List of museums in Suffolk facts for kids

This list is all about museums in Suffolk, England! Museums are super cool places where you can explore and learn. They collect and take care of amazing objects that tell stories about history, art, science, and different cultures. Think of them like treasure chests filled with old tools, beautiful paintings, or even dinosaur bones! This list also includes art galleries that show off awesome artworks.

Museums to Explore

Name	Image	Town/City	Region	Type	What You'll Find
Aldeburgh Museum		Aldeburgh	Suffolk Coastal	Local	This museum is inside a 16th-century building called the moot hall. It shares the local history of Aldeburgh, including how people lived and worked long ago.
Alfred Corry Lifeboat Museum		Southwold	Waveney	Maritime	Come see the old Southwold lifeboat named "Alfred Corry"! This museum has exhibits and items about saving lives at sea and the area's sailing history.
Amber Shop and Museum		Southwold	Waveney	Natural history	This place has a shop and a museum all about amber. You can see cool amber items, carvings, jewelry, and other beautiful objects made from this ancient tree resin.
The Apex		Bury St Edmunds	St Edmundsbury	Art	The Apex is a performing arts center, but it also has the Apex Art Gallery. Here, you can see modern art exhibitions.
Bardwell Windmill		Bardwell	St Edmundsbury	Mill	This is a tower windmill built in the early 1800s. It's a great example of old technology!
Bawdsey Manor		Bawdsey	Suffolk Coastal	Military	Explore the Transmitter Block and the "Magic Ear" exhibit. You'll learn about RAF Bawdsey and how radar was used during World War II and the Cold War.
Beccles & District Museum		Beccles	Waveney	Local	Discover the local history and culture of Beccles at this museum.
Bentwaters Cold War Museum		Woodbridge	Suffolk Coastal	Military	Learn about the history of RAF Bentwaters during World War II and the Cold War. It's a fascinating look at a time of big changes.
Brandon Heritage Centre		Brandon	Forest Heath	Local	This center tells the story of Brandon's local history and culture.
Bungay Museum		Bungay	Waveney	Local	Find out about the local history and culture of Bungay here.
Buttrum's Mill		Woodbridge	Suffolk Coastal	Mill	This is a tower windmill from the mid-1800s.
Christchurch Mansion		Ipswich	Ipswich	Multiple	This grand old house has beautiful art, fancy decorations in rooms set up like they used to be, and even old toys and dolls.
Clare Ancient House Museum		Clare	St Edmundsbury	Local	This house from the 1300s and 1400s shows exhibits about local history and old archaeological finds.
Clifford Road Air Raid Shelter		Ipswich	Ipswich	History	Go underground into a World War II air raid shelter! You'll see supplies and items from that time.
Dunwich Museum		Dunwich	Suffolk Coastal	Local	This museum tells the local history of Dunwich, including how it slowly disappeared due to coastal erosion.
East Anglia Transport Museum		Carlton Colville	Waveney	Transportation	See historic public transport vehicles like buses, trams, and trolleybuses. There's also a small railway!
Easton Farm Park		Easton	Suffolk Coastal	Farm	This is a fun farm park where you can learn about farm life.
Euston Hall		Euston	St Edmundsbury	Historic house	This 17th-century manor house has a collection of fine art. Its park was designed by famous landscape artists.
Felixstowe Museum		Felixstowe	Suffolk Coastal	Multiple	Located inside Landguard Fort, this museum covers the military and social history of the area.
Flatford: Bridge Cottage		Flatford	Babergh	Historic house	Run by the National Trust, this 16th-century thatched cottage has exhibits about the artist John Constable and his paintings of the area.
Framlingham Castle		Framlingham	Suffolk Coastal	Historic house	Managed by English Heritage, this museum is inside the remains of a 12th-century fortress. It tells the story of the castle.
Gainsborough's House		Sudbury	Babergh	Art	This is the birthplace of the famous artist Thomas Gainsborough. You can see his paintings, drawings, and prints, plus special art exhibitions.
Greene King Visitor Centre		Bury St Edmunds	St Edmundsbury	Food	Learn about the history of this brewery, see old items, and visit the shop.
