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Dad's Army Museum facts for kids

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Dad's Army Museum
Dad's Army Museum Thetford logo.jpg
Established December 2007
Location Cage Lane in Thetford, Norfolk
Type Dad's Army

The Dad's Army Museum is a museum located in Cage Lane in Thetford in Norfolk, England, dedicated to the popular BBC comedy series Dad's Army. Many of the outdoor locations were filmed in the local area. The museum is housed in the old fire station at the rear of Thetford Guildhall, which itself stood in for Walmington-on-Sea Town Hall in several of the episodes.

It is run by volunteers who, throughout the year, attend many 1940s events in East Anglia with Jones' Van.

History

Dads Army Museum Thetford
The exterior of the Dad's Army Museum

Thetford Guildhall, where the museum is based, featured in the episode of 1972, "Time On My Hands" of Dad's Army, in which a German Luftwaffe pilot dangled from the clock tower when his parachute became caught in the clock's hands. The Guildhall was also used in the episode of 1974, "The Captain's Car".

The Dad's Army Museum opened in December 2007, and includes a reconstruction of Captain Mainwaring's church hall office, several display areas, a shop and the Marigold Tea Room. The museum displays many unique photographs (many from the collection of the Dad's Army Appreciation Society) along with other memorabilia and items connected with the series.

Uniforms on display include a replica of the red, bemedalled Full Dress Uniform worn by Lance-Corporal Jones in the series, and others worn by the Home Guard.

Jones' van

Jones van Dads Army
Jones' van was purchased by the Dad's Army Museum in the end of 2012

In December 2012, the museum bought the original Ford BB van used as Jones' butcher's van in the series for £63,100, including the premium. Because of limited space in the Dad's Army Museum, the van went on display at the nearby Charles Burrell Museum in March 2013, after a period of restoration.

Opening times

The museum is run by volunteers, and is open on each Saturday from Easter until the end of November, and on Tuesdays during the Norfolk school summer holidays. Admission is free.

Gallery

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