Ventnor Heritage Centre, with its museum and archive, records how the town grew from a
tiny fishing hamlet in 1840 to a fashionable Victorian resort complete with two railway
stations and a pier, and how the villages of Bonchurch and St Lawrence became a favourite
destination for writers and artists including Dickens and Macaulay. There is an extensive
collection of photographs and documents, and books, prints and postcards are available for
purchase.
The Heritage Centre is also the headquarters of the Ventnor and District Local History
Society. The Society is involved in community events, providing talks and slide shows on
local history, and local heritage walks. It also takes part in the Ventnor Carnival and Fringe
programme
For opening times please see our website: