List of museums in Devon facts for kids

This list of museums in Devon, England, contains museums which are defined for this context as institutions (including nonprofit organizations, government entities, and private businesses) that collect and care for objects of cultural, artistic, scientific, or historical interest and make their collections or related exhibits available for public viewing. Also included are non-profit art galleries and university art galleries. Museums that exist only in cyberspace (i.e., virtual museums) are not included.

Museums

To use the sortable table, click on the icons at the top of each column to sort that column in alphabetical order; click again for reverse alphabetical order.

Name	Image	Town/City	Region	Type	Summary
A La Ronde		Exmouth	East Devon	Historic house	Operated by the National Trust, late 18th century sixteen-sided house with unusual decorations and collections
Allhallows Museum		Honiton	East Devon	Local	website, local history, Honiton lace collection, Honiton pottery, palaeontology, toys, war memorabilia
Ariel Centre		Totnes	South Hams	Art	website, art centre with gallery and theatre, part of King Edward VI Community College
Arlington Court		Arlington	North Devon	Historic house	Operated by the National Trust, early 19th-century country house with collection of antique furniture and an eclectic collection of family memorabilia, National Trust Carriage Museum, gardens
Ashburton Museum		Ashburton	Teignbridge	Local	website, local history, culture, collection of Native American artifacts
Axminster Museum		Axminster	East Devon	Local	Local history, culture, industry, agriculture
Barnstaple and North Devon Museum		Barnstaple	Torridge	Local history	Devon County Council
Barometer World		Merton	Torridge	Science & Technology	Shop (sells, repairs and restores Barometers) and Museum collection which houses the famous Tempest Prognosticator.
Berry Pomeroy Castle		Totnes	South Hams	Historic house	Operated by English Heritage, ruins of a large late-medieval fortified house and castle
Bicclescombe Watermill		Ilfracombe	North Devon	Mill	information, late 18th century mill
Bideford Railway Heritage Centre		Bideford	Torridge	Railway
Bill Douglas Cinema Museum		Exeter	Exeter	Media	History of film and visual media, media memorabilia, part of the University of Exeter
Bishopsteignton Museum of Rural Life		Bishopsteignton	Teignbridge	Local	information, local history, agriculture, geology
Bomb Shelter		Beer	East Devon	Local History	Small museum showing the story of a large bomb that didn't destroy the village.
Bovey Tracey Heritage Centre		Bovey Tracey	Teignbridge	Local	information, local history, culture, located in the Bovey railway station
Bradley		Newton Abbot	Teignbridge	Historic house	Operated by the National Trust, medieval manor house, riverside meadows and woodland
Braunton and District Museum		Braunton	North Devon	Local	information, local history, agriculture, maritime heritage, industry, railway
Braunton Countryside Centre		Braunton	North Devon	Natural history	website, environment of the coastal and farmed landscapes surrounding Braunton, farming and Braunton Marshes
Bridge Mill		Bridgerule	Torridge	Mill	website, restored 19th century watermill
Britannia Museum		Dartmouth	South Hams	Maritime	website, history of the Britannia Royal Naval College, open by pre-booked tour
Brixham Battery Heritage Centre		Brixham	Torbay	Military	Local World War II military history, gun battery, pill box, tours of battery garden
Brixham Heritage Museum		Brixham	Torbay	Local	website, local history, fishing and ship building industries
Buckland Abbey		Buckland Monachorum	West Devon	Historic house	Operated by the National Trust, abbey estate and grounds with exhibits about explorers Sir Richard Grenville and Sir Francis Drake
Budlake Old Post Office		Broadclyst	East Devon	Historic house	Operated by the National Trust, website, 1950s period cottage post office, near Killerton
Burton Art Gallery and Museum		Bideford	Torridge	Art	website, watercolours, oil paintings, prints and drawings, decorative arts, contemporary crafts, Napoleonic ship models, also local history
Bygones Museum		Torquay	Torbay	Multiple	website, Victorian period shop and room displays, model railway and memorabilia, military displays, 1940s and 50s shopping arcade, amusement machines, model buildings, Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company memorabilia