Halesworth Museum		Halesworth	Waveney	Local	Located in the old Halesworth railway station, this museum explores local history.
Haverhill Local History Centre		Haverhill	St Edmundsbury	Local	This center, found in the Haverhill Arts Centre, focuses on Haverhill's local history.
Herringfleet Windmill		Herringfleet	Waveney	Mill	This is an early 19th-century smock windmill.
HMS Ganges Museum		Bures	Babergh	Maritime	This museum tells the history of the training ships linked to the naval base HMS Ganges.
Ickworth House, Park & Garden		Bury St Edmunds	St Edmundsbury	Historic house	Run by the National Trust, this country house has collections of paintings, portraits, old furniture, and silver. It also has beautiful gardens.
Ipswich Art School Gallery		Ipswich	Ipswich	Art	This gallery showcases art from the Ipswich Art School.
Ipswich Maritime Trust Window Museum		Ipswich	Ipswich	Maritime	This unique museum has window displays that show Ipswich's history with the sea.
Ipswich Museum		Ipswich	Ipswich	Multiple	Explore archaeology, learn about Roman Britain and Ancient Egypt, discover local history, and see natural history exhibits.
Ipswich Transport Museum		Ipswich	Ipswich	Transportation	This museum covers the history of transport in the area. It has buses, trams, commercial vehicles, fire trucks, and even old bicycles and horse-drawn vehicles. Many were made locally!
Kentwell Hall		Long Melford	Babergh	Historic house	This is an Elizabethan stately home with old buildings, a farm with rare animal breeds, and lovely gardens.
Landguard Fort		Felixstowe	Suffolk Coastal	Military	This historic fort was used from the 1500s until the 1950s. It also includes the Felixstowe Museum.
Lanman Museum		Framlingham	Suffolk Coastal	Local	Located near Framlingham Castle, this museum covers local history, the castle's story, farming, and social history.
Lavenham Guildhall		Lavenham	Babergh	History	Run by the National Trust, this medieval guild hall has exhibits about the local cloth industry and farming.
Laxfield & District Museum		Laxfield	Mid Suffolk	Military	This museum provides information about military history in the area.
Little Hall Lavenham		Lavenham	Babergh	Historic house	This is a beautiful Tudor house from the 14th century.
Long Shop Museum		Leiston	Suffolk Coastal	Industry	Learn about the history of Richard Garrett & Sons, a company that made farm machines, steam engines, and trolleybuses.
Lowestoft Maritime Museum		Lowestoft	Waveney	Maritime	See items from the sea, ship models, marine art, and learn about fishing and the fishing industry. It also covers the Royal Navy's activities in World War II.
Lowestoft Museum		Lowestoft	Waveney	Local	This museum covers Lowestoft's local history, including 18th-century Lowestoft Porcelain, fossils, sea history, industries, and culture.
Lowestoft War Memorial Museum		Lowestoft	Waveney	Military	This museum tells the story of the area's military history during World War I and World War II.
Martlesham Heath Control Tower Museum		Woodbridge	Suffolk Coastal	Aviation	Learn about the history of RAF Martlesham Heath at this control tower museum.
Mechanical Music Museum at Cotton		Cotton	Mid Suffolk	Music	This museum has a collection of automatic musical instruments and items from old cinemas.
Melford Hall		Long Melford	Babergh	Historic house	Run by the National Trust, this stately home shows two centuries of family life and has connections to the author Beatrix Potter.
Mid-Suffolk Light Railway Museum		Wetheringsett	Mid Suffolk	Railway	This is a heritage railway and museum with old locomotives and railway items.
Mildenhall Museum		Mildenhall	Forest Heath	Local	Discover local history, wildlife, the story of RAF Mildenhall, and replicas of the famous Mildenhall Treasure.
Mincarlo		Lowestoft	Waveney	Maritime	Step aboard the "Mincarlo," an old fishing trawler that is now a museum ship!
Moyse's Hall Museum		Bury St Edmunds	St Edmundsbury	Multiple	This museum covers local history, old clocks and watches, costumes, art, and has a special gallery about the Suffolk Regiment.
Museum of East Anglian Life		Stowmarket	Mid Suffolk	Open air	This outdoor museum shows the history of farming in East Anglia. See old farm machines, shops from the 1950s, kitchens, a Victorian schoolroom, and even a working watermill.
