List of museums in Devon facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Devon is a beautiful county in England, full of exciting places to explore! If you love learning about history, art, and science, you're in luck. Devon has many amazing museums. These special places collect and look after cool objects. They might be old tools, beautiful paintings, or even dinosaur bones! Museums share these collections with everyone, so you can discover new things. Get ready to explore some of Devon's best museums!

Discovering Devon's Museums
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Discovering Devon's Museums

Step Back in Time: Historic Houses

Many museums in Devon are old houses with fascinating stories. You can imagine what life was like long ago!

A La Ronde in Exmouth is a super unique house from the 1700s. It has 16 sides and is filled with amazing decorations and collections. It's looked after by the National Trust.
Arlington Court near Arlington is another National Trust property. This early 1800s country house has antique furniture and lots of family treasures. It even has a special museum just for old carriages!
Bradley in Newton Abbot is a medieval manor house. It's also run by the National Trust and has lovely riverside meadows.
Buckland Abbey in Buckland Monachorum was once an abbey! Now, it's a National Trust estate with exhibits about famous explorers like Sir Richard Grenville and Francis Drake.
Budlake Old Post Office in Broadclyst is a charming 1950s cottage that used to be a post office. It's a fun way to see how things were in the past.
Bygones Museum in Torquay lets you step right into Victorian times! It has old shops, room displays, and even a model railway. You can also see military displays and a 1940s shopping arcade.
Cadhay in Ottery St Mary is a beautiful Elizabethan manor house with lovely gardens.
Castle Drogo near Drewsteignton is a unique castle from the early 1900s. It was designed by a famous architect, Sir Edwin Lutyens, and is cared for by the National Trust.
Chambercombe Manor in Ilfracombe is a Norman manor house. It's filled with furniture from Elizabethan to Victorian times.
Clovelly is a historic fishing village. You can visit the childhood home of author Charles Kingsley and a 1930s fisherman's cottage.
Coleton Fishacre in Kingswear is a 1920s country home with beautiful Arts and Crafts style. It belonged to Rupert D'Oyly Carte and has lovely gardens.
Compton Castle in Marldon is a medieval fortress house, also run by the National Trust.
Elizabethan House in Plymouth is a 17th-century house. You can explore its antique items and even a Victorian school room.
Fursdon in Cadbury is a farming estate that's over 700 years old! It has a costume collection and a garden.
Greenway Estate in Galmpton was the holiday home of famous author Agatha Christie. The National Trust keeps it just as it was in the 1950s, with her collections.
Hartland Abbey in Hartland was once a monastery. Now it's a country home with art, furniture, and porcelain collections.
Hemyock Castle in Hemyock has the ruins of a medieval manor house. It's open on Bank Holidays.
Kelly House in Kelly is a Georgian country house. It's currently being restored.
Killerton in Broadclyst is a large 18th-century estate and garden, run by the National Trust. It has a great costume collection.
Kirkham House in Paignton is a late medieval stone house, looked after by English Heritage.
Knightshayes Court in Tiverton is a grand Victorian country house designed by William Burges, with beautiful gardens. It's a National Trust property.
Marker's Cottage in Broadclyst is a medieval cottage with a thatched roof. It's a glimpse into old country life.
Powderham Castle in Powderham is a medieval castle that's still home to the Earl of Devon. You can see a Victorian kitchen and a deer park.
Saltram House in Plympton is a grand Georgian house with original decorations and furnishings. It's a National Trust site.
Sand in Sidbury is an Elizabethan manor house with a lovely garden.
St Nicholas Priory in Exeter is set up like an Elizabethan town house from 1602.
Tiverton Castle in Tiverton is a medieval castle manor house with a garden.
Torre Abbey in Torquay was once an abbey and a country house. Now it's an art gallery with collections of fine art and beautiful gardens.
Totnes Elizabethan House Museum in Totnes is a Tudor house from 1575. It has period rooms and local history, including information about computer inventor Charles Babbage.
Ugbrooke in Chudleigh is an estate that dates back to the 1100s! The house and grounds were redesigned in the 1700s.
Valiant Soldier in Buckfastleigh is a unique museum that shows what a pub and home looked like in the 1960s.

Cool Collections and Unique Finds

Devon has museums with all sorts of interesting and unusual collections!

