List of museums in Somerset facts for kids

Somerset is a beautiful county in England, full of interesting places to visit! It has many amazing museums. A museum is a special place that collects and takes care of cool objects. These objects can be about history, art, science, or culture. Museums let everyone see and learn from these collections.

Many of Somerset's museums are in really old and important buildings. These are called "listed buildings" in the UK. They are protected because they have special history or architecture. There are different levels of protection, like Grade I for super important buildings, and Grade II for nationally important ones.

Lots of these museums follow national standards to make sure they are great places to visit. You can find all sorts of museums here! There are art galleries, museums about stamps, military history, science, planes, cars, trains, and even toys! Many are local museums, showing the history of a town. Some are historic houses, looked after by groups like the National Trust or English Heritage.

Awesome Museums in Somerset

Name	Picture	Town/City	What it's about	What you'll find there
American Museum and Gardens	The American Museum in Bath	Claverton	Art	This museum is in a beautiful old house from the 1820s. It shows American history through art and objects. You can see amazing quilts and furniture, but no military items.
Ashton Windmill	Ashton Windmill	Chapel Allerton	Mill	This old windmill from the 1700s was restored in 1967. It's a Grade II* listed building and is now preserved for everyone to see.
Bakelite Museum	The Bakelite Museum in Williton	Williton	Multiple	Housed in a Grade II listed building, this museum has a cool collection of old plastic items. Think vintage radios, cameras, telephones, and even a Bakelite coffin!
Barrington Court	Barrington Court	Barrington	Historic house	This Tudor manor house from the 1500s was the first house bought by the National Trust. It has beautiful Arts and Crafts style gardens.
Bath Abbey Heritage Vaults Museum	Bath Abbey Heritage Vaults Museum	Bath	Religious	Explore the history of Bath Abbey in its old 18th-century cellars. See artifacts, learn about the building's construction, and its role in the community.
Bath Postal Museum	Bath Postal Museum	Bath	Stamps & Post	Founded in 1979, this museum shows the history of mail. You can see old quills, ink wells, post boxes, mail coaches, and even a replica Victorian post office.
Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution	Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution	Bath	Multiple	This institution has an old library with over 7,000 books. It also holds letters from famous scientists like Charles Darwin and features paintings and old photographs.
Beckford's Tower and Museum	Beckford's Tower and Museum	Bath	Biographical	This 120-foot tower, built in 1827, displays furniture, paintings, and art that belonged to the writer William Beckford. It's a Grade I listed building.
Bishops Lydeard Mill and Rural Life Museum	Bishops Lydeard Mill	Bishops Lydeard	Mill	This 18th-century mill has a working waterwheel. The museum shows traditional trades and crafts, like a wheelwright's shop, cooper's shop, and a Victorian kitchen.
Bishop's Palace	Bishop's Palace in Wells	Wells	Historic house	This medieval palace was home to the Bishops of Bath and Wells. It has beautiful gardens and a moat with a gatehouse from 1341.
Blagdon Lake Pumping Station and Visitor Centre	Blagdon Lake Pumping Station	Blagdon	Technology	See science and environment exhibits here. One of the old steam-powered engines still works sometimes! There's also a nature trail outside.
Blake Museum	Blake Museum in Bridgwater	Bridgwater	Local	This museum is believed to be the birthplace of Robert Blake, a famous General at Sea. It has artifacts from his life, including his sea chest.
Blue Anchor Railway Museum	Blue Anchor Railway Museum	Blue Anchor	Railway	Located in a restored station building, this museum opened in 1986. It has about 550 items, mostly related to the Great Western Railway and other local train lines.
Bruton Museum	Bruton Museum	Bruton	Local	This museum is in the Dovecote Building on Bruton's High Street. It shares the local history of the area.
Castle Cary and District Museum	Castle Cary and District Museum	Castle Cary	Local	Housed in the Market House, this museum has a varied collection. You can see local fossils, learn about rope making, and discover the history of Cary Castle.
Chard Museum	Chard Museum	Chard	Local	This museum is in a 16th-century thatched building. It tells the story of Chard, including its geology, the fire of 1577, and local lace mills. There's also a blacksmith's forge outside.
Cheddar Caves and Gorge	Cheddar Caves and Gorge	Cheddar	Archaeology	This site includes the Cheddar Man Museum of Prehistory. Learn about the caves and see original flint tools and human remains found there.
