Military museum negotiates with MoD in bid to reopen

A military museum has been negotiating with the Ministry of Defence (MoD) so it can reopen.

The Keep Military Museum in Dorchester has been closed for 17 months as the roof, which is normally open to the public offering panoramic views, needs replacing.

In October 2024, the museum temporarily closed while awaiting further structural surveys on the Grade II listed building.

The museum said it was now negotiating with the MoD, which owns the building, for ownership to be transferred to the Dorchester Keep Military Museum Trust, the charity which runs the museum.

The museum had initially hoped most floors could stay open, but said in January last year that it was not safe enough to do so.

In a Facebook post on Friday, the museum said it was negotiating with the MoD to transfer ownership of the building to the museum's charitable trust.

It stated: "Since our last update, some progress has been made with our landlord, the MoD.

"Due to the cost involved with replacing the roof of The Keep, alternative solutions have been explored by the landlord and the museum charity.

"Consequently, The Dorchester Keep Military Museum Trust have now entered negotiations with the MoD, to transfer ownership of the Keep building directly to the charity."

The trust added that nothing had yet been agreed on.

"If the transfer goes ahead, time will still be needed to complete the necessary repairs to the building, and to redevelop the museum for the future," the museum added.

The trust said the museum would remain closed this year, adding: "Please rest assured that all is being done to ensure the future of the museum and the safety of its collection."

In the meantime, the trust said, staff and volunteers would continue outreach work, which had been funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

The museum also launched an online fundraiser on Saturday to help maintain its artefacts, which include thousands of original exhibits of military history relating to the regiments of Devonshire and Dorset.