Museum of Knots and Sailors' Ropework		Ipswich	Ipswich	Maritime	This museum, open by appointment, celebrates the art and skill of ropeworking.
National Horseracing Museum		Newmarket	Forest Heath	Sports	Learn all about the history of horse racing in Britain. It includes the British Horseracing Hall of Fame and a gallery of British sporting art.
Norfolk and Suffolk Aviation Museum		Flixton	Waveney	Aviation	See historic aircraft and learn about the history of RAF Bungay. It covers aviation history and items from World War II.
Orford Castle		Orford	Suffolk Coastal	Historic house	Run by English Heritage, this medieval castle keep has exhibits about local archaeological finds and the castle's history.
Pakenham Windmill		Pakenham	St Edmundsbury	Mill	This is a tower windmill from the mid-1800s.
Parham Airfield Museum		Framlingham	Suffolk Coastal	Military	Learn about the airfield's activities during World War II, especially the 390th Bombardment Group and the British Resistance Organisation.
Rougham Control Tower Museum		Bury St Edmunds	St Edmundsbury	Military	This museum has a restored World War II control tower and a Quonset hut. It shows exhibits and items from RAF Bury St Edmunds.
Royal Naval Patrol Service Museum		Lowestoft	Waveney	Maritime	Discover the history of the Royal Naval Patrol Service and their local activities in World War II.
Saxmundham Museum		Saxmundham	Suffolk Coastal	Local	This museum covers local history, with replicas of old shops, a jail cell, and cultural exhibits.
Saxtead Green Post Windmill		Framlingham	Suffolk Coastal	Mill	Run by English Heritage, this is a 19th-century post windmill.
Smith's Row		Bury St Edmunds	St Edmundsbury	Art	This is a gallery for contemporary art.
Somerleyton Hall		Somerleyton	Waveney	Historic house	This is a grand Tudor-Jacobean stately home with beautiful gardens.
Southwold Lighthouse		Southwold	Waveney	Maritime	You can visit this lighthouse, which also acts as a museum.
Southwold Museum		Southwold	Waveney	Local	This museum explores Southwold's local history, natural history, geology, industries, railway, sea heritage, and archaeology.
Southwold Sailors' Reading Room		Southwold	Waveney	Maritime	This special place has marine art, photos, models, and other items from local fishermen and sailors.
St Edmundsbury Cathedral		Bury St Edmunds	St Edmundsbury	Multiple	This historic cathedral has the Edmund Gallery for art exhibits and displays of religious items and treasures.
Sudbury Heritage Centre & Museum		Sudbury	Babergh	Local	This center focuses on Sudbury's local history.
Suffolk Regiment Museum		Bury St Edmunds	St Edmundsbury	Military	See old uniforms, weapons, and items from the Suffolk Regiment.
Suffolk Underwater Studies Museum		Orford	Suffolk Coastal	Maritime	This museum focuses on marine archaeology, showing items found underwater.
Sutton Hoo		Woodbridge	Suffolk Coastal	Archaeology	Run by the National Trust, this site has amazing items from the burial of an Anglo-Saxon king and his treasures.
Thelnetham Windmill		Thelnetham	St Edmundsbury	Mill	This is a tower windmill from the early 1800s.
Upthorpe Mill		St Edmundsbury	Mill	This is a post windmill from the mid-1700s.
West Stow Anglo-Saxon Village		West Stow	St Edmundsbury	Open air	Step back in time at this recreated Anglo-Saxon village! See archaeological items found here and learn about Anglo-Saxon life.
Woodbridge Museum		Woodbridge	Suffolk Coastal	Local	This museum covers Woodbridge's local history, archaeology, trade, roads, housing, religion, and education.
Woodbridge Tide Mill		Woodbridge	Suffolk Coastal	Mill	This is a working tide mill!
Woolpit Museum		Woolpit	Mid Suffolk	Local	Located in a 17th-century cottage, this museum shares Woolpit's local history, including brickmaking.

Museums That Are No Longer Open

• Sue Ryder Foundation Museum, Cavendish: This museum was about the life and work of the kind person Sue Ryder.
• Suffolk Heavy Horse Museum, Woodbridge: This museum showed the history of the Suffolk Punch breed of draught horse.
• William Clowes Printing Museum, Beccles: This museum was about printing.

See Also

• Category:Tourist attractions in Suffolk