The Museum of Somerset occupies the twelfth-century great hall and adjoining rooms of Taunton Castle — itself an evocative setting. The collection covers the whole sweep of Somerset history, from prehistoric Mendip hill forts to a celebrated case of late Victorian fraud.
The standout is the Low Ham Roman mosaic, a fourth-century pavement depicting the story of Dido and Aeneas in five surviving panels. Other highlights include Iron Age gold torcs from Frome, a complete mammoth tusk dredged from the Levels, and a careful exhibition on the Civil War sieges of the town. Admission is free.