BackHome » Museums / Art Galleries UK Search » Social History Museums
Social History Museums in the UK
Included below are Social history museums in the UK, such as Bronte Parsonage Museum. The Social hisotry museums depict everyday life throughout the ages using artefacts, photographs and re-constructed villages.
Bronte Parsonage Museum
Church Street, Haworth, Keighley
It’s hard to believe that literary milestones such as Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights and The Tenant of Wildfell Hall were penned in the rather unassuming little village of Haworth. But the Bronte Parsonage, still filled with furniture, clothes and... more
Abbey Pumping Station Museum
Corporation Road, Leicester
Leicester has a rather glorious, proud industrial history and there’s no better place to see an example of this than the elegant Abbey Pumping Station. Now part of the city’s Museum of Science and Technology, the station opened back in 1891 with the... more
Newport Museum & Art Gallery
John Frost Square, Newport (Gwent)
Newport Museum & Art Gallery is situated in a modern purpose built building and houses collections of British paintings, watercolours and contemporary prints. Displays include archaeology, local history along with objects and documents relating to... more
Canterbury Heritage Museum
Poor Priests' Hospital, Stour Street, Canterbury
Canterbury Heritage Museum: Discover Canterbury's history, from millions of years ago to the present, explored through interactive displays in an amazing medieval building.
Includes Anglo-Saxon treasures, Oliver Postgate's Thomas Becket story, the... more
Maidstone Museum & Bentlif Art Gallery
St Faith's Street, Maidstone
At Maidstone and Bentlif Art Gallery you´ll find something for everyone - outstanding collections, special exhibitions, a shop and a café. Housed in a beautiful Elizabethan manor house, highlights include: A 2,500 year old Egyptian mummy, Maidstone´s... more
17
Latest Events/Special Offers for Maidstone Museum & Bentlif Art Gallery
St Andrews Museum
Kinburn Park, Doubledykes Road, St Andrews
St Andrews Museum is in Kinburn House and tells the story of St Andrews from the Bronze Age to the present day. Displays include archaeology, banners, pilgrim badges and paintings. There is also a changing programme of temporary exhibitions held... more
The Dock Museum
North Road, Barrow-in-Furness
The Dock Museum is built over an original Victorian Graving Dock, this modern Museum tells the history of Barrow-in-Furness. Discover the remarkable story of Barrow's rapid growth from a small farming village in the early nineteenth century, to a... more
Southend Central Museum & Planetarium
Victoria Avenue, Southend-on-Sea
The Southend Central Museum & Planetarium has displays of local history, geology and wildlife with special sections on the Thames Estuary and Victorian Life. An imposing feature, dominating the main hall, is the late medieval `Reynolds´ fireplace,... more
St Mungo Museum of Religious Life & Art
2 Castle Street, Glasgow
The St Mungo Museum of Religious Life & Art aims to promote understanding and respect between people of different faiths and of none. Displays occupy three floors and are divided into four exhibition areas: the Gallery of Religious Art, the Gallery... more
Grampian Transport Museum
Alford
Its raison d’etre is to tell the history of road travel in Scotland, but it feels like the Grampian Transport Museum offers plenty more besides. Hidden away in Alford in Aberdeenshire, this lovely attraction has all sorts of fascinating exhibits from... more
Trowbridge Museum
The Shires, Court Street, Trowbridge
Trowbridge Museum, housed in a former woollen mill, with displays telling the fascinating story of Trowbridge Town and its people. Working looms still produce cloth, which is sold within the museum. Other displays include reconstruction of Trowbridge... more
Dick Institute
Elmbank Avenue, Kilmarnock
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 this grand Victorian building. Fine art, social, local, industrial and natural... more
IWM North
The Quays, Trafford Wharf Road, Manchester
IWM North, part of Imperial War Museums opened in July 2002,and is a stunning aluminium-clad building - the first in the UK by international architect Daniel Libeskind. The Museum utilises its world-famous collections with a number of new display... more
River & Rowing Museum
Mill Meadows, Henley-on-Thames
The River & Rowing Museum is situated in picturesque Henley-on-Thames. This award-winning Museum has three main themes, with galleries celebrating each one. The River Thames, the town of Henley-on-Thames and the sport of rowing are all brought to... more
Gwynedd Museum & Art Gallery
Ffordd Gwynedd, Bangor
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 are varied and include items of social history relating to Gwynedd,... more
Geffrye Museum
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 the present day. One of London´s best-loved museums, the Geffrye is named after the former Lord... more
Harris Museum & Art Gallery
Market Square, Preston
There’s nothing quite like having a wonder around the local museum to get a feel for a town and the Harris Museum and Art Gallery in Preston is no exception. Its wealth of information about the people, places, history and economy of the area is a... more
People´s Palace Museum and Winter Gardens
Glasgow Green, Glasgow
