New interim director of Dorset Museum in Dorchester

Elizabeth Selby replaces Jon Murden after he stepped down from the role at the Dorchester museum in December.

Mrs Selby is also interim director of the Dorset and Natural History and Archaeological Society and was appointed by the society’s board of trustees.

She said: "I am thrilled to take on the role of interim director to lead the museum on the next stage of its journey.

"Since joining in 2016, I have grown to love the museum and its collections and the potential they offer for engagement and learning.

"There is so much more the museum can achieve in the future, now we have the incredible facilities created by the project in place.

"I am excited to lead the wonderful team here, working alongside and in consultation with our local communities, to ensure that the museum fulfils its full potential and remains a sustainable organisation in the face of the continued challenges presented by Covid-19."

Mrs Selby joined Dorset Museum in May 2016 and in October 2018 became director of Collections and Public Engagement. Following the museum’s reopening in May 2021, she has led the curatorial, learning and community engagement programme.

Mrs Selby was previously a curator at the Jewish Museum London for 10 years, where she worked on the museum’s redevelopment between 2006-2010 and curated a number of successful temporary exhibitions.

She has also worked at the Imperial War Museum London and King’s College London Archives. She has a background in modern European history.

Mrs Selby becomes interim director at an exciting and pivotal time for the museum. Following reopening, the Dorset Museum was shortlisted for the Kids in Museums Small Family Friendly Museum Award, and was awarded the accolade of ‘Best Told Story’ from Visit England - given to attractions that tell their story in a memorable and creative way.

The museum continues to develop an exciting programme of special exhibitions. Scene through Wood: A Century of Modern Wood Engraving, a touring exhibition from the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, has recently opened, and a major exhibition on Thomas Hardy across all four Wessex Museums Partnership museums (Dorset, Salisbury, Wiltshire and Poole) opens at the end of May.

The museum continues to work on a number of impactful community engagement projects and is continuing to relocate collections to its new Collections Discovery Centre. Its venue hire business continues to grow and develop.