Claverton Pumping Station	Claverton Pumping Station	Claverton	Technology	This unique pumping station uses a waterwheel to pump water from the River Avon to the Kennet and Avon Canal. It's a Grade II listed building.
Cleeve Abbey	Cleeve Abbey	Washford	Religious	Explore the remains of a medieval monastery founded in the late 1100s. It's a Grade I listed building and a Scheduled Ancient Monument.
Clevedon Court	Clevedon Court	Clevedon	Historic house	Run by the National Trust, this 14th-century manor house has collections of Nailsea glass and Eltonware pottery. It's a Grade I listed building.
Coleridge Cottage	Coleridge Cottage	Nether Stowey	Historic house	This 17th-century cottage was the home of the famous poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge. It's operated by the National Trust and is a Grade II* listed building.
Cothay Manor	Cothay Manor	Stawley	Historic house	A beautiful 15th-century medieval manor and gardens, built around 1480. It's considered one of the most perfect small medieval buildings in England.
Crewkerne and District Museum	–	Crewkerne	Local	Opened in 2000, this museum shows the history of Crewkerne, especially its flax and linen industry. It also has collections on archaeology, coins, costumes, and local personalities.
Dunster Castle	Dunster Castle	Dunster	Historic house	Operated by the National Trust, Dunster is a medieval castle with later additions. It's a Grade I listed building and has beautiful grounds.
Dunster Museum & Doll Collection	–	Dunster	Toy	This museum is home to a collection of over 800 dolls from all around the world.
Dunster Working Watermill	Dunster Working Watermill	Dunster	Mill	This watermill, built around 1780, is in the grounds of Dunster Castle. It was restored in 1979 and is still working today.
East Somerset Railway	East Somerset Railway	Cranmore	Railway	A heritage railway and museum at an old station. You can see a rare red telephone box and a signal box from 1904.
Farleigh Hungerford Castle	Farleigh Hungerford Castle	Farleigh Hungerford	Historic house	Built around 1370, this castle is now operated by English Heritage. You can explore the remains of a medieval priest's house, chapel, and the castle itself.
Fashion Museum, Bath	Fashion Museum, Bath	Bath	Textile	Located in the Assembly Rooms, this museum has over 30,000 objects! It shows fashionable clothes for men, women, and children from the late 1500s to today.
Fleet Air Arm Museum	Fleet Air Arm Museum	RNAS Yeovilton	Aviation	This museum has a huge collection of military and civilian aircraft, including helicopters. You can even watch real military aircraft take off and land!
Frome Museum	Frome Museum	Frome	Local	This museum, in an Italianate building from 1865, has local history exhibits. See artifacts from a bronze foundry, old printing presses, and Victorian costumes.
Fyne Court	Fyne Court	Broomfield	Historic house	A National Trust nature reserve and visitor centre. It was once home to the pioneering electrician Andrew Crosse. The original house burned down in 1898.
Gants Mill	Gants Mill	Pitcombe	Mill	Much of this mill was built in 1810, but parts are even older. Its machinery from 1888 is still used to grind animal feed and flour. It also has beautiful water gardens.
Glastonbury Abbey	Glastonbury Abbey	Glastonbury	Living History	Explore the ruins of this ancient abbey. You can see portrayals of 14th-century monks, kitchen maids, and even King Arthur's court.
Glastonbury Lake Village Museum	Glastonbury Lake Village Museum	Glastonbury	Archaeology	Housed in a 15th-century merchant's house, this museum displays Iron Age objects from the Glastonbury Lake Village. These items were perfectly preserved in peat!
Haynes International Motor Museum	Haynes International Motor Museum	Sparkford	Automobile	This museum has over 400 cars and motorcycles, plus other cool car-related items. It was started in 1985 by John Haynes, who created the famous Haynes Manuals.
Helicopter Museum	The Helicopter Museum	Weston-super-Mare	Aviation	See a huge collection of over 80 helicopters and autogyros from all over the world, including military and civilian models.
Herschel Museum of Astronomy	Herschel Museum of Astronomy	Bath	Science	This museum is dedicated to astronomer William Herschel and his sister Caroline. It's in their old home and shows astronomical and musical items, including a replica of the telescope Herschel used to discover Uranus.
Holburne Museum of Art	Holburne Museum of Art	Bath	Art	This museum, part of the University of Bath, houses the art collection of Sir William Holburne. You'll find paintings, Italian bronzes, porcelain, and more.
Ilchester Museum	Ilchester Museum	Ilchester	Local	Located in the Town Hall House, this museum shows the history of Ilchester from the Iron Age and Roman times to today. It has England's oldest staff of office, from the 1200s!
