List of museums in Essex facts for kids

Essex, a county in England, is home to many interesting museums! These places are like treasure chests where you can discover amazing objects from the past, learn about art, science, and history. They collect and take care of special items and then show them to the public. This list includes museums, art galleries, and even university art galleries that you can visit.

Museums in Essex

Here's a list of museums you can explore in Essex:

• Art Exchange (Colchester): This gallery at the University of Essex shows modern art from artists around the world.
• Ashdon Museum (Ashdon): Learn about the history of the local village, including old jobs, farming, and how people lived.
• Audley End House (Saffron Walden):
  

  Audley End House is a grand country home.
  This grand country house from the 1600s is run by English Heritage. You can see beautifully furnished rooms, famous paintings, and even explore the servants' area from the 1880s. Don't forget the lovely gardens!
• Aythorpe Roding Windmill (Aythorpe Roding):
  

  The Aythorpe Roding Windmill dates back to the 1700s.
  Visit this windmill that was built in the late 1700s.
• Barleylands Farm Museum (Billericay): See old farm machines, tractors, tools, and household items. You can also meet farm animals here.
• Beecroft Art Gallery (Southend-on-Sea): This gallery has a wide range of art, from Dutch paintings from the 1600s to modern pieces.
• Bocking Windmill (Bocking):
  

  Bocking Windmill is an early 18th-century structure.
  Explore this windmill that dates back to the early 1700s.
• Bourne Mill, Essex (Colchester): This Elizabethan water mill is looked after by the National Trust.
• Boxted Airfield Museum (Langham): Discover the history of RAF Boxted during World War II.
• Bragg's Mill (Ashdon): Another historic windmill from the mid-1700s.
• Braintree Museum (Braintree):
  

  Braintree Museum showcases local history and industry.
  Learn about local history, industries like textiles and ceramics, and see art. It also features "The Essex Model House".
• Brentwood Museum (Brentwood): A local museum about the history of Brentwood.
• Brightlingsea Museum (Brightlingsea): Find out about local history, Roman times, shipbuilding, and the oyster industry.
• Burnham-on-Crouch & District Museum (Burnham-on-Crouch): Covers local history, maritime stories, farming, industry, and how people lived.
• Canvey Island Heritage Centre (Canvey Island): Learn about the heritage of Canvey Island.
• Canvey Island Transport Museum (Canvey Island):
  

  The Canvey Island Transport Museum is in a former bus depot.
  See old cars, buses, military vehicles, and a model train display. It's located in an old bus depot!
• Cater Museum (Billericay): Explore local history and see rooms set up to look like different time periods.
• Chelmsford Museum (Chelmsford): Discover local history, art, archaeology, nature, and industry.
• Coalhouse Fort (East Tilbury):
  

  Coalhouse Fort is a Victorian coastal defence.
  This 19th-century Victorian fort was built to defend the coast. It's open on certain days and has military museums and vehicles.
• Coggeshall Grange Barn (Coggeshall): This 14th-century barn, run by the National Trust, was built for Coggeshall Abbey. It has a collection of old farm tools.
• Coggeshall Museum (Coggeshall): Learn about local history, industry, farming, culture, and lace-making.
• Colchester Castle Museum (Colchester):
  

  Colchester Castle is a Norman castle with Roman history exhibits.
  This Norman castle has exhibits on local history, archaeology, and Roman history.
• Colne Valley Postal History Museum (Halstead): See old British Post Office letter boxes, stamp machines, uniforms, and other postal items. You need to book an appointment to visit.
• Colne Valley Railway (Sible Hedingham): A heritage railway where you can ride miniature trains and see an exhibit centre with history and artifacts. There's also a rare breed farm.
• Combined Military Services Museum (Maldon): See combat gear and weapons used by the British armed forces from medieval times to today. Learn about soldiers' lives, uniforms, and the Secret Intelligence Service.
• Copped Hall (Waltham Abbey):
  

  Copped Hall is a Georgian mansion being restored.
  This Georgian mansion is currently being restored, and you can visit its gardens.
• Cressing Temple (Cressing): Explore medieval barns and a well used by the Knights Templar. There's also a Tudor walled garden and a 17th-century house.
• Duck End Mill (Finchingfield):
  

  Duck End Mill is a mid-18th century windmill.
  A mid-18th century windmill.
• Dutch Cottage Museum (Canvey Island):
  

  The unique Dutch Cottage Museum on Canvey Island.
  This historic house is run by the Benfleet and District Historical Society.
• Earls Colne Heritage Museum (Earls Colne): Focuses on the local history of Earls Colne.
• East Anglian Railway Museum (Chappel):
  