Allhallows Museum in Honiton tells the story of local history. It has collections of famous Honiton lace, pottery, old toys, and war items.
Axminster Museum in Axminster focuses on local history, culture, and farming.
Barometer World in Merton is a museum all about barometers – instruments that measure air pressure! It even has the famous Tempest Prognosticator.
Bill Douglas Cinema Museum in Exeter is part of the University of Exeter. It's all about the history of film and visual media, with lots of cool movie memorabilia.
Bomb Shelter in Beer is a small museum that tells the story of a large bomb that didn't destroy the village during World War II.
Brixham Heritage Museum in Brixham shares the local history of fishing and shipbuilding.
Burton Art Gallery and Museum in Bideford has beautiful watercolours, oil paintings, and decorative arts. It also has Napoleonic ship models and local history.
Cobbaton Combat Collection in Chittlehampton is packed with military artifacts, mostly from World War II.
Coldharbour Mill in Uffculme is a working textile museum! You can see historic steam engines and learn how spinning mills worked.
Dingles Fairground Heritage Centre in Lifton is a fun place to see fairground art, vintage rides, and old vehicles.
Fairlynch Museum in Budleigh Salterton is in an early 19th-century thatched house. It covers local history, costumes, lace, and archaeology.
Finch Foundry in Sticklepath is a water-powered forge, run by the National Trust. You can see how metal was shaped long ago.
House of Marbles in Bovey Tracey is a working glass and games factory. It has exhibits of glass, games, and, of course, marbles!
Ilfracombe Museum in Ilfracombe has a wide range of collections, from local and natural history to maritime items, minerals, and costumes.
Kelly Mine in Lustleigh is a former iron mine. You can see the old equipment and mill.
Kingsbridge Cookworthy Museum in Kingsbridge explores local history, old trades, and crafts. It has a Victorian kitchen and a collection of William Cookworthy porcelain.
Museum of British Surfing in Braunton is all about surfing in the UK, with a cool collection of surfboards.
Museum of Dartmoor Life in Okehampton covers local history, culture, and trades on Dartmoor.
Newcomen Engine House in Dartmouth features a Newcomen steam engine and tells the story of its inventor, Thomas Newcomen.
Newton Abbot Town & GWR Museum in Newton Abbot focuses on local history and the Great Western Railway.
Overbeck's in Salcombe is an Edwardian house with collections of stuffed animals, model ships, and doll houses. It's a National Trust property.
Plymouth City Museum and Art Gallery in Plymouth has local history, natural history, art, and archaeology.
Royal Albert Memorial Museum & Art Gallery in Exeter is a big museum with art, natural history, local history, and world culture collections.
Salcombe Maritime Museum in Salcombe showcases ship portraits, shipwrecks, and the history of shipbuilding.
Smeaton's Tower in Plymouth is an 18th-century former lighthouse you can visit.
South Devon Railway: Buckfastleigh in Buckfastleigh is the headquarters for the South Devon Railway. It has a museum and workshops for steam locomotives.
South Molton Museum in South Molton covers local history, trades, agriculture, and even old toys.
Start Point Lighthouse in Start Point is a lighthouse you can tour.
Tamar Belle Visitor Centre in Bere Ferrers is a Victorian railway station with old equipment and memorabilia.
Tavistock Museum in Tavistock explores local history.
Teignmouth & Shaldon Museum in Teignmouth covers maritime and local history, plus the area's railway and air transport.
Tiverton Museum of Mid Devon Life in Tiverton has local history, railroads, transport, and farming exhibits.
Topsham Museum in Topsham focuses on maritime and local history. It has 17th-century rooms and even memorabilia from film star Vivien Leigh.
Torquay Museum in Torquay is a large museum with local history, Agatha Christie exhibits, artifacts from Kents Cavern, and even a section on Ancient Egypt.
Totnes Fashion and Textiles Museum in Totnes is located in Bogan House. It displays clothing and accessories from the 1700s to the 1900s.
Totnes Guildhall in Totnes is a 16th-century Tudor guild hall that was also a magistrate's court and prison.
Totnes Image Bank and Rural Archive in Totnes has changing exhibits of historic photographs and old cameras.
Watermouth Castle in Watermouth is a theme park with a collection of Victorian antiques, old tools, and mechanical instruments.
West of England Transport Collection in Winkleigh is a private collection of transport vehicles, sometimes open to the public.
William Pengelly Cave Studies Trust Museum in Buckfastleigh is all about caves, geology, fossils, and conservation.

Art and Culture Hubs

Devon also has places where you can enjoy art and performances.

