Social History Museums in the UK

Abbey Walk, Abbey Road, Kirkstall, Leeds, West Yorkshire  
Explore the enchanting Victorian streets of Abbey House Museum, join in with the activities in the interactive childhood gallery or relax in the Abbot Tea Rooms.... more

Corporation Road, Leicester, Leicestershire  
Abbey Pumping Station is Leicester´s Museum of Science & Technology. Situated adjacent to the National Space Centre, the two attractions tell the story of over 200... more

Churchgate, Spalding, Lincolnshire  
Ayscoughfee Hall Museum is a medieval town house on the banks of the River Welland. Built in 1451 by a wool merchant, it is now the... 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

Chamberlain Square, Birmingham, West Midlands  
Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery was opened in 1885 and is home to one of the world´s largest collections of pre-Raphaelite art, with works by Rossetti,... 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

Royal Pavilion Gardens, Brighton, East Sussex  
Brighton Museum & Art Gallery is famous for its collection of 20th century furniture, glass, textiles and jewellery, including examples by leading designers. There is an... more

Church Street, Haworth, Keighley, West Yorkshire  
The Bronte Parsonage Museum - Charlotte, Emily and Anne Bronte were the authors of some of the greatest books in the English language. Haworth Parsonage was... more

Church Street, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire  
Buckinghamshire County Museum & The Roald Dahl Children´s Gallery, houses displays that cover the diverse natural, social and cultural history of Buckinghamshire. In addition to curriculum... more

Moss Street, Bury, Greater Manchester  
Bury Art Gallery & Museum opened in 1901 thanks to the generosity of the children of local paper manufacturer Thomas Wrigley. To commemorate Queen Victoria´s Diamond... more

Bark House Lane, Cawthorne, Barnsley, South Yorkshire  
Cannon Hall Museum, first opened as a museum in 1957 and is now home to `Charge´, the Regimental Museum of the 13th/18th Royal Hussars (Queen Mary´s... more

18 High Street, Canterbury, Kent  
Canterbury Royal Museum & Art Gallery with Buffs Regimental Museum is in a splendid Victorian building, housing the city´s picture collections with recent acquisisions that include... more

Newport, Isle of Wight  
Carisbrooke Castle Museum is situated inside the Castle, this independent local history museum exhibits material relating to Carisbrooke Castle and the Isle of Wight. The wide... more

Oaklands Park, Moulsham Street, Chelmsford, Essex  
Chelmsford Museum & the Essex Regiment Museum was founded in 1835. This local history Museum features `The Story of Chelmsford´ exhibition. The history of Chelmsford and... more

Clarence Street, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire  
Cheltenham Art Gallery & Museum houses Cheltenham´s Arts and Crafts Movement collection of furniture, textiles, ceramics, carvings, silver and jewellery, recognised as an outstanding collection of... more

29 Little London, Chichester, West Sussex  
Chichester District Museum is housed in an 18th century corn store in the heart of Chichester. The Museum tells the story of Chichester and the surrounding... more

Clive Steps, King Charles Street, London  
The Churchill Museum and Cabinet War Rooms is the world´s major museum dedicated to the life of Winston Churchill with its permanent exhibition housed in the... more

The Square, Winchester, Hampshire  
The City of Winchester Museum is situated in the centre of Winchester. The Museum tells the story of the city with its extensive archaeological and local... more

Clifton Lane, Rotherham, South Yorkshire  
Clifton Park Museum is situated within Clifton House, built in 1783 as the home of Joshua Walker, the founder of Rotherham Ironworks. Inside is Britain´s finest... more

Southey Works, Greta Bridge, Keswick, Cumbria  
Visit Keswick´s Cumberland Pencil Museum, the home of the first pencil, and the Cumberland Pencil Co, home of pencil perfection since 1832. Walk through a replica... more

Brecon Road, Merthyr Tydfil, Rhondda Cynon Taff  
Cyfarthfa Castle Museum & Art Gallery was built in 1824, this Georgian castellated mansion was originally home to the Crawshay family and is set in 160... more

The Strand, Derby, Derbyshire  
The Derby Museum & Art Gallery, opened in 1879, houses the internationally important collection of major paintings by Joseph Wright of Derby (1734-97). Also on display... more