The People´s Palace Museum and Winter Gardens opened in 1898, the collection displays the historical, social and cultural history of Glasgow, and its people from 1750 to the present. Displays tell the story of the Tobacco Lords who lived in sumptuous... more
Leamington Spa Art Gallery & Museum, Royal Pump Rooms
The Parade, Leamington Spa
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, cabinets of curiosities, gallery of interactive exhibits, Hammam (restored Turkish bath),... more
Dorman Museum
Linthorpe Road, Middlesbrough
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 dive into our interactive gallery based on water. Experience life in a bomb... more
Bradford Industrial Museum
Moorside Mills, Moorside Road, Eccleshill, Bradford
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. Inside the mill, you can experience the sounds and smells of the engines which... more
National Waterfront Museum
Maritime Quarter, Swansea
The National Waterfront Museum is based in Swansea´s Maritime Quarter, the iconic new building has been a catalyst for the regeneration of the area. The National Waterfront Museum aims to be one of the most ambitious and inspirational museum projects... more
Museum of Army Flying
Middle Wallop, Stockbridge
The Museum of Army Flying: Flying Soldiers! The heroic story of the army in the air from 19th century observation balloons to attack helicopters! The Museum is home to a national collection of military kites, World War 2 gliders, aeroplanes and... more
Torquay Museum
529 Babbacombe Road, Torquay
Ranked among the finest in South West England, Torquay Museum is a journey of discovery for everyone. The new interactive Explorers Gallery takes you on a journey around the world to discover cultures, objects and artifacts from the past and present.... more
Scotland Street School, Museum of Education
225 Scotland Street, Glasgow
Scotland Street School, Museum of Education was built in the early 1900s, the building was designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh. The collections relate to education in Scotland from 1872 to the present day and include furniture, books, photographs,... more
Museum of Science and Industry
Liverpool Road, Castlefield, Manchester
Museum of Science & Industry: Uncover Manchester´s industrial past and learn about the fascinating stories of the people who contributed to the history and science of a city that helped shape the modern world. Located on the site of the world´s... more
Old Operating Theatre, Museum & Herb Garret
9a St Thomas Street, Southwark, London
The Old Operating Theatre Museum is at the top of a spiral staircase in the roof space of an old church and built in the old Herb Garret of St Thomas´s Hospital. It is Britain´s oldest surviving Operating Theatre and has been restored with much of... more
Museum of London Docklands
No 1 Warehouse, West India Quay, London
From Roman settlement to Docklands’ regeneration, unlock the history of London’s river, port and people in this historic warehouse. Discover a wealth of objects from whale bones to WWII gas masks in state-of-the-art galleries, including Mudlarks, an... more
Wilberforce House Museum
25 High Street, Hull
Visit the birthplace of William Wilberforce and discover the story behind the campaign to abolish the slave trade. Told through fascinating items including Wilberforce's journal, plantation records and personal stories.
- West African culture
-... more
Paisley Museum & Art Galleries
High Street, Paisley
The Paisley Museum & Art Galleries is home to the world´s largest collection of Paisley Shawls, a selection of which are always on display. Museum staff demonstrate the weaving techniques on reproductions of the original Jacquard looms used in the... more
Worthing Museum & Art Gallery
Chapel Road, Worthing
Worthing Museum & Art Gallery was opened in 1908, this beautiful Edwardian building is home to a fascinating collection of toys and costume that is amongst the largest in the country. Also on display is a collection of fine and decorative art, with... more
Beaney Art Museum & Library
18 High Street, Canterbury
From ancient Egyptian artefacts to objects from history originating in the east Kent area, the Beaney Art Museum and Library in the heart of the city of Canterbury is stuffed with wonderful exhibits. Archaeologists have been exploring the countryside... more
Museum of St Albans
9a Hatfield Road, St Albans
The Museum of St Albans tells the story of St Albans from the departure of the Romans to the present day. Find out how the town developed around a great medieval abbey from a market town to a modern commuter city with displays showing everyday life... more
York Castle Museum
Eye of York, York
York Castle Museum, housed in two converted 18th century prison buildings, includes reconstructed Victorian and Edwardian streets, shops and merchandise - experience four hundred years of fascinating social history. A collection of rooms have been... more
Ayscoughfee Hall Museum & Gardens
Churchgate, Spalding
Ayscoughfee Hall Museum is a grade I listed medieval town house on the banks of the River Welland. Built in 1451, it is now the main exhibit of a refurbished and reinterpreted museum. The history and redevelopment of this amazing building is fully... more
Summerlee Industrial Museum
Heritage Way, Coatbridge
Summerlee Industrial Museum'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 only electric tramway; A huge exhibition hall with working machinery and period... more