  The East Anglian Railway Museum has a heritage railway.
  A heritage railway and museum with old train equipment, station buildings, and signal boxes.
• East Essex Aviation Society and Museum (St Osyth):
  

  This aviation museum is located in a Martello tower.
  Located in a Martello tower, this museum has military artifacts and items found from local aircraft crash sites.
• Epping Forest District Museum (Waltham Abbey): Learn about local history, archaeology, the history of the abbey, and Victorian life.
• Essex Fire Museum (Grays): Discover the history of firefighting in Essex.
• Essex Police Museum (Chelmsford): Learn about the history of the Essex Police force from 1840 to today, and see a Victorian jail cell.
• Essex Regiment Museum (Chelmsford): Located at the Chelmsford Museum, this museum tells the story of the Essex Regiment and displays their memorabilia.
• Feering and Kelvedon Local History Museum (Kelvedon): Covers local history, archaeology, farming, and old trades.
• Finchingfield Guildhall (Finchingfield):
  

  Finchingfield Guildhall is a 15th-century building.
  This 15th-century guildhall is being restored and houses the Finchingfield Heritage Center and Library.
• Firstsite (Colchester): A modern art centre and gallery.
• Frinton's Crossing Cottage, Garden and Railway Museum (Frinton-on-Sea): Learn about local and area railroad history.
• Fry Art Gallery (Saffron Walden): Focuses on local artists, showing paintings, prints, and designs from the 20th century and today.
• Gibberd Gallery (Harlow): Features changing art exhibits and a collection of British watercolours by Frederick Gibberd.
• Great Bardfield Cottage Museum (Great Bardfield): A museum about local history.
• Great Dunmow Museum (Great Dunmow): Learn about local history, industry, and culture.
• Halstead Heritage Museum (Halstead): Covers local history, culture, and transport.
• Harlow Museum (Harlow): Explore walled gardens, local history, Roman artifacts, Tudor life, and Victorian household items and toys.
• Harwich Lifeboat Museum (Harwich): Located in an old lifeboat station, this museum has exhibits about sea rescues.
• Harwich Maritime Museum (Harwich): Located in an old lighthouse, this museum has nautical artifacts and local history.
• Harwich Redoubt (Harwich):
  

  Harwich Redoubt is a Napoleonic fort.
  A Napoleonic fort run by the Harwich Society.
• Hedingham Castle (Castle Hedingham):
  

  Hedingham Castle has a medieval Norman keep.
  Explore this medieval Norman castle and its grounds.
• Hill Hall (Epping): This Elizabethan mansion is run by English Heritage. You can take tours by appointment.
• Hollytrees Museum (Colchester):
  

  Hollytrees Museum displays local history, toys, and costumes.
  Discover local history, old toys, and costumes.
• Hylands House (Chelmsford):
  

  Hylands House is a restored 18th-century Queen Anne style house.
  A beautifully restored 18th-century house with a park and gardens.
• Ingatestone Hall (Ingatestone):
  

  Ingatestone Hall is a 16th-century Tudor house.
  A 16th-century Tudor house with lovely grounds.
• John Webb's Mill (Thaxted):
  

  John Webb's Mill is an early 19th-century windmill.
  An early 19th-century windmill.
• Kelvedon Hatch Secret Nuclear Bunker (Kelvedon Hatch):
  

  Explore the secret Kelvedon Hatch Nuclear Bunker.
  Go underground into this bunker used during the Cold War as a government headquarters.
• Langdon Visitor Centre & Haven Plotlands Museum (Basildon): Learn about the nature reserve and visit Haven Plotlands Museum, a 1930s bungalow showing how people had country getaways.
• Layer Marney Tower (Colchester):
  

  Layer Marney Tower is a 16th-century Tudor palace.
  A 16th-century Tudor palace with beautiful gardens.
• Little Baddow History Centre (Little Baddow): A local history centre.
• Maeldune Centre (Maldon): Learn about local history and see a large modern embroidery about the Battle of Maldon.
• Maldon District Agricultural & Domestic Museum (Maldon):
  

  This museum displays vintage farm machinery.
  See vintage farm machinery, tools, and household items.
• Maldon Museum (Maldon): Also known as Museum in the Park, it's located in a park keeper's lodge.
• Mangapps Railway Museum (Burnham-on-Crouch):
  

  Mangapps Railway Museum features a heritage railway.
  A heritage railway and museum with old train equipment, memorabilia, and buildings.
• Manningtree Museum (Manningtree): Focuses on local history.
• Mersea Island Museum (Mersea Island): Learn about fishing, oystering, boat building, local history, nature, and geology.
• Minories Art Gallery (Colchester): An art gallery that is part of the Colchester Institute.
• Mountnessing Windmill (Mountnessing):
  

