List of museums in Leicestershire facts for kids
Leicestershire, a county in England, is home to many exciting museums! These special places collect and look after amazing objects. They show us things about history, art, science, and culture. It's like stepping back in time or exploring new worlds.
You can find museums run by charities, the government, or even private companies. They all share their cool collections with everyone. This list will help you discover some of the best museums in Leicestershire. Get ready to explore!
Contents
- Discover Leicestershire's Amazing Museums
- Abbey Pumping Station
- Ashby de la Zouch Museum
- Armourgeddon Military Museum
- Belgrave Hall
- Belvoir Castle
- Bosworth Battlefield Heritage Centre and Country Park
- Castle Donington Museum
- Charnwood Museum
- Conkers
- De Montfort University Heritage Centre
- Donington le Heath Manor House Museum
- East Midlands Aeropark
- Fleckney Museum
- Foxton Canal Museum
- Guru Nanak Sikh Museum
- Hallaton Museum
- Harborough Museum
- Hinckley and District Museum
- Jewry Wall Museum
- John Taylor & Co
- Kegworth Museum
- King Richard III: Dynasty, Death and Discovery
- Leicester Guildhall
- Loughborough Carillon & War Memorial
- Loughborough Central Station
- Lutterworth Museum
- Measham Museum
- Melton Carnegie Museum
- Moira Furnace
- National Gas Museum Leicester
- National Space Centre
- New Walk Museum and Art Gallery
- Newarke Houses Museum
- Old Rectory Museum
- Retro Computer Museum
- Shackerstone Railwayana Museum
- Sir John Moore Heritage Centre
- Stanford Hall
- Stonehurst Family Farm and Motor Museum
- Stoneygate Tram Depot
- Stoneywell
- Swannington Hough Mill
- Wigston Framework Knitters Museum
- William Carey Museum
- Museums That Are No Longer Open
- See also
Discover Leicestershire's Amazing Museums
Abbey Pumping Station
Location: Leicester This museum is all about science and technology. It's inside an old Victorian sewage pumping station! You can see huge steam engines that still work. There are also exhibits on light, optics, old vehicles, and public health. Don't miss the interactive toilet!
Ashby de la Zouch Museum
Location: Ashby-de-la-Zouch This museum shares the local history and culture of Ashby-de-la-Zouch. It's a great place to learn about the town's past.
Armourgeddon Military Museum
Location: Husbands Bosworth If you love military history, this is the place for you! It has a huge collection of military vehicles, guns, and cannons. You'll see all sorts of military items from different times.
Belgrave Hall
Location: Leicester Step into a Victorian home at Belgrave Hall. You can see how an upper-class family lived. You'll also learn about the lives of their servants. It's a fascinating look at life long ago.
Belvoir Castle
Location: Grantham Belvoir Castle is a magnificent historic house with beautiful gardens. It's a real castle that has stood for centuries. Exploring its rooms and grounds feels like a fairytale.
Bosworth Battlefield Heritage Centre and Country Park
Location: Sutton Cheney This centre tells the story of the famous Battle of Bosworth in 1485. This battle was a key part of the War of the Roses. You can learn about the battle and how historians found its exact location.
Castle Donington Museum
Location: Castle Donington Discover the history of Castle Donington at this local museum. It shares stories and objects from the town's past.
Charnwood Museum
Location: Loughborough Charnwood Museum covers the history, geology, and archaeology of the local area. You can also learn about the industries that shaped Loughborough.
Conkers
Location: Moira Conkers is a fun place to learn about nature and woodlands. It's the visitor centre for The National Forest. You can explore the outdoors and discover local wildlife.
De Montfort University Heritage Centre
Location: Leicester This centre explores the history of The Newarke area and the university itself. It's housed in the Hawthorne Building and often has special exhibitions.
Donington le Heath Manor House Museum
Location: Coalville This is a real 16th-century medieval house! You can explore what life was like in England hundreds of years ago.
East Midlands Aeropark
Location: Castle Donington Love planes? The East Midlands Aeropark has complete aircraft on display. You can also see engines, aircraft parts, and lots of photos.
Fleckney Museum
Location: Fleckney This museum focuses on the local history of Fleckney. It's a great way to connect with the community's past.
Foxton Canal Museum
Location: Foxton Learn all about the famous Foxton Locks and the people who worked on the canals. It's a fascinating look at transportation history.
Guru Nanak Sikh Museum
Location: Leicester This museum showcases Sikh art, history, and culture. You can learn about the Sikh faith and its rich traditions. Visits are usually by appointment.
Hallaton Museum
Location: Hallaton Explore the local history of Hallaton at this community museum. It tells the stories of the village and its people.
Harborough Museum
Location: Market Harborough This museum covers the local history, culture, and industries of Market Harborough. It's also home to the amazing Hallaton Treasure!