Elmbank Avenue, Kilmarnock, Ayrshire  
Opened in 1901, the Dick Institute houses the majority of East Ayrshire´s art and museum collections. The temporary and permanent exhibitions are over two floors of... more

North Road, Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria  
The Dock Museum is built over an original Victorian dry dock, this modern Museum tells the history of Barrow-in-Furness. Discover how it grew from a 19th... more

Chequer Road, Doncaster, South Yorkshire  
Doncaster Museum & Art Gallery is a purpose built Museum, opened in 1964 to display various collections of natural history, archaeology, local history and fine and... more

Linthorpe Road, Middlesbrough, Teesside  
The Dorman Museum was completely refurbished and expanded to give eight galleries filled with different themes, stories and objects. Explore `Earth in Space´ or take a... more

Antelope Walk, Dorchester, Dorset  
The Dorset Teddy Bear Museum is devoted to the wonderful world of the teddy bear and traces the history of the teddy bear from its birth... 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

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

Cultural Quarter, Greaves Street, Oldham, Greater Manchester  
Gallery Oldham is an award-winning building, opened in 2002. It forms the first phase of Oldham´s new Cultural Quarter. The fine and decorative art collection was... more

136 Kingsland Road, Shoreditch, London  
Set in former almshouses, the Geffrye Museum presents the changing style of the English Domestic interior through a series of 11 period rooms from 1600 to... 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

Alford, Aberdeenshire  
The Grampian Transport Museum Trust was formed in 1978 by a group of local enthusiasts. The displays and working exhibits trace the history of road travel... more

Ffordd Gwynedd, Bangor, Gwynedd  
This is Gwynedd´s only general museum which displays and cares for the Bangor University collection and the collections of Gwynedd Council Museum Service. The Museum collections... more

Market Square, Preston, Lancashire  
The Harris Museum & Art Gallery offers the best of Preston´s heritage in this purpose built beautiful Grade I listed building. Its houses a large collection... more

Church Square, Hartlepool, Teesside  
Hartlepool Art Gallery opened in 1996, is situated in a beautifully restored Victorian church. The programme of exhibitions is changed regularly and features the best of... more

Jordan Well, Coventry, Warwickshire  
The Herbert Art Gallery & Museum is undergoing a major redevelopment. When complete in the first half of 2008 it will include major new exhibitions on... more

Lambeth Road, London  
At the Imperial War Museum, discover the story of those who have lived, fought and died in conflict from the First World War to the present... more

Trafford Wharf Road, Trafford Park, Manchester, Greater Manchester  
Imperial War Museum North opened in July 2002, and is a stunning aluminium-clad building - the first in the UK by international architect Daniel Libeskind. The... more

Castle Wynd, Inverness, Highland  
At the newly refurbished Inverness Museum & Art Gallery you can discover Highland heritage in displays, exhibitions and events with an extravaganza of archaeology, art, natural... more

Raymond Burton House, 129/131 Albert Street,Camden Town, London  
Jewish Museum - Camden Town, The Museum of Jewish Life was founded in 1932, houses the world´s finest collection of Jewish ceremonial art. Awarded designated status... more

Broad Street, Presteigne, Powys  
The Judge´s Lodging was once called `the most commodious and elegant apartments for a judge in all England and Wales´ (Lord Chief Justice Campbell, 1855), however... more

Argyle Street, Glasgow, Glasgow City  
Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum re-opened in July 2006 following a £35 million restoration project. 8,000 objects are on display along with the new hands-on Discovery... more

London  
Kensington Palace: The feminine influence of generations of royal women has shaped this stylish palace and elegant gardena. The birthplace and childhood home of Queen Victoria,... more

Market Square, Lancaster, Lancashire  
Lancaster City Museum is situated in the former town hall and spread over two floors with collections illustrating the history and archaeology of Lancaster and North... more

The Parade, Leamington Spa, Warwickshire  
This award winning Leamington Spa Art Gallery & Museum, Royal Pump Rooms has a fine art collection, an exhibition on the history of Royal Leamington Spa,... 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

Locomotion, Shildon, Durham  
Locomotion: The National Railway Museum at Shildon is an £11 million project, opened in 2004, and the first national museum to be built in the North... more

39 Wellington Street, Covent Garden, London  
London´s Transport Museum is located in the heart of London´s Covent Garden, housed in the original Victorian Flower Market. Offering a unique perspective of the histroic... more