Living History Museums in the UK

Wenlock Lodge, Acton Scott, Church Stretton, Shropshire  
Acton Scott Historic Working Farm Museum is one of the gems of the Shropshire Hills, close to the market town of Church Stretton, where you can... more

Amberley, Arundel, West Sussex  
Amberley Working Museum is a 36 acre open-air site dedicated to preserving the industrial heritage of the south-east. Exhibits include a narrow-gauge railway and vintage bus... more

52 Southover High Street, Lewes, East Sussex  
Anne of Cleves House is a 16th century timber-framed Wealden hall-house that formed part of Anne´s divorce settlement from Henry VIII in 1541. There are wide-ranging... more

Beamish, Chester-le-Street, Durham  
Beamish, The North of England Open Air Museum, Britain´s favourite open-air museum, set in over 300 acres of beautiful countryside, vividly recreates life in the North... more

Big Pit, Blaenafon, Torfaen  
The Big Pit: National Coal Museum offers an insight into the life of South Wales miners and their communities and is unique to Wales. The guided... more

Tipton Road, Dudley, West Midlands  
Black Country Living Museum was established in 1975 to collect, preserve, research and display items relating to the social and industrial history of the Black Country.... more

Moorside Road, Eccleshill, Bradford, West Yorkshire  
Bradford Industrial Museum, built in 1875 and the original spinning mill, is alive with magnificent machinery which once converted raw wool into the world´s worsted cloth.... more

Killin, Perth & Kinross  
Breadalbane Folklore Centre - a special part of Scotland - and a special place to stop. Where the river splashes over The Falls of Dochart, it... more

Maritime Museum, Bucklers Hard, Beaulieu, Hampshire  
Bucklers Hard Village is one of England´s most attractive and unusual villages. It was created in the early 18th century by the 2nd Duke of Montagu,... more

Butlin Farm, Claydon, Banbury, Oxfordshire  
Local Banbury shops, display centre. Victorian kitchen and work shops. Traction engine, steam roller, stationary engines, tractors etc. War and craft memorabilia, typewriters, sewing machines, jars,... more

Callendar Estate, Falkirk  
One of Scotland´s finest country houses, Callender House tells the story of over 600 years of Scottish history and architecture. Costumed staff re-create the daily routines... more

Newland Park, Gorelands Lane, Chalfont St Giles, Buckinghamshire  
The Chiltern Open Air Museum was founded in 1976 and has since rescued more than 30 historic buildings by re-erecting them on the 45 acre site... more

The Wordsworth Trust, Dove Cottage, Grasmere, Cumbria  
Dove Cottage was the inspirational home of the poet William Wordsworth between the years 1799 and 1808, his prolific and important years as a poet. Now... more

St Helier, Jersey  
Elizabeth Castle, built on an islet in St Aubin´s Bay, defended Jersey for over 300 years. The castle today houses three permanent exhibitions; War and Peace,... more

Ely Road, Waterbeach, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire  
Find out about the Countess and fighting monks, country craftsmen and local farming in this peaceful setting. Visit the Medieval Abbey, 17th century stone barn and... more

Salthill Road, Fishbourne, Chichester, West Sussex  
This site of Fishbourne Roman Palace was discovered in 1960 when a water main was being laid. Evidence suggests that it was developed from three phases... more

Culdrose Manor, Helston, Cornwall  
Flambards Experience-Victorian Village & Gardens, established nearly 30 years ago as the Cornwall Aircraft Park the Flambards Experience is one of the most popular days out... more

Pendeen, Penzance, Cornwall  
At Geevor Mine, walk through 18th century tunnels on a guided tour, see how the extracting and processing of tin actually took place, deep in the... more

99/103 Westgate Street, Gloucester, Gloucestershire  
Gloucester Folk Museum has three floors of splendid Tudor and Jacobean timber-framed buildings along with new buildings housing the Dairy, Ironmonger´s shop and Wheelwright and Carpenter... more

Gressenhall, Dereham, Norfolk  
Gressenhall Farm and Workshouse is a great day out whether you want to learn about the lives of Norfolk people in the past or relax and... more

Rue de la Patente, St Lawrence, Jersey  
Hamptonne, the museum of country life, is in the winding lanes of St Lawrence.You can get close to 300 years of Jersey´s rural heritage in this... more

Duke Street, Kingussie, Highland  
The Highland Folk Museum has two sites located within the Cairngorms National Park, one in Kingussie and the other at Newtonmore. Kingussie first opened in 1944,... more

Coppergate, York, North Yorkshire  
At JORVIK, get face-to-face with the Vikings on the very site where archaeologists discovered the remains of the place they once called home. Discover what life... more

near Cowshill, Upper Weardale, Bishop Auckland, Durham  
Explores the life of North Pennine lead mining families. Visitors walk down the original mine tunnel and discover the working conditions of Victorian miners. See how... more

169 High Street, Lewes, East Sussex  
The building of Lewes Castle began soon after the conquest of 1066 and continued for nearly 300 years and is unusual for its two motttes (artificial... more

