Join us on Wednesday 28th at 10:45am as we learn about the history of Shaldon by following a trail from the Toll House, through to The Ness and on to the site of the Labrador Bay Hotel. Tea/coffee from 10am. Free for TMS members / £5 for non-members (pay at the door).

OBJECT OF THE WEEK: Clam Necklace On display in our Explorers gallery, this is a neck ornament made from a clam shell bound by woven vegetable fibres. It is roughly 100 years old and was worn by men of high rank in the Central Solomon Islands.

Join us on Tuesday 20th at 10:45am as Neil, a member of the Teign Angling and Conservation Association, talks on the restoration project and salmon fisheries on the River Teign. Tea/coffee from 10am. Free for TMS members / £5 for non-members (pay at the door).

OBJECT OF THE WEEK: Penny Farthing This Penny Farthing, on display in our Farmhouse gallery, was one of many that people found both exhilarating and dangerous, given how huge the front wheel was compared to the rear wheel. Going over the handlebars was known as a “header”.

Join us on Wednesday 14th at 10:45am as Conrad Robinson talks about the history and philosophy of the arts of Tai Chi and Qigong. Tea/coffee from 10am. Free for TMS members / £5 for non-members (pay at the door).

Join us on Tuesday 13th at 10:45am as we look at Charles Hey Laycock, a benefactor of the Torquay Natural History Society who became the singer, Old Charlie Laycock. Tea/coffee from 10am. Free for TMS members / £5 for non-members (pay at the door).

OBJECT OF THE WEEK: Chinese Porcelain Bowl This is one of a pair of porcelain bowls from China, on display in our Explorers gallery, showing scenes of Chinese figures at a table. It is over 200 years old and was made for export to Europe.

Join us on Wednesday 7th at 10:45am as look at the creation and work of the Imperial/Commonwealth War Graves Commission on the Western Front during and after the Great War. Tea/coffee from 10am. Free for TMS members / £5 for non-members (pay at the door).

Join us on Tuesday 6th at 10:45am as we meet some notorious poisoners of the past. Tea/coffee from 10am. Free for TMS members / £5 for non-members (pay at the door).

OBJECT OF THE WEEK: Hippo Tusk This is the canine tusk of a Hippopotamus, on display in our Ancestors gallery. They are made of ivory and have been utilized by humans in Africa as a crafting material since prehistoric times. Hippos use these huge canines for fighting.

OBJECT OF THE WEEK: Trilobite This is the fossil of a Trilobite, from our Holden gallery. The name ‘trilobite’ means “three lobes”, referring to the three areas that run the length of its body, splitting it into three parts. 20,000 different species have been discovered so far.

OBJECT OF THE WEEK: Heart Urchin These are the remains of a Heart Urchin, on display in our Holden Gallery. They live by using their spoon-shaped spines to burrow into sandy or muddy ground and spend most of their lives hidden underground.

OBJECT OF THE WEEK: Surya This is a sculpture of Hindu sun god Surya, on display in our Explorers gallery. It features the god himself in the centre flanked by two attendants. As the Sun itself, Surya is worshipped with Brahma in the day, Shiva at noon and Vishnu in the evening.

OBJECT OF THE WEEK: Bone Needle This needle, on display in our Ancestors gallery, shows us that these hunter-gatherers could create remarkably fine clothing, perhaps even waterproof, to keep themselves warm and dry during very cold conditions.

OBJECT OF THE WEEK: Hazel Nuts These hazel nuts, on display in our Ancestors gallery, were excavated in 1883 in a peat bed in Torquay. Hazel nuts were a valuable food source for hunter-gatherers. They were easy to store, high in nutrition and the shells could be used as fuel.

OBJECT OF THE WEEK: Lego Model of Babbacombe Cliff Railway On loan to us from Martin Hunt and on display in our Torbay Tracks exhibition, this model was built using over 2500 different pieces of Lego. It was built by Martin and took roughly 50 hours over several months.

OBJECT OF THE WEEK: Japanese Beckoning Cat Maneki-neko (literally ‘beckoning cat) like this one on display in our Explorers gallery, are talismans that are believed to bring good luck, custom, health and wealth. With its right paw raised, it symbolises wealth and good fortune.

OBJECT OF THE WEEK: Peruvian Double Bodied Bird Vase This bird-shaped vase was created in what is now Peru, then part of the Inca Empire. This vase could have served the role of holding chichi (maize beer) for use during religious ceremonies and for artistic display.

OBJECT OF THE WEEK: Red Pottery Lekythos A lekythos is a specialized ceramic flask used to store and dispense oils and ointments. Its most important role was in funerals, where scented oils were poured over the deceased. Flasks were left in graves as offerings to the gods.