HISTORY and science fiction are on the menu of family fun over the coming weeks.

Stroll down Dorchester’s high street and history leaps out at you from a multitude of places.

Tomorrow evening, families can make the most of this heritage as Dorset’s county town celebrates Museums at Night.

All six of the town’s museums, plus the Roman Town House, will be open late from 5pm to 9pm and what’s more, a family can gain entrance to all of them for the one-off price of £6 for the whole family.

Where else in Britain, in the length of one street, could you come across Hitler’s desk, Roman mosaics, Tutankhamun’s funerary mask, Thomas Hardy’s study, the skeleton of Megalosaurus, a 1906 teddy bear made from the original pattern of the very first bear, and exquisite terracotta tomb figures?

If that’s not enough to whet your appetite, you can also discover some other delights including mammoth tusks and military uniforms and weapons, Roman ballista bolts and the Rosetta Stone, the Jurassic Coast and T Rex, people-sized teddy bears & kneeling terracotta crossbowmen.

The seven iconic heritage venues where all this can be found are the Keep Military Museum, which is regarded as one of the top ten highly rated military museums in the country, the internationally renowned Tutankhamun Exhibition, Britain’s original Dinosaur Museum, acclaimed as one of the ten best child friendly museums nationally and the award winning Dorset County Museum with its fantastic collections on everything Dorset.

Other treats include the Teddy Bear Museum, an enchanting family museum; the Terracotta Warriors Museum, a real gem of a museum and the Roman Town House which is the best preserved example of its type in the UK open to the public.

Then there’s much more, including famous bears such as Winnie the Pooh and Paddington, the Emperor Qin Shi Huangdi – the man who unified China, a portrait of Benjamin Jesty – the man who performed the first vaccination in 1774.

There is also a medal display reflecting Gallantry Awards ranging from the Victoria Cross and the George Cross to the Military Medal plus campaign medals won by the soldiers of Devon and Dorset who have served their country for more than 300 years.

Mary Anning — Dorset’s famous female fossilist is also celebrated, as is the death mask of Tutankhamun.

All the museums are visitor friendly and are housed in historic buildings. If the evening has clear weather, you will be able to visit the Keep Military Museum’s floodlit roof for fabulous views over Dorchester.

Advance tickets can be purchased from the Dorchester Tourist Information Centre in Antelope Arcade or any of the participating museums. Tickets purchased on the night cost £10.

Some of Dorchester’s best eateries are also taking part in the event and will be offering special deals to ticket holders.