Hinckley and District Museum
Location: Hinckley Discover Hinckley's local history, including a framework knitter's cottage. You can see a knitting frame from the 1740s!
Jewry Wall Museum
Location: Leicester Right next to the ancient Jewry Wall and Roman baths, this museum is all about archaeology. It has Roman mosaics, artifacts, and tells the story of Leicester from prehistoric times to the medieval era.
John Taylor & Co
Location: Loughborough This unique place is a bell foundry! You can see how bells are made for clock towers, churches, and carillons. It's a musical and industrial experience.
Kegworth Museum
Location: Kegworth This museum explores the local history and archaeology of Kegworth. It's a great spot for history detectives.
King Richard III: Dynasty, Death and Discovery
Location: Leicester This visitor centre is built on the burial site of King Richard III. It tells the story of his life, his death, and how his remains were found. It's a real-life historical mystery!
Leicester Guildhall
Location: Leicester The Guildhall is a medieval building with a fascinating history. It has old prison cells and galleries that show what medieval Leicester was like.
Loughborough Carillon & War Memorial
Location: Loughborough This memorial honours those who served in World War I. It also features a carillon (a musical instrument with bells) and a military museum.
Loughborough Central Station
Location: Loughborough Step back to the 1950s at this preserved railway station. It's part of the Great Central Railway heritage line.
Lutterworth Museum
Location: Lutterworth This museum focuses on the local history of Lutterworth. It also has a special display about Sir Frank Whittle, who invented the jet engine!
Measham Museum
Location: Measham Since 2009, this local history museum has been housed in part of the old railway station. It shares the stories of Measham.
Melton Carnegie Museum
Location: Melton Mowbray Learn about the history and culture of Melton Mowbray. This includes the famous Stilton cheese and pork pies! The museum opened in 1977 in a former library.
Moira Furnace
Location: Moira This is a 19th-century iron-making blast furnace. You can see how iron was made and even enjoy short boat rides on the restored canal.
National Gas Museum Leicester
Location: Leicester This museum tells the story of the gas industry. You can learn how gas was produced and supplied. It also has many old gas appliances.
National Space Centre
Location: Leicester Blast off into space science and astronomy at this amazing centre! It's full of interactive exhibits about rockets, planets, and the universe.
New Walk Museum and Art Gallery
Location: Leicester This museum has a huge variety of collections. You can see dinosaurs, learn about geology, explore Ancient Egypt, and admire art from around the world.
Newarke Houses Museum
Location: Leicester Explore local history through room settings from different centuries. See how people lived in the 17th century, and even the 1950s and 70s! There are also toys and a history of the Royal Leicestershire Regiment.
Old Rectory Museum
Location: Loughborough This museum is run by the Loughborough Archaeological and Historical Society. It shares the history of the local area.
Retro Computer Museum
Location: Thurmaston Step back in time to the early days of computing! This museum preserves and displays old computer and console systems. You can even try some out!
Shackerstone Railwayana Museum
Location: Shackerstone This museum is located at Shackerstone Station, part of the Battlefield Line Railway. It's a treat for train enthusiasts.
Sir John Moore Heritage Centre
Location: Appleby Magna This centre shows what Victorian life was like in the old Sir John Moore Church of England School in 1891.
Stanford Hall
Location: Lutterworth Stanford Hall is a beautiful historic house from the William and Mary period. You can explore its grand rooms and learn about its past.
Stonehurst Family Farm and Motor Museum
Location: Mountsorrel This unique place combines a family farm with a motor museum! You can meet farm animals and see a collection of old cars and vehicles.
Stoneygate Tram Depot
Location: Leicester This museum explores the history of public transport in Leicester. You can learn about old buses and even take rides on historic buses!
Stoneywell
Location: Ulverscroft Operated by the National Trust, Stoneywell is a beautiful summer home. It was designed in the Arts and Crafts style by Ernest Gimson.
Swannington Hough Mill
Location: Swannington This historic mill is operated by the Swannington Heritage Trust. You can learn about how mills worked in the past.
Wigston Framework Knitters Museum
Location: Wigston Magna This museum shows a workshop with old stocking frame equipment. You can see how people made stockings, gloves, and other knitted items by hand.
William Carey Museum
Location: Leicester Located at the Central Baptist Church, this museum tells the story of William Carey. He was a pioneer missionary.
Museums That Are No Longer Open
Sometimes museums close, but their collections often find new homes. Here are some museums that used to be in Leicestershire:
- Magazine Gateway Regimental Museum, Leicester (closed in 1996, collection moved to Newarke Houses Museum).
- Museum of Costume, Leicester (closed in 2000).
- City Gallery, Leicester (closed in 2010).
- Snibston Discovery Museum, Coalville (closed in July 2015).
- Donington Grand Prix Exhibition, Castle Donington (closed in 2018).
- Cold War Jets Collection, Bruntingthorpe (closed in June 2020).
See also
- Category:Tourist attractions in Leicestershire