Lewes Castle & Barbican House Museum
169 High Street, Lewes
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 mounds). From the top, visitors are rewarded with magnificent views of the town and South Downs. Near... more
Gallery Oldham
Cultural Quarter, Greaves Street, Oldham
Gallery Oldham is an award-winning building, opened in 2002. The art collection includes fine watercolours, oil paintings, photography and studio ceramics. The large social history collection represents the lives of local people, from the industrial... more
Swansea Museum
Victoria Road, Maritime Quarter, Swansea
The Swansea Museum is the oldest museum in Wales that opened in 1841 and houses a diverse range of collections reflecting the passions of the Victorian founders. The Museum displays an exceptional collection of objects from an Egyptian mummy to a... more
The Potteries Museum & Art Gallery
Bethesda Street, City Centre, Stoke-on-Trent
The Potteries Museum & Art Gallery is the home of the world´s finest collection of Staffordshire ceramics, including the National Minton Collection. Discover the story of Stoke-on-Trent´s people, products and landscapes through imaginative displays... more
The Teddy Bear Museum
Eastgate, corner High East Street/Salisbury Street, Dorchester
The Teddy Bear Museum is devoted to the wonderful world of the teddy bear and traces the history of the teddy bear from its birth to the present day. The museum is set within the 'home' of Edward Bear and his extended family of people sized teddy... more
The Judge´s Lodging
Broad Street, Presteigne
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 decay beckoned Radnorshire´s disused Shire Hall into obscurity. Now, aided by an... more
Torre Abbey Historic House & Gallery
The Kings Drive, Torquay
Torre Abbey Historic House was built in 1196 for the 'White Canons', a silent order and one of the richest in England. it is home to the echoing Spanish Barn, where 400 sailors from the Spanish Armada were held captive. The later rooms were used as a... more
Wakefield Museum
Wakefield One, Burton Street, Wakefield
The Museum opened in October 2012 and tells the story of Wakefield’s history and that of the people who shaped it. Themes such as love, war, play, crime, and even rhubarb are represented by fascinating objects from Wakefield’s past and are seen... more
Royal Pump Room Museum
Crown Place, Harrogate
Royal Pump Room Museum, which is housed in Harrogate´s premier spa building and the site of Europe´s strongest sulphur well, tells the story of Harrogate as a spa. The distinctive octagonal building was built in 1842 by Isaac Shutt and re-opened in... more
Clifton Park Museum
Clifton Lane, Rotherham
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 collection of Rockingham Pottery along with glassware of South Yorkshire from the 18th... more
Locomotion: The National Railway Museum at Shildon
Locomotion, Shildon
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 East. It combines a state of the art 6,000 sq ft collections centre, housing over 60 vehicles from... more
STEAM - Museum of the Great Western Railway
Kemble Drive, Swindon
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 locomotives. STEAM tells the story of the men and women who built, operated and travelled on... more
Bury Art Museum
Moss Street, Bury
Bury Art Museum opened in 1901 thanks to the generosity of the children of local paper manufacturer Thomas Wrigley. To commemorate Queen Victoria´s Diamond Jubilee in 1897, they presented the town with their father´s art collection which included... more
To view the icons please zoom in
'Social History Museums' by County: England: Southern England: Bedfordshire | Buckinghamshire | East Anglia: Cambridgeshire | Northern England: Cleveland & Teesside | South West England: Cornwall | Northern England: Cumbria | Central England: Derbyshire | South West England: Devon | Southern England: Dorset | Northern England: Durham | East Riding of Yorkshire | South East England: East Sussex | East Anglia: Essex | Central England: Gloucestershire | Northern England: Greater Manchester | Southern England: Hampshire | Hertfordshire | Isle of Wight | South East England: Kent | Northern England: Lancashire | Central England: Leicestershire | Lincolnshire | London: London | Northern England: North Yorkshire | Southern England: Oxfordshire | Northern England: South Yorkshire | Central England: Staffordshire | Northern England: Tyne & Wear | Central England: Warwickshire | West Midlands | South East England: West Sussex | Northern England: West Yorkshire | Southern England: Wiltshire | Scotland: Central, East & North East Scotland: Aberdeenshire | Edinburgh, Glasgow & Southern Scotland: Ayrshire | City of Edinburgh | Central, East & North East Scotland: Fife | Edinburgh, Glasgow & Southern Scotland: Glasgow City | Highlands & Islands of Scotland: Highland | Edinburgh, Glasgow & Southern Scotland: Lanarkshire | Central, East & North East Scotland: Perth & Kinross | Edinburgh, Glasgow & Southern Scotland: Renfrewshire | Wales: South & South West Wales: Cardiff | North Wales: Gwynedd | South & South West Wales: Merthyr Tydfil | Newport | Mid-Wales: Powys | South & South West Wales: Swansea
Contact Britain's Finest •
Join •
Update Listing •
About •
Editors •
Terms & Conditions •
Resources
My Britain's Finest •
My Folder •
Recently Viewed •
Apps •
Newsletter •
© Britain's Finest 2013