List of museums in Shropshire facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Shropshire is a county in England with many interesting museums! A museum is a special place where cool objects from the past, art, science, or history are collected and taken care of. They are then shown to the public so everyone can learn from them. This list will tell you about some of the amazing museums you can visit in Shropshire and the nearby area of Telford and Wrekin.

Discover Amazing Museums in Shropshire
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Discover Amazing Museums in Shropshire

Shropshire is home to many different types of museums. You can explore old houses, learn about industries like iron and china making, or even step back in time in a Victorian town!

Historic Houses and Grand Estates

Many museums in Shropshire are historic houses where you can imagine what life was like long ago.

Attingham Park: Located in Atcham, this is a beautiful country mansion from the late 1700s. It's looked after by the National Trust, a charity that cares for historic places. You can explore the grand house and its lovely gardens.
Benthall Hall: Near Broseley, this is a 16th-century country house, also cared for by the National Trust. It's a great example of old English architecture.
Boscobel House: In Boscobel, this restored 17th-century timber-framed house is managed by English Heritage, another charity preserving historic sites. It's famous because King Charles II hid here in a tree to escape soldiers! You can see the dairy, farmyard, and gardens.
Darby Houses: In Coalbrookdale, these are 17th-century homes where the Quaker managers of the Coalbrookdale Ironworks lived. They are part of the famous Ironbridge Gorge Museums.
Dudmaston Hall: Near Quatt, this 17th-century country mansion is another National Trust property. It has beautiful gardens and a cool collection of modern art and Spanish paintings.
Morville Hall: Near Bridgnorth, this is an Elizabethan house with lovely gardens, also run by the National Trust.
Stokesay Castle: In Stokesay, this is a medieval fortified manor house managed by English Heritage. It's partly ruined but still amazing to explore.
Stokesay Court: In Onibury, this is a grand Victorian country house with beautiful gardens.
Sunnycroft: In Wellington, this Victorian suburban villa is unique because its late 19th-century inside has hardly changed! It's looked after by the National Trust.
Wilderhope Manor: On Wenlock Edge, this 16th-century Tudor manor house is also a National Trust property. It even doubles as a youth hostel!

Step Back in Time: Living History and Local Life

Some museums let you experience history as if you were there, or learn about the local area.

Acton Scott Working Farm: At Acton Scott, this farm shows you what a Victorian-period working farm was like. You can see how things were done long ago!
Blists Hill Victorian Town: In Madeley, this is a fantastic open-air museum where you can explore a late 19th-century Victorian town. It has a chemist, a schoolhouse, a bank, and even a steam-operated pithead. It's one of the amazing Ironbridge Gorge Museums.
The Bog Visitor Centre: Near Stiperstones, this centre teaches you about the natural history, geology, and mining of the area.
Bridgnorth Museum: In Bridgnorth, this museum tells the story of the local history and culture of the town.
Clun Town Museum: In Clun, you can find out about the local history and special items of the town, located in the town hall.
House on Crutches Museum: In Bishop's Castle, this timber-framed house has exhibits on local history, home life, and farming.
Ludlow Museum: In Ludlow, this museum covers local history, wildlife, archaeology (the study of old things), geology (the study of rocks), and fossils.
Market Drayton Museum: In Market Drayton, this museum shares the local history of the town.
Much Wenlock Museum: In Much Wenlock, this museum focuses on local history, including the famous Wenlock Olympian Society Annual Games, which inspired the modern Olympic Games!
Museum of the Gorge: In Ironbridge, this museum tells the story of the Ironbridge Gorge, its coal mining history, and local life. It's another one of the Ironbridge Gorge Museums.
Oswestry Town Museum: In Oswestry, this museum tells "The Story of Oswestry."
Whitchurch Heritage Centre: In Whitchurch, this centre explores the history of this market town. It also has art and items related to artist Randolph Caldecott and musician Edward German.

Industry, Technology, and Transport

Shropshire played a huge role in the Industrial Revolution. Many museums show this history.

