Alexander Keiller Museum, History museum in Avebury, England
The Alexander Keiller Museum is a history museum in Avebury, Wiltshire, England, housed in two old farm buildings at the heart of a large prehistoric stone circle. It consists of two galleries: the Stables Gallery, which displays artefacts, and the Barn Gallery, which explains the surrounding monuments.
In the 1930s, Alexander Keiller, a wealthy archaeologist, bought land around Avebury and carried out major excavations that re-erected many fallen stones. The farm buildings that now house the collection were later converted to display his findings.
Inside the museum, visitors can see decorated pottery, polished axes, and animal bones from the Neolithic period. These objects come from the stone circle and nearby monuments like West Kennet Long Barrow and Silbury Hill.
It is worth visiting the museum before walking around the stone circle outside, as it helps make sense of what you see. Wear sturdy shoes since the paths around the site can get muddy after rain.
The Red Lion pub stands inside the Avebury stone circle, making it one of the few pubs in the world located within a prehistoric monument. Many visitors only notice it while walking through the village after leaving the museum.
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