The Devon and Exeter Institution - Hard Hat Tours / Librarian's Tours

The Institution occupies a Medieval building, originally owned by the Cathedral. It was inherited by the Courtenay family in the 17th Century and used as their town house for over 150 years. In 1814, ‘200 Gentlemen of the City’ took ownership of 7 Cathedral Close and adapted the double-courtyard layout to create two elegant Georgian rooms. These rooms functioned as both library and a museum; museum objects were later donated to form the foundation collection of the Royal Albert Memorial Museum in 1868.

Today our two galleried libraries hold a unique historical book collection, virtually unchanged since 1813, and collections of maps, prints, drawings, fine and decorative art. The DEI is also the premier institution collecting books on Devon, particularly in the fields of history and biography. The Library and collections lie at the heart of the Institution and provide inspiration and a place for research and reading, educational activities, cultural events and lectures.

The DEI has been an Educational Charity since 1989 and enjoys a close working relationship with the University of Exeter and other heritage sites across the city. Once restored, our Georgian meeting rooms and historic libraries will be available to hire for cultural activities and business events.
We are currently restoring and developing our building as part of the 'The Next Chapter' project, with the aim of removing barriers to access.

Timings & Tours

Saturday 07 September:

Hard Hat Tours at 1300 / 1400 / 1500

Tuesday 10 September:

Librarian's Tour at 1100

Wednesday 11 September:

Hard Hat Tours at 1300 /1400 / 1500

Thursday 12 September:

Librarian's Tour at 1400

Saturday 14 September:

Hard Hat Tours at 1300 / 1400 / 1500

Location & directions

7 Cathedral Close, Exeter, Devon, EX1 1EZ

Directions:

Access via our back gate on Chapel Street - details here: https://devonandexeterinstitution.org/access-to-the-institution-from-2nd-july-2024/

Contact on day:

Emma Dunn, Director

Telephone number:

+441392437044

Booking information

Pre-booking requirement:

Pre-booking not required

Accessibility details

Please note that the Institution's main entrance is now our back gate while capital works take place. Chapel Street is accessible via the Princesshay shopping centre. Route 1 (step access) adjacent to the former Cafe Rouge and Route 2 (step-free access) under the archway, adjacent to the Leftfield / Neal’s Yard shop. Turn right on Chapel Street and our entrance is via the double black gate at the far end of the street. As we are under construction, sadly the site is not currently accessible for wheelchair users - however, we will become fully accessible when works are complete.

Additional information

Max no of people per tour:

10

Est. tour duration:

0 hour(s) 45 minute(s)

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