The Novium Museum
Roman Chichester, local history and exhibitions
The Novium is Chichester's museum of local history, located on Tower Street in the heart of the city. Opened in 2012, the museum is built over the remains of a Roman bathhouse, which forms its most dramatic and distinctive exhibit. The building was designed to incorporate the bathhouse remains, and visitors can look down onto the excavated structure from a glass floor on the ground level.
The Roman bathhouse dates from the 1st century AD, when Chichester was the Roman town of Noviomagus Reginorum. The remains include the hypocaust heating system, the foundations of the bathing rooms and sections of the original walls. The bathhouse was a public facility, part of the infrastructure of a thriving Roman town that was one of the most important settlements in southern Britain. Seeing the remains in situ, beneath a modern building in a city that has been continuously inhabited for two thousand years, brings the Roman period vividly to life.
The museum's permanent galleries tell the story of Chichester and the surrounding district from prehistory to the present day. Exhibits cover the Roman period, the Saxon and medieval development of the city, the cathedral, the Georgian and Victorian eras, and the 20th century. Artefacts, photographs, documents and interactive displays are used to create an accessible and engaging account of the area's history.
Temporary exhibitions change throughout the year and cover a range of subjects, from local history and archaeology to art, photography and social history. The museum also hosts talks, workshops, children's activities and community events, making it an active part of the city's cultural life rather than a static collection of objects.
The museum shop sells books on local history, gifts and educational materials. There is no cafe, but the city centre is immediately outside the door, with plenty of options for refreshment.
Admission charges apply for some exhibitions, while others are free. The Roman bathhouse and certain permanent displays are accessible without charge. The museum is run by Chichester District Council and is an important resource for schools, researchers and anyone with an interest in the history of the area.
The Novium's location on Tower Street places it within easy reach of the cathedral, the Pallants and the main shopping streets. A visit to the museum combines naturally with a walk around the historic city centre, and it provides context and depth to the buildings and streets that visitors see above ground.
Temporary exhibitions change throughout the year and cover a range of subjects, from local history and archaeology to art, photography and social history. The museum also hosts talks, workshops, children activities and community events, making it an active participant in the city cultural life rather than a static collection of objects gathering dust in glass cases.
The museum shop sells books on local history, reproductions of Roman artefacts, gifts and educational materials. There is no cafe in the museum itself, but the city centre is immediately outside the door, with plenty of options for refreshment within a few minutes walk.
Admission charges apply for some exhibitions, while others are free. The Roman bathhouse and certain permanent displays are accessible without charge, making it possible to visit and see the most important exhibit, the bathhouse itself, without paying. The museum is run by Chichester District Council and is an important resource for schools, researchers, local history enthusiasts and anyone with an interest in understanding how this corner of West Sussex came to be the place it is today.
The Novium location on Tower Street places it within easy reach of the cathedral, the Pallants and the main shopping streets. A visit to the museum combines naturally with a walk around the historic city centre, and it provides context and depth to the buildings and streets that visitors see above ground, connecting the modern city to its Roman, medieval and Georgian past.