List of museums in Derbyshire facts for kids

Welcome to a super cool guide about museums in Derbyshire, England! Museums are special places where amazing objects from the past and present are kept safe. They help us learn about history, art, science, and nature. Think of them as treasure chests filled with stories waiting to be discovered!

In Derbyshire, you can find all sorts of museums. Some are in old houses, others show off cool machines, and some even have art. Get ready to explore some of the best spots to learn and have fun!

Awesome Museums to Explore

Here's a list of fantastic museums in Derbyshire. Each one offers something unique and exciting to see!

80s Video Shop

Located in Alfreton, this museum is like stepping back in time to the 1980s! It's a living history museum with a huge collection of VHS tapes, movie posters, and arcade games. You can even watch movies in a special screening room. It's a blast from the past!

Bakewell Old House Museum

Found in Bakewell, this museum is inside a historic Tudor house. You can explore rooms set up just like they were long ago. See old textiles, toys, and learn about how people lived, including Victorian mill workers. It's a journey through different times!

Barrow Hill Roundhouse

In Barrow Hill, this unique museum is a preserved roundhouse. This is a special building where trains used to be stored and repaired. You can see old locomotives and learn about railway history.

Belper Heritage Centre

This centre in Belper is also known as St. John's Chapel Heritage Centre. It shares the local history of the area. It's a great place to discover stories about Belper's past.

Bolsover Castle

Near Bolsover, this historic castle is managed by English Heritage. It's a grand old building with a rich history. You can explore its rooms and grounds, imagining life in a castle.

Buxton Museum and Art Gallery

In Buxton, this museum has a bit of everything! You can find local history, amazing archaeology, and cool fossils and minerals. There's also natural history and art to enjoy. It's free to enter and has relics from the Bronze Age, Stone Age, and Roman times.

Calke Abbey

Located in Ticknall, Calke Abbey is a beautiful Baroque country house and garden. It's looked after by the National Trust. It's known as an "un-stately home" because it shows how a grand house can slowly decay, giving a unique look into its past.

Carnfield Hall

This country house and park in South Normanton is open for guided tours by appointment. It's a chance to see a historic home and its beautiful surroundings.

Chatsworth House

Near Chatsworth, this is the grand home of the Dukes of Devonshire. It's filled with priceless paintings, beautiful furniture, and ancient drawings. You can also see amazing sculptures and books. The gardens are also stunning!

Chesterfield Museum and Art Gallery

In Chesterfield, this museum is free to visit. It tells the story of Chesterfield from Roman times, through the Middle Ages, and into the Industrial Revolution. It's a great way to learn about the town's long history.

Creswell Crags Museum

At Creswell, this museum holds incredible Ice Age and Stone Age artefacts. These prehistoric objects were found in the caves and gorge of Creswell Crags. It's a fascinating look at how early humans lived.

Cromford Mill

In Cromford, this museum is part of the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site. You can see cotton spinning machinery and learn about the first successful water-powered cotton mill, built by Richard Arkwright in 1771. It's a key place in the story of the Industrial Revolution.

David Mellor Visitor Centre

Located in Hathersage, this centre celebrates the cutlery designs of David Mellor. You can explore the museum, see the factory, and visit the store. It's all about how beautiful and useful objects are made.

Denby Pottery Visitor's Centre

In Denby, this centre has a small museum about the beautiful china and porcelain made by the Denby Pottery Company. You can learn about the history of pottery, take factory tours, and visit the shop.

Derby Computer Museum

This museum in Derby is run by volunteers and offers a hands-on experience with old computers. It's a registered charity dedicated to showing the history of computing. You can touch and try out many of the exhibits!

Derby Gaol

Also in Derby, this is an 18th-century prison. It offers a glimpse into what life was like for prisoners long ago. It's a spooky and interesting historical site.

Derby Museum and Art Gallery

This museum in Derby has a wide range of collections. You can see fine art, beautiful porcelains, and learn about local history. There are also exhibits on archaeology, natural history, geology, and military items. It's famous for its large collection of paintings by Joseph Wright of Derby and Royal Crown Derby porcelain.

Derby Silk Mill (Museum of Making)

Located in Derby, this museum focuses on local industries, railways, and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths) exhibits. It's in Lombe's Silk Mill, which was one of the first factories in the world. It's now called the Museum of Making and is all about how things are made.

Derbyshire Police Museum

In Derby, this museum has an exhibition about the history of the Derbyshire Constabulary. You can learn about how policing has changed over the years in Derbyshire.

Erewash Museum

In Ilkeston, this museum tells the story of Erewash through local history, industry, and art. You can see period rooms that show Victorian life and learn about the Stanton Ironworks. It's located in a beautiful Georgian mansion called Dalby House.

Eyam Hall

This Jacobean manor house in Eyam is filled with costumes, needlework, and family portraits. You can also explore its lovely gardens. It's a beautiful example of a historic home.

Eyam Museum

Also in Eyam, this museum tells the powerful story of the Bubonic Plague that hit the village in 1665. It explains how the villagers bravely quarantined themselves to stop the spread. It's a moving and important part of local history.

Haddon Hall

Near Bakewell, Haddon Hall is a stunning medieval manor house with beautiful gardens. It's like stepping into a fairytale, with its ancient walls and charming courtyards.

Hardwick Hall

In Doe Lea, Hardwick Hall is an important Elizabethan country house managed by the National Trust. It has an amazing collection of embroideries and beautiful gardens. The grounds also include Stainsby Mill.

Heage Windmill

In Heage, this is a working windmill built in 1797. You can see how it works and learn about the power of wind. It's a fantastic example of old technology.