  Mountnessing Windmill is an early 19th-century structure.
  An early 19th-century windmill.
• Munnings Art Museum (Dedham): The home and works of famous artist Sir Alfred Munnings, located in Castle House.
• Museum of Power (Langford): Located in an old water pumping station, this museum has working steam engines, machinery, and tools. It also has a miniature railway!
• Natural History Museum, Colchester (Colchester): Explore the natural heritage of north-east Essex.
• Naze Tower (Walton-on-the-Naze): A tower with a great view, a museum about the local environment, and an art gallery.
• Nazeing Glass Museum of 20th Century British Domestic Glass (Nazeing): Learn about the history of Nazeing Glass Works and other British glass makers in the 20th century.
• North Weald Airfield Museum (North Weald Bassett): Discover the history of this former military airfield.
• Nottage Maritime Institute (Wivenhoe): See maritime paintings, photographs, models, and artifacts.
• Paycocke's (Coggeshall): This early 16th-century house, run by the National Trust, has amazing woodcarvings and a garden.
• Peter Edwards Museum & Library (Chelmsford): Learn about the history of the Essex County Cricket Club and see their memorabilia. It's located at the County Cricket Ground, Chelmsford.
• Prittlewell Priory (Southend-on-Sea):
  

  Prittlewell Priory is a medieval priory.
  Explore this Medieval priory.
• Purfleet Heritage & Military Centre (Purfleet): Located in an old Royal magazine for gunpowder, this museum has artifacts and memorabilia from all armed forces.
• Rayleigh Town Museum (Rayleigh):
  

  Rayleigh Town Museum is in the oldest secular building in town.
  Learn about Rayleigh, its people, places, and heritage. It's in the oldest non-religious building in town!
• Rayleigh Windmill (Rayleigh):
  

  Rayleigh Windmill dates back to the early 19th century.
  An early 19th-century windmill.
• Ridgewell Airfield Commemorative Museum (Ridgewell): See uniforms, artifacts, medals, and memorabilia from the World War II airfield, the 381st Bomb Group, and the No. 90 Squadron RAF.
• Royal Gunpowder Mills (Waltham Abbey): This complex has exhibits on the science of gunpowder, the site's history, weapons, military artifacts, and even a 1940s street scene. There's also a narrow gauge railway!
• Saffron Walden Museum (Saffron Walden): Covers local history, natural history, Ancient Egypt, archaeology, decorative arts, costumes, and artifacts from different cultures.
• Sandford Mill (Chelmsford): Learn about local industrial history and the science behind it. It's part of Chelmsford Museums.
• Southchurch Hall (Southend-on-Sea):
  

  Southchurch Hall is a medieval manor house.
  An early 14th-century medieval manor house with rooms set up to show life in different centuries.
• Southend Central Museum (Southend-on-Sea): Covers local history, natural history, and has a planetarium.
• Southend Pier Museum (Southend-on-Sea): Learn about the history of Southend Pier and play on working penny slot machines.
• Stansted Mountfitchet Windmill (Stansted Mountfitchet):
  

  Stansted Mountfitchet Windmill is a late 18th-century structure.
  A late 18th-century windmill.
• Stock Windmill (Stock):
  

  Stock Windmill is an early 19th-century windmill.
  An early 19th-century windmill.
• Thaxted Guildhall (Thaxted):
  

  Thaxted Guildhall is a 14th-century guild hall.
  A 14th-century guild hall.
• The Time Machine (Harlow): Hands-on science and technology exhibits.
• Thurrock Museum (Grays): Learn about local history, culture, archaeology, and industry.
• Tilbury Fort (Tilbury):
  

  Tilbury Fort is a 17th-century artillery fort.
  This 17th-century fort, run by English Heritage, was built for artillery.
• Walton Maritime Museum (Walton-on-the-Naze):
  

  Walton Maritime Museum is in a former lifeboat station.
  Located in an old lifeboat station, it has maritime artifacts, local history, and a restored James Stevens 14 lifeboat.
• Warner Textile Archive (Braintree): An archive with about 100,000 items related to the textile industry in Braintree, especially the legacy of Warner and Sons.
• Wilkin & Sons Visitor Centre (Tiptree): Visit a tearoom, shop, and museum about Wilkin & Sons jams and how they are made.

Defunct museums

These museums are no longer open:

• Motorboat Museum, Basildon (closed December 2009)
• Southend Historic Aircraft Museum, Southend-on-Sea (closed May 1983)
• Tymperleys Clock Museum, Colchester (closed in 2010, its clocks are now at Hollytrees Museum)
• Walton Hall Museum, Stanford-le-Hope (closed in 2010)

See also

• Visitor attractions in Essex