Bishop's Castle Railway and Transport Museum: In Bishop's Castle, this museum shares the history of the old Bishop's Castle Railway.
Broseley Pipeworks: In Broseley, this is a former factory where clay tobacco pipes were made. It's one of the Ironbridge Gorge Museums.
Cambrian Heritage Railways: In Oswestry, this is a heritage railway and museum where you can see old trains.
Coalbrookdale Museum of Iron: In Coalbrookdale, this museum is at the site of 17th-century ironworks. It's one of the Ironbridge Gorge Museums and even has a museum of steel sculpture.
Coalport China Museum: In Coalport, this museum explores the history and making of Coalport chinaware. It's another Ironbridge Gorge Museum.
Coleham Pumping Station: In Coleham, this is a Victorian pumping station with preserved steam engines. It's cool to see how they used to pump water!
Daniels Mill: In Bridgnorth, this is an 18th-century working water mill. You can see how water power was used to grind grain.
The Engine House: In Highley, this is a visitor centre for the Severn Valley Railway. You can see steam locomotives and railway exhibits here.
Enginuity: In Coalbrookdale, this science museum is all about the principles of design and technology in industry. It's a hands-on museum, part of the Ironbridge Gorge Museums.
Iron Bridge and Toll House: In Ironbridge, this is the very first arch bridge in the world made out of cast iron, built in 1779! The toll house has exhibits about how the bridge was built. It's one of the Ironbridge Gorge Museums.
Jackfield Tile Museum: In Jackfield, near Broseley, this was a decorative tile factory. You can see beautiful tiles and rooms decorated with them. It's another Ironbridge Gorge Museum.
Llanymynech Heritage Area: In Llanymynech, this area has historic lime quarries and industrial buildings, including a special Hoffman kiln – one of only three still standing in Britain!
Tar Tunnel: In Coalport, this is a unique tunnel where bitumen (a sticky, black substance like tar) seeps through the walls. It's one of the Ironbridge Gorge Museums.

Military and Aviation History

Learn about brave soldiers and amazing flying machines.

Battlefield 1403: In Battlefield, this museum tells the story of the Battle of Shrewsbury.
Royal Air Force Museum Cosford: In Cosford, this museum is all about the history of aviation and the Royal Air Force. You can see war planes, transport aircraft, engines, and even missiles! They have exhibits on how air technology changed and the history of the Cold War.
Shropshire Regimental Museum: Located at Shrewsbury Castle in Shrewsbury, this museum has items and history from the local military regiments.
Welsh Guards Museum: In Oswestry, this museum tells the history and shows items from the Welsh Guards. It's located within the Park Hall Countryside Experience.

Unique and Fun Museums

Shropshire also has some truly unique places to visit!

Land of Lost Content: In Craven Arms, this museum is full of 20th-century memorabilia, mostly items made in Britain. It's like a trip down memory lane!
Merrythought: In Ironbridge, this is a toy museum located at the last remaining British teddy bear manufacturer, Merrythought. You can see how teddy bears are made!
Mythstories Museum of Myth & Fable: In Wem, this museum has changing displays of legends and folklore, and they even have live storytelling!
Park Hall: In Oswestry, this farm park has three museums: a Victorian School & Museum, the Welsh Guards Museum, and a reproduction Iron Age Roundhouse.
Shrewsbury Museum and Art Gallery: In Shrewsbury, this museum has local history and art exhibits.
Shropshire Hills Discovery Centre: In Craven Arms, this centre teaches you about the area's geology, natural history, Iron Age history, and local art.
Wroxeter Roman City: In Wroxeter, this site is managed by English Heritage. You can explore the excavated remains of a Roman city and see artifacts in the museum.

Images for kids

Attingham Park from above
Benthall Hall
A cart on Canal Street at Blists Hill Victorian Town
Boscobel House
Inside Broseley Pipeworks
The Museum of Steel Sculpture at Coalbrookdale
A kiln at Coalport China Museum
The impressive steam engines at Coleham Pumping Station
Daniels Mill, a working water mill
Rosehill House, one of the Darby Houses
Dudmaston Hall
A steam locomotive at The Engine House
The Enginuity Museum
The unique 'House on Crutches' Museum
The famous Iron Bridge
Decorative tiles at Jackfield Tile Museum
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Inside the Land of Lost Content museum
Lime kilns at Llanymynech Heritage Area
Ludlow Castle
Merrythought teddy bears
Morville Hall
The Museum of the Gorge
Aircraft at the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford
Shrewsbury Castle, home to the Shropshire Regimental Museum
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Stokesay Castle
Stokesay Court
Sunnycroft in Wellington
The sign for Whitchurch Heritage Centre
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Wilderhope Manor
The ruins of Wroxeter Roman City