Jane Austen Centre	Jane Austen Centre	Bath	Biographical	This museum focuses on the life of the famous author Jane Austen and her time living in Bath.
King John's Hunting Lodge	King John's Hunting Lodge	Axbridge	Historic house	Run by the National Trust, this early Tudor timber-framed house has local history exhibits. It's a Grade II* listed building.
Lambretta Scooter Museum	–	Weston-super-Mare	Transportation	This museum has an amazing collection of 61 Lambretta scooters, with at least one from every year between 1947 and 1971. You can also see sales leaflets, accessories, and toys.
Langport and River Parrett Visitor Centre	–	Langport	Local	This centre has displays about local history, industry, and the natural history of the River Parrett. It's also a starting point for the River Parrett Trail.
Lytes Cary Manor	Lytes Cary Manor	Charlton Mackrell	Historic house	Owned by the National Trust, this property has parts dating back to the 1300s. The house is Grade I listed, and its gardens are also historically important.
Market House Museum	Market House Museum	Watchet	Local	Built in 1820, this building became a museum in 1979. It focuses on the nautical and maritime history of Watchet port, with collections on archaeology and natural sciences.
Montacute House	Montacute House	Montacute	Historic house	Operated by the National Trust, this Elizabethan mansion has 16th-century furniture and textiles. Its Long Gallery displays over 60 Tudor and Elizabethan portraits.
Montacute TV Radio Toy Museum	–	Montacute	Media	This museum has a collection of toys, games, and jigsaws related to radio and TV shows. It also features over 500 radios, from vintage wirelesses to novelty transistors.
Muchelney Abbey	Muchelney Abbey	Muchelney	Religious	Operated by English Heritage, these are the remains of a medieval Benedictine abbey. You can also see an early Tudor house from the 1500s.
Museum of Bath Architecture	Museum of Bath Architecture	Bath	History	This collection shows how a typical Georgian house was built in Bath. It includes architectural models, maps, paintings, and reconstructions.
Museum of Bath at Work	Museum of Bath at Work	Bath	Local	Established in 1978, this museum shows Bath's commercial development over 2,000 years. The main exhibit is a reconstructed Victorian engineering business.
Museum of East Asian Art	Museum of East Asian Art	Bath	Art	This restored Georgian house holds a collection of ceramics, jades, bronzes, and bamboo carvings from China, Japan, Korea, and Southeast Asia. There are almost 2,000 objects!
Museum of Somerset	Museum of Somerset	Taunton	Multiple	Located in Taunton Castle, this museum has collections of toys, dolls, sculptures, natural history, fossils, silver, pottery, and archaeological items. It reopened in 2011 after a big renovation.
No. 1 Royal Crescent	No. 1 Royal Crescent	Bath	Historic house	This house, built between 1767 and 1774, is now a museum. It shows how wealthy people in the Georgian era might have furnished their homes.
Porlock Museum	Porlock Museum	Porlock	Local	Housed in the Dovery Manor house from the late 1400s, this museum has artifacts, photos, and displays about local history, especially Porlock Hill.
Priest's House	Priest's House in Muchelney	Muchelney	Religious	Operated by the National Trust, this medieval priest's house was built in 1308. It has a Gothic doorway and a 15th-century fireplace.
Radstock Museum	Radstock Museum	Radstock	Multiple	This museum is in a restored Victorian Market Hall. It focuses on the history of the Somerset Coalfield and the local trades that supported the mining community.
Roman Baths	Roman Baths in Bath	Bath	Archaeology	This is a very well-preserved Roman site for public bathing. You can explore the Sacred Spring, the Roman Temple, the Bath House, and a museum with Roman finds.
Sally Lunn's House	Sally Lunn's House	Bath	Historic house	This 17th-century house is a famous tea and eating place. It's where the delicious Sally Lunn bun originated, and you can see a period kitchen.
Shoe Museum	The Shoe Museum in Street	Street	Industry	Learn about the history of the C&J Clark shoe company here. The museum displays shoes from Roman times to today, plus old machinery and advertisements.
Somerset and Dorset Railway Heritage Centre	Somerset and Dorset Railway Heritage Centre	Midsomer Norton	Railway	Based at Midsomer Norton railway station, this site has restored station buildings, a signal box, and a goods shed. The museum is in an old stable block.
Somerset and Dorset Railway Trust Museum	Somerset and Dorset Railway Trust Museum	Washford	Railway	This museum has relics from the Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway, including station signs, lamps, tools, and even steam locomotives.
Somerset Brick and Tile Museum	Somerset Brick and Tile Museum	Bridgwater	Industry	This museum is all about Somerset's brick and tile industry. It has the last surviving "pinnacle kiln" in Bridgwater, from the 1800s, and shows how bricks and tiles were made.