Cadhay		Ottery St Mary	East Devon	Historic house	Elizabethan manor house and gardens
Castle Drogo		Drewsteignton	West Devon	Historic house	Operated by the National Trust, early 20th-century castle house designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens, gardens
Chambercombe Manor		Ilfracombe	North Devon	Historic house	Norman manor house with period furniture ranging from Elizabethan to Victorian times
Clovelly		Clovelly	North Devon	Historic house	Historic fishing village that includes the childhood home of the Victorian author and social reformer Charles Kingsley, 1930s fisherman's cottage
Clyston Mill		Broadclyst	East Devon	Mill	Operated by the National Trust, website, water-powered corn mill, near Killerton
Cobbaton Combat Collection		Chittlehampton	North Devon	Military	website, military artifacts, most from World War II
Coldharbour Mill		Uffculme	Mid Devon	Industry	Working spinning mill textile museum, historic steam engines (run on Bank Holidays), dolls house exhibition, model railway, schools education programme
Coleton Fishacre		Kingswear	South Hams	Historic house	Operated by the National Trust, 1920s Arts and Crafts style country home for Rupert D'Oyly Carte, gardens
Colyton Heritage Centre		Colyton	East Devon	Local	website, local history
Combe Martin Museum		Combe Martin	North Devon	Local	website, local history
Compton Castle		Marldon	South Hams	Historic house	Operated by the National Trust, medieval fortress house
Crediton Museum		Crediton	Mid Devon	Local	website, local history, operated by the Crediton Area History and Museum Society
Cricklepit Mill		Exeter	Exeter	Mill	website, 19th-century watermill, headquarters and visitor centre for the Devon Wildlife Trust
Crownhill Fort		Plymouth	Plymouth	Military	Victorian era fort with artillery, operated by Landmark Trust
Dartmoor Prison Museum		Princetown	West Devon	Prison	History of Dartmoor Prison
Dartmouth Castle		Dartmouth	South Hams	Military	Operated by the English Heritage, coastal fortress with gun battery
Dartmouth Museum		Dartmouth	South Hams	Local	Located in a 1640 merchant's house, maritime and local history, several local and maritime history collections, also houses The Henley Collection and the Dawe Collection of ships in bottles
Dartmoor National Park Visitor Centre - Princetown		Princetown	West Devon	Multiple	website, one of three visitor centres for Dartmoor National Park, exhibits on local history, culture, wildlife, art
Dawlish Museum		Dawlish	Teignbridge	Local	information, local history, culture, industry, porcelain, natural history, dolls and toys
Devon Railway Centre		Bickleigh	Mid Devon	Railway	2 ft 610mm) gauge passenger railway, narrow gauge collection, miniature railway, model railway layouts
Devonport Naval Heritage Centre		Plymouth	Plymouth	Maritime	Artifacts from the Royal Navy, open by appointment
Dingles Fairground Heritage Centre		Lifton	West Devon	Amusement	website, fairground art and memorabilia, vintage rides, stalls and shows, industrial and road steam engines, vintage vehicles, roadsigns, vintage machinery
Elizabethan House		Plymouth	Plymouth	Historic House	website
Dunkeswell Airfield Heritage Centre		Dunkeswell	East Devon	Military	website, history of RAF Dunkeswell in World War II,
Exeter's Underground Passages		Exeter	Exeter	History	website, medieval underground passages built for supplying drinking water
Exmouth Museum		Exmouth	East Devon	Local	website, local history, culture
Fairlynch Museum		Budleigh Salterton	East Devon	Multiple	website, housed in an early 19th-century house with a thatched roof, local history, costumes and lace collection, archeology, geology
Finch Foundry		Sticklepath	West Devon	Technology	Operated by the National Trust, water-powered forge
Fursdon		Cadbury	Mid Devon	Historic house	website, farming estate dating back over 700 years, costume collection, garden
Golden Hind Museum, Brixham		Brixham	Torbay	Maritime	website, museum ship replica of Sir Francis Drake's ship Golden Hind
Great Torrington Heritage Museum		Great Torrington	Torridge	Local	website, local history
Greenway Estate		Galmpton	Torbay	Historic house	Operated by the National Trust, Georgian house owned by author Agatha Christie, 1950s decor with collections of archaeology, Tunbridgeware, silver, botanical china and books, gardens
Hartland Abbey		Hartland	Torridge	Historic house	Former medieval monastery, country home with collections of pictures, furniture and porcelain, gardens
