List of museums in Gloucestershire facts for kids

Gloucestershire, a county in England, is home to many exciting museums! Museums are special places where interesting objects are collected, cared for, and shown to the public. These objects can be about history, art, science, or even nature. They help us learn about the past and understand the world around us. This list will tell you about some of the amazing museums you can visit in Gloucestershire.

Historic Houses and Castles

These museums let you step back in time and explore old homes and castles!

Acton Court

Located in Iron Acton, this is a well-preserved Tudor house. It was built especially for King Henry VIII to enjoy. You can explore the house, gardens, and grounds.

Berkeley Castle

Found in Berkeley, this is a real medieval castle! It has beautiful gardens and even a butterfly house. Imagine what life was like inside these ancient walls.

Blackfriars, Gloucester

In Gloucester, Blackfriars is a medieval friary, which is a type of religious building. It was later changed into a Tudor house and a cloth factory. English Heritage looks after this historic site.

Chavenage House

This Elizabethan manor house is in Tetbury. It's a great example of a large country home from that period.

Dr. Jenner's House

Visit the home of Edward Jenner in Berkeley. He was the person who first created vaccination, which helps protect us from diseases.

Dyrham Park

In Dyrham, this amazing Baroque mansion is cared for by the National Trust. It has beautiful Dutch paintings, furniture, and decorative art, plus lovely gardens.

Merchant's House, Tewkesbury

This 15th-century Tudor house is right by Tewkesbury Abbey. It gives you a peek into what a merchant's home looked like long ago.

Newark Park

Another National Trust property, this Tudor country house in Ozleworth shows how people lived over 450 years ago. It also has lovely gardens.

Owlpen Manor

Located in Owlpen, this manor house combines medieval, Tudor, and 18th-century styles. It also shows off restorations from the Arts and Crafts Movement.

Rodmarton Manor

In Cirencester, this early 20th-century house was built following the ideas of the Arts and Crafts movement. Everything inside, from the furniture to the decorations, fits this special style.

Sezincote House

Near Moreton-in-Marsh, this unique 19th-century house looks like a Mughal architecture palace from India! It has stunning gardens to explore.

Snowshill Manor

This National Trust property in Snowshill is famous for its huge and varied collection of over 22,000 items! You can see everything from paintings and sculptures to toys, Japanese armor, musical instruments, and even old bicycles.

Stanway House

In Stanway, this is a beautiful Jacobean manor house with an 18th-century water garden.

Sudeley Castle

This Elizabethan castle in Winchcombe has ruins, ten different gardens, and exhibits about Queen Katherine Parr. There's even an adventure playground!

Woodchester Mansion

In Woodchester, this is a fascinating 19th-century Gothic revival mansion that was never finished. It's a unique look at a building frozen in time.

Archaeology and Ancient History

Discover ancient civilizations and artifacts!

Chedworth Roman Villa

Operated by the National Trust, this site in Chedworth has amazing artifacts and the remains of a large Roman villa. You can see how Romans lived in Britain.

Corinium Museum

In Cirencester, this museum focuses on artifacts found locally. You can see items from Roman Britain, the Neolithic (New Stone Age), and the Victorian era.

Hailes Abbey

Near Winchcombe, these are the ruins of a 13th-century Cistercian abbey. English Heritage looks after it, and you can see excavated artifacts from the abbey.

Lydney Park

In Lydney, this 17th-century country estate includes a Roman temple complex with ancient artifacts and beautiful gardens.

Transportation and Industry

Explore how people traveled and worked in the past.

Clearwell Caves

In Clearwell, this was once an iron ore mine. You can go underground and see what mining was like.

Coleford Great Western Railway Museum

In Coleford, this museum celebrates the railway. It has an old goods shed, a GWR signal box, a miniature railway, and even a locomotive.

Cotswold Motoring Museum

Located in Bourton-on-the-Water, this museum is packed with cars, motorcycles, bicycles, caravans, and other items from the 20th century. It also has a toy collection.

Dean Forest Railway

At Norchard, this is a heritage railway and museum. You can experience old trains and learn about their history.

Dunkirk Mill

In Nailsworth, this former textile mill is run by the Stroudwater Textile Trust. It has a huge working water wheel and other old machinery.

Gigg Mill

Also in Nailsworth, this textile weaving shed shows how technology changed over time, from simple handlooms to power looms. It's also operated by the Stroudwater Textile Trust.