Ariel Centre in Totnes is an art centre with a gallery and theatre, part of King Edward VI Community College.
Plough Arts Centre in Great Torrington includes a visual art gallery, theatre, and cinema.
University of Exeter Galleries in Exeter are part of the University of Exeter, showcasing various art exhibits.

Exploring Nature and the Outdoors

Some museums help you learn about Devon's amazing natural world.

Braunton Countryside Centre in Braunton focuses on the environment of the coastal and farmed landscapes around Braunton.
Cricklepit Mill in Exeter is a 19th-century watermill. It's the headquarters and visitor centre for the Devon Wildlife Trust.
Dartmoor National Park Visitor Centre - Princetown in Princetown is one of the visitor centres for Dartmoor National Park. It has exhibits on local history, wildlife, and art.

Military and Transport History

If you're interested in old battles or how people used to travel, these museums are for you!

Bideford Railway Heritage Centre in Bideford is all about railway history.
Brixham Battery Heritage Centre in Brixham explores local World War II military history, including a gun battery.
Crownhill Fort in Plymouth is a Victorian-era fort with artillery.
Dartmoor Prison Museum in Princetown tells the history of Dartmoor Prison.
Dartmouth Castle in Dartmouth is a coastal fortress with a gun battery, operated by English Heritage.
Devon Railway Centre in Bickleigh has a passenger railway, narrow gauge collection, and model railways.
Devonport Naval Heritage Centre in Plymouth has artifacts from the Royal Navy.
Dunkeswell Airfield Heritage Centre in Dunkeswell shares the history of RAF Dunkeswell during World War II.
Golden Hind Museum, Brixham in Brixham is a museum ship – a replica of Sir Francis Drake's famous ship, the Golden Hind.
North Devon Maritime Museum in Appledore tells the story of shipbuilding and seafaring in the village.
Salcombe Lifeboat Station in Salcombe shares the history of the RNLI lifeboat station there.
Totnes Castle in Totnes is a well-preserved Norman castle, operated by English Heritage.
Upottery Heritage Centre in Upottery focuses on the history of RAF Upottery in World War II.

Local History and Community Life

Many smaller museums focus on the history of their local towns and villages.

Ashburton Museum in Ashburton covers local history and culture. It even has some Native American artifacts.
Barnstaple and North Devon Museum in Barnstaple explores local history.
Bishopsteignton Museum of Rural Life in Bishopsteignton focuses on local history, farming, and geology.
Bovey Tracey Heritage Centre in Bovey Tracey is located in the old Bovey railway station and covers local history.
Braunton and District Museum in Braunton shares local history, farming, and maritime heritage.
Colyton Heritage Centre in Colyton tells the story of local history.
Combe Martin Museum in Combe Martin focuses on local history.
Crediton Museum in Crediton covers local history and is run by the Crediton Area History and Museum Society.
Dartmouth Museum in Dartmouth is in a 1640 merchant's house. It covers maritime and local history, including a collection of ships in bottles.
Dawlish Museum in Dawlish has local history, culture, porcelain, and toy collections.
Exmouth Museum in Exmouth focuses on local history and culture.
Great Torrington Heritage Museum in Great Torrington shares local history.
Hartland Quay Museum in Hartland is located in the Hartland Quay Hotel. It covers shipwrecks, natural history, and the history of the quay.
Holsworthy Museum in Holsworthy has local history and period rooms.
Lyn and Exmoor Museum in Lynton covers local and natural history.
Mortehoe Museum in Mortehoe focuses on local history, maritime heritage, and farming.
Morwellham Quay in Tavistock is a restored 19th-century village. You can explore docks, a restored ship, and even take a train tour of a copper mine.
Museum of Barnstaple & North Devon in Barnstaple covers local and natural history, archaeology, and decorative arts.
Seaton Museum in Seaton, also known as Axe Valley Heritage Museum, has local history, archaeology, and geology.
Sidmouth Museum in Sidmouth focuses on local history and the natural history of the Jurassic Coast.

Mills and Industrial Heritage

See how things were made in the past at these historic mills.

Bicclescombe Watermill in Ilfracombe is a late 18th-century mill.
Bridge Mill in Bridgerule is a restored 19th-century watermill.
Clyston Mill in Broadclyst is a water-powered corn mill, near Killerton, run by the National Trust.
Hele Corn Mill in Hele is a working 16th-century watermill.
Old Bakery, Manor Mill & Forge in Branscombe is a restored bakery, water-powered forge, and mill, run by the National Trust.
Otterton Mill in Otterton is a 19th-century water mill with a bakery and shop.