Somerset Cricket Museum	Somerset Cricket Museum	Taunton	Sports	Located in the Old Priory Barn, this museum covers the history of the Somerset cricket club. See exhibits on famous players like Ian Botham and Marcus Trescothick.
Somerset Military Museum	Somerset Military Museum	Taunton	Military	Inside Taunton Castle, this museum shows the history and memorabilia of local regiments. You can see medals, uniforms, and other historical items.
Somerset Rural Life Museum	Somerset Rural Life Museum	Glastonbury	Rural	This museum explores the social and agricultural history of Somerset. It's housed in buildings around a 14th-century barn that once belonged to Glastonbury Abbey.
Stembridge Tower Mill	Stembridge Tower Mill	High Ham	Mill	Operated by the National Trust, this is the last thatched windmill in England! Built in 1822, it was restored in 2009.
Treasurer's House	Treasurer's House in Martock	Martock	Historic house	Run by the National Trust, this medieval priest's house was built in the 1200s. It has a Great Hall from 1293 and an even older Solar Block.
Tropiquaria	Tropiquaria	Watchet	Multiple	Tropiquaria has a tropical hall with snakes, lizards, and small carnivores. Outside, you can see macaws, gibbons, wallabies, and lemurs. It also has a museum with old radios.
Tyntesfield	Tyntesfield	Wraxall	Historic house	Owned by the National Trust, this Victorian Gothic Revival house has beautiful gardens. The house, built of Bath Stone, includes a servants' wing and a chapel.
Victoria Art Gallery	Victoria Art Gallery	Bath	Art	This free public art museum has paintings, sculptures, and decorative arts. The building was designed in 1897 and features a statue of Queen Victoria.
Watchet Boat Museum	Watchet Boat Museum	Watchet	Maritime	Housed in an old Victorian goods shed from 1862, this museum shows different types of local boats. You can also see a "mudhorse," a wooden sledge used to collect fish.
Wellington Museum	–	Wellington	Local	This free museum focuses on businesses and people from Wellington, especially those linked to the wool industry. It also has displays about the Duke of Wellington.
Wells and Mendip Museum	Wells and Mendip Museum	Wells	Local	Located in the former Chancellors' House, this museum has exhibits on geology and fossils from the Mendip Hills. You can also see Roman lead ingots and statuary from Wells Cathedral.
West Somerset Rural Life Museum and Victorian School	West Somerset Rural Life Museum and Victorian School	Allerford	Rural	This building was the village school from 1821 to 1981. Now a museum, it displays artifacts from West Somerset, including cookery tools and farm equipment. One room is a recreated Victorian classroom!
West Somerset Railway	West Somerset Railway Museum Exhibits	Bishops Lydeard	Railway	A heritage railway with exhibits at Bishops Lydeard railway station. The old goods shed is now a visitor centre and museum, with a Great Western Railway sleeping car and a model railway.
Weston Museum	Weston Museum entrance	Weston-super-Mare	Local	This museum has archaeological exhibits, including finds from an Iron Age hill fort. It also covers social history, local industries, seaside holidays, and life during World War II.
Westonzoyland Pumping Station Museum	Westonzoyland Pumping Station Museum	Westonzoyland	Technology	This museum is in the first pumping station built on the Somerset Levels. Its main attraction is an 1861 steam engine and pump, which is still in working order in its original spot!
Willows and Wetlands Visitor Centre	Willows and Wetlands Visitor Centre	Stoke St Gregory	Industry	This centre offers tours of willow fields and workshops. It explains the history of willow growing and basket-making in the Somerset Levels.
Wincanton Museum	Wincanton Museum	Wincanton	Local	Housed in an old cottage, this museum has artifacts, documents, and photos about Wincanton's social history. There's a replica Victorian kitchen and a room about World War I and II.
Woodspring Priory	Woodspring Priory	Weston-super-Mare	Religious	This was an Augustinian priory founded in the early 1200s. It's now owned by the Landmark Trust and rented as a holiday home. There's a small museum about its history.
Yeovil Railway Centre	Turntable at Yeovil Junction station	Yeovil	Railway	Created in 1993, this centre has a quarter-mile of track for demonstration trains. It features a Great Western Railway transfer shed from the 1860s, now a visitor centre, and an old turntable.

Past Museums

• Exmoor Classic Car Museum, Porlock, its collection was sold in 2012.
• Museum of South Somerset, Yeovil, closed in 2011.
• Peat Moors Centre, Westhay - This museum was about the archaeology, history, and geology of the Somerset Levels. It had reconstructions of Iron Age round houses and the world's oldest engineered highway, the Sweet Track. It closed in 2009.

See also

• Tourist attractions in Somerset