High Peak Junction

Near Cromford, this site has workshops from the old Cromford and High Peak Railway. It's close to the Cromford Canal and is part of the Derwent Valley Mills. It's a great place to learn about railway history and canals.

Hope House Costume Museum

In Alstonefield, this museum has a wonderful collection of costumes and accessories. You can see fashion from 1790 all the way to the 1970s. It's a colourful journey through fashion history!

Kedleston Hall

Near Kedleston, this 18th-century Neoclassical country house is run by the National Trust. It has a huge collection of paintings, sculptures, and original furniture. There's also a museum section with art and items from Asia.

Leawood Pump House

At High Peak Junction, this pump house is part of the Derwent Valley Mills. It has a preserved steam engine that used to pump water for the canal. It's a great example of early industrial technology.

Little Chester Heritage Centre

In Little Chester, this centre shares local history and is located in St Paul's Church. It's a small but interesting place to learn about the area.

Masson Mills Working Textile Museum

In Matlock Bath, this museum shows off cotton mill machinery and textiles. It's located in Richard Arkwright's Masson Mills, built in 1783, and is part of the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site. You can see how textiles were made long ago.

Melbourne Hall

In Melbourne, this country house has beautiful gardens. It's a lovely place to visit and explore the history of the house and its grounds.

Middleton Top Engine House

Near Middleton-by-Wirksworth, this engine house has a preserved beam engine. You can see this powerful steam engine in action and learn about its role in industry.

Midland Railway – Butterley

In Butterley, this is a heritage railway and museum. It's run by the Midland Railway Trust. You can enjoy steam train rides and explore the museum, learning all about railway history.

Moorland Centre

In Edale, this centre focuses on the geology, wildlife, and plants of the moorland and Peak District. It helps you understand the importance of this unique natural area.

National Stone Centre

Near Middleton-by-Wirksworth, this centre is all about geology, earth science, and mining. It's on the site of old limestone quarries. You can learn about rocks, minerals, and even follow an outdoor fossil trail.

National Tramway Museum

In Crich, this museum is home to over 80 trams, some dating back to 1873! You can ride on restored trams through a period village. It's a fun and interactive way to experience transport history.

National Trust Museum of Childhood

Located at Sudbury Hall in Sudbury, this museum is run by the National Trust. It has a historical collection of toys, games, and dolls. It's a wonderful place to see how children played in the past.

New Mills Heritage and Information Centre

In New Mills, this centre shares the local history of the town. It's a good spot to find out about the area's past and what makes it special.

Old Manor (Norbury Manor)

In Norbury, this medieval hall is managed by the National Trust. It offers a glimpse into life in a grand house from the Middle Ages.

Peak District Lead Mining Museum

In Matlock Bath, this museum explores the history of lead mining and the lives of miner families. You can even walk through a mock-up of a lead mine! It's located inside the Grand Pavilion.

Peak District National Park Visitor Centre - Castleton

In Castleton, this visitor centre includes the Castleton Village Museum. It provides information about the national park and the local area.

Peak District National Park Visitor Centre - Upper Derwent

In Bamford, this centre offers exhibits and information about the beautiful Peak District National Park. It's a great starting point for exploring the natural wonders of the area.

Pickford's House Museum

In Derby, this is a late 18th-century Georgian townhouse. It was the family home of architect Joseph Pickford. The museum shows off costumes and toys from the 18th and 19th centuries, giving you a feel for family life back then.

Renishaw Hall

In Renishaw, this country house belongs to the Sitwell family. It has beautiful gardens that are open to visitors.

Revolution House

In Old Whittington, this 17th-century alehouse has important ties to the Glorious Revolution of 1688. It's a fascinating place to learn about a key moment in English history.

Royal Crown Derby Visitor Centre

In Derby, this centre celebrates the beautiful china and porcelain made by Royal Crown Derby. You can see amazing decorative art and learn about the history of this famous pottery.

Shardlow Heritage Centre

In Shardlow, this centre focuses on local history. It's a great place to discover the stories and past of the Shardlow area.

Sharpe's Pottery Museum

In Swadlincote, this museum is all about china and porcelain decorative art. You can learn about the history of pottery in the area and see beautiful examples.

Sir Richard Arkwright's Masson Mills

In Matlock Bath, this is a water-powered cotton spinning mill. It includes the Masson Mills Working Textile Museum and is part of the Derwent Valley Mills. It's a key site for understanding the Industrial Revolution.

Stainsby Mill

In Doe Lea, this 19th-century flour watermill is run by the National Trust. It's located on the grounds of Hardwick Hall and shows how flour was made long ago.

Strutt's North Mill, Belper

In Belper, this former water-powered cotton spinning mill is part of the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site. It also houses the Derwent Valley Visitor's Centre. You can see exhibitions about local cotton spinning and hosiery in William Strutt's fire-proof mill, built in 1804.

Sudbury Hall

In Sudbury, this 17th-century Restoration style mansion is managed by the National Trust. It's also home to the National Trust Museum of Childhood.

Tissington Hall

In Tissington, this early 17th-century Jacobean mansion house is a beautiful historic home. You can explore its architecture and learn about its past.

Wirksworth Heritage Centre

In Wirksworth, this centre has exhibitions about the history, industries, and people of this historic Peak District market town. It's a great way to learn about the local community.

Museums That Are No Longer Open

Sometimes museums close down. Here are a few that used to be in Derbyshire:

• Heanor Heritage Centre, Heanor, closed in 2005.
• John King Workshop Museum, Alfreton, some items moved to the National Coal Mining Museum for England.
• M & C Collection of Historic Motorcycles, Bakewell, closed in 2012.
• Life in a Lens Museum of Photography & Old Times, Matlock Bath, closed in 2017-18.

See also

• Visitor attractions in Derbyshire