary sent around the world. Many of these have been repaired & conserved and you will find a selection of high quality prints on display.
There is a permanent display of photographs, diagrams, plans & tools devoted to Fussell’s Ironworks of Mells, who were significant edge-tool manufacturers in the 19th Century.
Cockey Cockey street lamps are still in use in Frome
Notts Industries Carley Life Floats and sheet metal pressings
Printing
Printing has been a major industry in the town since 1783. Over the past two hundred years, Frome has played host to a variety of small and medium-sized print offices and local papers, including the Somerset Standard, now the Frome Standard.
There is a selection of machinery and production methods on show.
Maggs Chemist Shop from Bath Street
Historical
Artefacts, documents, photographs and printed material illustrating the historical development of Frome and district. Many fine maps, property and family information. Some of this information can be found on the ‘Hundred of Frome‘ website.
Costume
A collection of Victorian and later costumes, the most important of which came from the Horner family of Mells. Most of these are in storage.
Geology, Natural History and Archaeology
Frome Museum has a collection of local geology and archaeology objects & artefacts as well as a small collection of natural history specimens. The museum holds an important collection of ice-age (Pleistocene) bones from Browne’s Hole – a cave located on the edge of Frome at Stoke St Michael, Somerset. This material is not currently on display but can be seen by appointment.
Fine Art
A small collection of local material either of local people or views, or by local artists.