Hartland Quay Museum		Hartland	Torridge	Maritime	website, shipwrecks, natural history, coastal trades, geology and history of Hartland Quay, located in the Hartland Quay Hotel
Hele Corn Mill		Hele	North Devon	Mill	website, 16th century working watermill, tea room and shop
Hemyock Castle		Hemyock	Mid Devon	Historic house	Open on Bank Holidays, medieval manor house ruins
Holsworthy Museum		Holsworthy	Torridge	Local	website, local history, period rooms
House of Marbles		Bovey Tracey	Teignbridge	Art	website, working glass and games factory set in an historic pottery, exhibits of glass, games, marbles, and Bovey Pottery
Ilfracombe Museum		Ilfracombe	North Devon	Multiple	website, local history, natural history, Victoriana, maritime artifacts, minerals, archaeology, maps, paintings, photos, military items and costumes
Kelly House		Kelly	West Devon	Historic house	Georgian country house & Bed & Breakfast currently under restoration
Kelly Mine		Lustleigh	Teignbridge	Mining	Former iron mine with equipment and mill with Californian stamps
Killerton		Broadclyst	East Devon	Historic house	Operated by the National Trust, 18th century estate and garden, costume collection
Kingsbridge Cookworthy Museum		Kingsbridge	South Hams	Local	website, local history, social history, trades and crafts, William Cookworthy porcelain, Victorian kitchen, costumes, agriculture
Kirkham House		Paignton	Torbay	Historic house	Operated by English Heritage, late medieval stone house
Knightshayes Court		Tiverton	Mid Devon	Historic house	Operated by the National Trust, Victorian country house designed by William Burges, garden
Lyn and Exmoor Museum		Lynton	North Devon	Local	Local history, natural history, culture
Marker's Cottage		Broadclyst	East Devon	Historic house	Operated by the National Trust, website, medieval cob cottage with a thatched roof, near Killerton
Merchant's House, Plymouth		Plymouth	Plymouth	Historic house	website, 17th-century house, home to three Plymouth mayors, includes antique artifacts, prison equipment, Victorian school room, an entire chemist's shop
Mortehoe Museum		Mortehoe	North Devon	Local	website, local history, maritime heritage, agriculture
Morwellham Quay		Tavistock	West Devon	Open air	Restored 19th century village, docks and quays, a restored ship, copper mine tour by train, Victorian farm, nature reserve
Museum of Barnstaple & North Devon		Barnstaple	North Devon	Multiple	website, local history, natural history, culture, Royal Devon Yeomanry and Devonshire Regiment, archaeology, decorative arts; also known as Barnstaple Museum
Museum of British Surfing		Braunton	North Devon	Sports	website, surfing in the UK, surfboard collection
Museum of Dartmoor Life		Okehampton	North Devon	Multiple	Local history, culture, industry, trades, period rooms, art
Newcomen Engine House		Dartmouth	South Hams	Technology	Newcomen steam engine and history of Thomas Newcomen
Newton Abbot Town & GWR Museum		Newton Abbot	Teignbridge	Multiple	website, local history, Great Western Railway, art
North Devon Maritime Museum		Appledore	North Devon	Maritime	History of shipbuilding and seafaring in the village
Old Bakery, Manor Mill & Forge		Branscombe	East Devon	Historic site	Operated by the National Trust, restored bakery, water-powered forge and forge
Otterton Mill		Otterton	East Devon	Mill	19th century water mill, bakery, shop
Overbeck's		Salcombe	South Hams	Historic house	Operated by the National Trust, Edwardian house with collections of stuffed animals, model ships, nautical tools and photos, doll houses
Plough Arts Centre		Great Torrington	Torridge	Art	Includes visual art gallery, theatre and cinema
Plymouth City Museum and Art Gallery		Plymouth	Plymouth	Multiple	Local history, natural history, art, archaeology, decorative arts
Powderham Castle		Powderham	Exeter	Historic house	Medieval castle, home of the Earl of Devon, Victorian kitchen, deer park, gardens
Royal Albert Memorial Museum & Art Gallery		Exeter	Exeter	Multiple	Art, natural history, local history, decorative arts, archaeology, coins, costumes, world culture
Salcombe Lifeboat Station		Salcombe	South Hams	Maritime	History of the RNLI lifeboat station in Salcombe
Salcombe Maritime Museum		Salcombe	South Hams	Maritime	website, ship portraits, shipwreck and rescue, shipbuilding, local history
Saltram House		Plympton	Plymouth	Historic house	Operated by the National Trust, Robert Adam-designed Georgian house with original decor, plasterwork and furnishings