Pylands Lane, Bursledon, Southampton, Hampshire  
Manor Farm Country Park covers an area of 400 acres. A mixture of woodland, riverside, open space and a farm. Offering an extensive network of trails... more

High Street, Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex  
Marlipins Museum, once a Customs House, now holds artefacts from the long history of the Shoreham area and the maritime past plus a collection of local... more

Leisure Park, Churchill Way West, Basingstoke, Hampshire  
Milestones, winner of the Social and Industrial History Award under the National Heritage Museum of the Year scheme. Atmospheric street scenes with shops from the late... more

48 Millgate, Newark-on-Trent, Nottinghamshire  
Housed in a Victorian warehouse on the banks of the River Trent and opened in 1976. The displays are spread over three floors and cover the... more

Morwellham Quay, Tavistock, Devon  
The greatest copper port in Queen Victoria´s empire lies 23 miles inland. The Tamar ketch ´Garlandstone´ is moored at the quay; original cottages, shops and hostelry.... more

1 High Road, Motherwell, North Lanarkshire  
Motherwell Heritage Centre was opened in 1996. It has since received a VisitScotland `4 Stars´ award and a Scottish Museums of the Year award for its... more

Jackson Dock, Maritime Avenue, Hartlepool, Teesside  
The Museum of Hartlepool tells the story of Hartlepool from prehistoric times to the present day using many original artefacts, photographs and models. Fascinating archaeological finds... more

Lock Lane, Sandling, Maidstone, Kent  
Museum of Kent Life is Kent´s award-winning open air museum, home to an outstanding collection of historical buildings, which house exhibitions on life in Kent over... more

Caphouse Colliery, New Road, Overton, Wakefield, West Yorkshire  
The National Coal Mining Museum For England is a 17 acre site with a unique collection of buildings, displays and galleries that reveal the hidden world... more

Discovery Quay, Falmouth, Cornwall  
Located on the edge of Falmouth´s stunning harbour, The National Maritime Museum Cornwall is a hands-on, 21st century, new generation of visitor attraction that will appeal... more

Wester Kittochside, East Kilbride, South Lanarkshire  
At the Museum of Scottish Country Life, escape to the countryside and enjoy a great day out at this fantastic working farm and museum. In the... more

Gilfach Ddu, Llanberis, Gwynedd  
The National Slate Museum is set among the towering slate tips of Dinorwig Quarry, giving a wonderful insight into the history of Slate-quarrying in north Wales.... more

24 Pier Place, Newhaven Harbour, Edinburgh, City of Edinburgh  
At the Newhaven Heritage Museum, find out what it was like to live in the tightly-knit fishing community of Newhaven, earning a living as a fishwife... more

Normanby Hall Country Park, Normanby, Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire  
Normanby Hall is a splendid Regency Mansion designed by Sir Robert Smirke and built between 1812 and 1830. On display are examples of fine furniture and... more

Portland Place, Ashton-under-Lyne, Greater Manchester  
Portland Basin Museum is housed within the rebuilt historic Ashton Canal Warehouse. A a lively modern museum in a peaceful canal-side setting. Inside is typical Tameside... more

North Lane, West Hoathly, West Sussex  
Built in the 15th century, The Priest House has been open as a museum since 1908. Its furnished rooms contain a fascinating array of 17th and... more

Hutton-le-Hole, North Yorkshire  
Ryedale Folk Museum will transport you back in time. Walk through the site, learn about Ryedale´s history and take a look in the shop. Find the... more

St Fagans, Cardiff, Cardiff Area  
St Fagans: National History Museum opened on the 7th July 1948. Since then, it has established itself as one of Europe´s foremost open-air museums, becoming Wales´... more

Exhibition Road, London  
The Science Museum opened in 1857 and has over 40 galleries where visitors can experience the major scientific advances of the last 300 years. The largest... more

Ashby Road, Coalville, Leicestershire  
Visit Snibston Discovery Park and see our £1.4 million makeover. Try and lift a Mini Cooper in our brand new hands on gallery Extra Ordinary, which... more

Kemble Drive, Swindon, Wiltshire  
STEAM - Museum of the Great Western Railway is located in a beautifully restored railway building where seven generations of men and women built the great... more

St John Street, Stirling, Stirlingshire  
Stirling Old Town Jail - can you imagine what prison life was like 150 years ago? Come and find out! It might look grim on the... more

Stockwood Park, Farley Hill, Luton, Bedfordshire  
Stockwood Park Museum offers displays depicting rural life, crafts and trades before the machine, in the former stable block of Stockwood House. Home to the Mossman... more

High Street, Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire  
Streetlife Museum brings 200 years of transport history alive, with all the sights, sounds and smells of the past. The stunning displays include collections of trams,... more

Heritage Way, Coatbridge, North Lanarkshire  
Summerlee Heritage Park´s 22 acres are based around the site of the 19th century Summerlee Ironworks and a branch of the Monklands canal. Features are: Scotland´s... more