Gloucester Waterways Museum

In Gloucester, this museum tells the story of the area's canals, canal boats, and equipment.

Hopewell Colliery Museum

In Soudley, this is a former coal mine where you can learn about the history of coal mining.

Jet Age Museum

In Staverton, this museum has restored historic aircraft, aero engines, and cockpits. It tells the story of how jet engines were developed in the area.

St. Mary's Mill

In Chalford, this mill from around 1820 has a large waterwheel and a steam engine. It's operated by the Stroudwater Textile Trust.

Wellington Aviation Museum

Near Moreton-in-Marsh, this museum shares the history and artifacts from RAF Moreton-in-Marsh, an old air force base.

Art and Culture

Explore creativity and local traditions.

Court Barn

In Chipping Campden, this museum focuses on craft and design. It includes both modern crafts and pieces from the Arts and Crafts movement.

Gardens Gallery

In Cheltenham, this is a community art gallery where local artists can show their work.

Keith Harding's World of Mechanical Music

In Northleach, this museum is in a 17th-century wool merchant's house. It has a collection of antique music boxes, automata (moving figures), and other mechanical musical instruments.

Nature in Art

Located in Gloucester, this unique museum features art inspired by nature in all its forms and styles.

Prema

In Uley, this is an arts centre that supports and showcases various artistic activities.

The Wilson

In Cheltenham, this museum has a wide range of collections including art, decorative arts, local history, archaeology, and artifacts from Africa and Asia.

Local History and General Museums

Learn about the history and daily life of different towns.

Dean Heritage Centre

In Soudley, this center explores the local history, traditional trades, and industries of the Forest of Dean area.

Dursley Heritage Centre

In Dursley, this center tells the story of the town's local history and culture. It's run by the Dursley Town Trust.

Frenchay Village Museum

In Frenchay, this museum shares the history of the village, especially focusing on the Quakers and Unitarians who founded it.

The Museum of Gloucester

In Gloucester, this museum covers a lot of ground! It has local history, archaeology, fine and decorative arts, natural history, and displays about Roman and Medieval times, and even dinosaurs!

Gloucester Life

Also in Gloucester, this museum shows off crafts, trades, industries, and household items from the past. You can see model trains, a period classroom, and old shops like a dairy or a carpenter's.

Holst Birthplace Museum

In Cheltenham, this is the house where the famous composer Gustav Holst was born. You can learn about his life and his music.

John Moore Museum

In Tewkesbury, this museum is named after the conservationist John Moore. It focuses on the mammals and birds found in the local countryside.

Kingswood Heritage Museum

In Kingswood, this museum explores the local history, culture, industry, and religious life of the area.

Museum in the Park

In Stroud, this museum covers local history, archaeology, and art. It's a great place to learn about the culture of the Stroud area.

Soldiers of Gloucestershire Museum

In Gloucester, this museum tells the story of the Gloucestershire Regiment and the Royal Gloucestershire Hussars, two important military groups from the area.

Tailor of Gloucester Beatrix Potter Museum and Shop

In Gloucester, this museum is in the actual building that inspired author Beatrix Potter's story The Tailor of Gloucester.

Tetbury Police Museum

In Tetbury, this museum is in a Victorian police station and courtroom. It shows the history of the Gloucestershire Constabulary (the local police force) and has a collection of old restraint equipment.

Tewkesbury Borough Museum

In Tewkesbury, this museum covers local history, archaeology, and culture. It even has a 1950s model fair!

Tewkesbury Heritage Centre

Also in Tewkesbury, this center features a 17th-century glovemaker's shop and exhibits about local history from that time.

Thornbury and District Museum

In Thornbury, this museum focuses on the local history, culture, and archaeology of the district.

Winchcombe Folk and Police Museum

In Winchcombe, this museum shares local history, culture, and has a collection of old police uniforms and equipment.

Wotton-under-Edge Heritage Centre

In Wotton-under-Edge, this center explores the local history, industries, crafts, and culture of the town.

Yate Heritage Centre

In Yate, this center focuses on the local history and culture of the area.

Former Museums

Some museums have closed or moved. Here are a few:

• Bristol Aero Collection, which is now Aerospace Bristol in Filton, Bristol.
• Cinderbury Iron Age Experience, which was in Clearwell.
• Park House Toy Collectors Museum, which was in Stow-on-the-Wold and closed in 2011.
• Shambles Victorian Village, which was in Newent.

See also

• Category:Tourist attractions in Gloucestershire