Sand, Devon		Sidbury	East Devon	Historic house	website, Elizabethan manor house, garden
Seaton Museum		Seaton	East Devon	Local	website, also known as Axe Valley Heritage Museum, local history, archaeology, natural history, geology
Sidmouth Museum		Sidmouth	East Devon	Local	website, local history, natural history of the Jurassic Coast
Smeaton's Tower		Plymouth	Plymouth	Maritime	18th century former lighthouse
South Devon Railway: Buckfastleigh		Buckfastleigh	Teignbridge	Railway	Headquarters and museum for the South Devon Railway, steam locomotive depot and workshops
South Molton Museum		South Molton	North Devon	Multiple	website, local history, trades, agriculture, culture, archaeology, toys, household items, railway
St Nicholas Priory		Exeter	Exeter	Historic house	Furnished as an Elizabethan town house in 1602
Start Point Lighthouse		Start Point	South Hams	Maritime	Lighthouse open for tours
Tamar Belle Visitor Centre		Bere Ferrers	West Devon	Railway	Victorian railway station with equipment, rolling stock and memorabilia
Tavistock Museum		Tavistock	West Devon	Local	website, local history
Teignmouth & Shaldon Museum		Teignmouth	Teignbridge	Multiple	website, maritime and local history, art, area railway and air transport
Tiverton Castle		Tiverton	Mid Devon	Historic house	Medieval castle manor house, garden
Tiverton Museum of Mid Devon Life		Tiverton	Mid Devon	Multiple	Local history, railroads, transport, social history, agriculture
Topsham Museum		Topsham	Exeter	Multiple	website, maritime and local history, 17th century period rooms, natural history, local trades, memorabilia of film star Vivien Leigh
Torquay Museum		Torquay	Torbay	Multiple	website, local history, Agatha Christie, artifacts from Kents Cavern, archaeology, replica farmhouse interior, Ancient Egypt, and world jewellery
Torre Abbey		Torquay	Torbay	Multiple	Former abbey and country house, art gallery, collections of fine and decorative art, gardens
Totnes Castle		Totnes	South Hams	Military	Operated by English Heritage, preserved Norman motte-and-bailey castle
Totnes Elizabethan House Museum		Totnes	South Ham]	Historic house	1575 Tudor house with period rooms, local history including computer inventor Charles Babbage, Saxon coins
Totnes Fashion and Textiles Museum		Totnes	South Hams	Fashion	Located in Bogan House, clothing and accessories from the 18th to 20th centuries from the Devonshire Collection of Period Costume
Totnes Guildhall		Totnes	South Hams	Historic site	16th century Tudor guild hall, magistrate's court and prison
Totnes Image Bank and Rural Archive		Totnes	South Hams	Photography	website, changing exhibits of historic area photographs from its collections, cameras and photography equipment, located in the town watermill
Ugbrooke		Chudleigh	Teignbridge	Historic house	Estate dating to the 12th century, house and grounds remodeled in the 18th century by Robert Adam and Capability Brown
University of Exeter Galleries		Exeter	Exeter	Art	website, part of the University of Exeter, galleries in Northcote House and Queen's Building
Upottery Heritage Centre		Upottery	East Devon	Military	website, operated by the South West Airfields Heritage Trust, history of RAF Upottery in World War II
Valiant Soldier		Buckfastleigh	Teignbridge	Historic house	website, information, 1960s period pub and home
Watermouth Castle		Watermouth	North Devon	Amusement	Theme park with collection of Victorian antiques, domestic tools, amusement machines, mechanical instruments, toys, model trains
West of England Transport Collection		Winkleigh	Torridge	Transportation	website, private collection of transport vehicles open to the public once a year
William Pengelly Cave Studies Trust Museum		Buckfastleigh	Teignbridge	Natural history	website, caves, geology, fossils, conservation

Defunct museums

• Barnstaple Heritage Centre, Barnstaple, closed in 2016
• Bradworthy Transport Museum, Holsworthy, website, closed in 2010
• High Cross House, Totnes, 1930s International Modernist style house with designed furniture and furnishings, paintings, sculptures and ceramics, built for the headmaster of Dartington Hall, closed in 2013
• Motoring Memories Museum, Colyford, closed in 2011
• Plymouth Dome, closed in 2006.
• Torrington 1646, Great Torrington, closed in 2015
• Yelverton Paperweight Centre, Yelverton

See also

• Visitor attractions in Devon