Love is in the air at Exeter’s museum

Museum visitor Joe proposed to his partner Dawn at the Royal Albert Memorial Museum (RAMM) in December

Exmouth resident Joe McIntee got down on one knee and proposed to Dawn, now his fiancée, on the 21 December 2021 in the museum’s Geology gallery. RAMM was the location for their very first date, exactly two years ago to the day.

With the help of the RAMM team, Joe arranged to have a ring dangling from the tail of a 3D-printed model carnosaurus, his favourite dinosaur. The carnotaurus was hidden in the Geology case, ready for Dawn to find it and say 'Yes'. It was on their first date that Dawn asked Joe what his favourite dinosaur was.

The Exmouth couple were joined by their four children: Charlotte, aged 8, Souria, aged 13, Charlie, aged 10, and Henry, aged 9. Souria captured the special moment on video.

Dawn said ‘I was so excited, and a little in shock. RAMM was the perfect setting for the proposal.’

Joe said ‘I want to thank everyone at RAMM for making the proposal go so smoothly, especially Visitor Services Supervisor Lisa who went out of her way to help me set everything up.’

Lisa Hogg, Visitor Services Supervisor said ‘Our museum is important to so many people for a variety of reasons, and it was an honour to share in Joe and Dawn’s special day. We wish the whole family much happiness in the future.’

It is not the first time that RAMM has been chosen as the backdrop for a romantic proposal. Back in 2016, Simon Connett surprised his girlfriend Katie Jones with a handmade copper rose among the historical artefacts in the Making History gallery.

Adam also proposed to his partner Lucy at the museum in 2019. This time, the ring was tucked between a tray of moths and a medieval stone carving in the central courtyard displays.