Lighthouse and Poole Museum are proud to announce an exciting new collaboration as a new shop opens at the arts centre.
Found in the main Lighthouse foyer next to the Ticket Office, the shelves of Shop! are brimming with unique treasures keeping the town’s heritage alive. A chance for visitors and locals alike to snap up a piece of Poole, it’s a trove of souvenirs and gifts. Leading with a bespoke collection shaped by Poole’s past, a selection of prints and homeware shines a light on our famous landmarks, captured by well-known artists like Eustace Nash.
The shop also features work from local makers and creatives – with children’s books inspired by marine tales, artisan candles and soaps made in Dorset, creative craft kits, and jewellery handmade on our doorstep. A new favourite shopping spot for culture lovers and anyone passionate about Poole, many items in Shop! have been carefully picked to support local talent and are ethically and sustainably sourced where possible.
“It’s our very own little shop of delights,” says Lighthouse Chief Executive Elspeth McBain with one eye on the opening of hit musical Little Shop of Horrors this week.
Highlights include the slide mirror featuring the iconic Bathers at Swanage painting by Eustace Pain Elliott Nash and prints of the famous Welcome to Poole tile panel made in the 1950s by Carter & Co, which became Poole Pottery.
“We are so pleased to be working with the team at Poole Museum. Shop! at Lighthouse unites two of Poole’s cultural cornerstones situated at opposite ends of the town who share so much in terms of values and a passion for showing our visitors the best that Poole has to offer. As a charity the shop will provide Lighthouse with a new way for customers to support the work that we do.”
Jaine Fitzpatrick, Interim Museum Director at Poole Museum, adds: “Shop! will showcase a carefully curated range of ethically and sustainably sourced products that encourage curiosity and inspire a love of Poole’s history, art and the natural world.
“It is a pleasure to share expertise with our friends at Lighthouse in this exciting new venture. Like Lighthouse, Poole Museum is a charity and relies heavily on fundraising for its income in order to remain free and accessible to all.”
Lighthouse and Poole Museum have successfully collaborated on a series of exhibitions and outreach projects in 2025 with Shop! marking another chapter in the collaboration.
Shop! is open during busy lunchtime and afternoons across the week, and in the evenings depending on what’s on. For full details please visit Home – Lighthouse.
(NC)
photo (l-r):
Photo (l-r), Ella Ritchie, Visitor Experience team, Poole Museum; Emma Cawte, Commercial Lead, Poole Museum; Elspeth McBain, Chief Executive, Lighthouse; Jaine Fitzpatrick, Interim Museum Director, Poole Museum; Liam Toms, Trustee, Poole Museum Foundation. Credit: Emma Willcox