List of museums in Surrey facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Welcome to a super cool guide about museums in Surrey, England! Museums are special places that collect and look after amazing objects from the past, art, science, and history. They show these collections to everyone, so we can learn and explore. This list also includes art galleries that don't aim to make money, and art galleries at universities. But remember, online-only museums aren't on this list – these are all places you can visit in person!

Awesome Museums in Surrey
Museums That Have Changed
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Awesome Museums in Surrey

Surrey is home to many fantastic museums, each with unique stories to tell. Let's explore some of them!

Art and Craft Museums

These museums are perfect for anyone who loves art, design, and creative works.

Crafts Study Centre

Located in Farnham, this centre focuses on contemporary crafts. You can see amazing handmade items and learn about modern artists.

Cranleigh Arts Centre

In Cranleigh, this arts centre has a special gallery where they show different art exhibits. It's a great place to see new and exciting art.

Guildford House

Found in Guildford, this is a beautiful 17th-century house that now serves as an art gallery. It's a lovely spot to enjoy various artworks.

Lewis Elton Gallery

This art gallery is at the University of Surrey's Guildford campus. It hosts many exhibitions, talks, and events, showing sculptures, paintings, and photographs from different artists.

Royal Holloway, University of London Picture Gallery and Art Collections

At Egham, this gallery at Royal Holloway, University of London has world-class paintings, sculptures, prints, and drawings. You can see works by famous artists like William Powell Frith and John Everett Millais.

The Lightbox

In Woking, The Lightbox is a fantastic place that combines art with local history, science, and nature exhibits. It's a museum with something for everyone!

Watts Gallery

Located in Compton, this gallery celebrates the work of the famous Victorian painter and sculptor George Frederic Watts. You can see many of his powerful and beautiful creations here.

History and Local Life Museums

These museums dive into the past, showing us what life was like in Surrey and how things have changed over time.

Ash Museum

In Ash, this museum tells the story of the local area's history. It's a great way to learn about the community.

Bourne Hall Museum

You can find this local history museum in Ewell. It shares interesting facts about the area's past.

Chertsey Museum

Located in Chertsey, this museum covers local history, archaeology, and the story of Chertsey Abbey. It also has beautiful art, costumes, and textiles.

Chobham Museum

In Chobham, this museum focuses on the local history of the village.

Dorking Museum

This museum in Dorking explores the local history of the town and its surroundings.

East Surrey Museum

Found in Caterham, this museum covers local history, social history, geology, and archaeology. It's a journey through time for the region.

Egham Museum

In Egham, this museum shares the local history of the town.

Godalming Museum

Located in Godalming, this museum offers a mix of local history, culture, art, and crafts. It's a diverse collection of local treasures.

Guildford Museum

Housed in the gatehouse of Guildford Castle, this museum in Guildford has exhibits on archaeology, local history, social history, and even needlework.

Haslemere Educational Museum

In Haslemere, this museum has a wide range of collections, including natural history, geology, human history, and ethnography. It's a place to learn about the world around us and its people.

Holmesdale Natural History Museum

Located in Reigate, this museum is run by the Holmesdale Natural History Club. It focuses on natural history, archaeology, and local history.

Leatherhead Museum of Local History

This museum in Leatherhead tells the story of the town's local history.

Museum of Farnham

In Farnham, this museum explores the local history, culture, artistic heritage, and social history of the area.

Reigate Priory Museum

Found in Reigate, this museum shares the local history and culture of the town.

Rural Life Living Museum

Near Tilford, this open-air museum shows what rural life was like in the past. You can see displays about homes, farming, and old trades.

Send & Ripley Museum

In Ripley, this museum focuses on the local history of Send and Ripley.

Shere Museum

Located in Shere, this museum tells the local history of the village.

Spelthorne Museum

In Staines-upon-Thames, this museum explores the local history of the Spelthorne area.

Spike Heritage Centre

Found in Guildford, this centre tells the history of a former workhouse site and the social history of the area.

Surrey Heath Museum

In Camberley, this museum covers the local history and culture of Surrey Heath.

Historic Houses and Estates

Step back in time by visiting these beautiful old houses and estates, many of which are looked after by the National Trust.

Clandon Park

Near West Clandon, this 18th-century Palladian mansion is run by the National Trust. It has amazing 18th-century furniture, porcelain, and textiles. The gardens even feature a Māori meeting house!

Farnham Castle - Keep & Bishop's Palace

In Farnham, you can take tours of the medieval Bishop's Palace and visit the historic Keep. It's a fascinating look into a castle's past.

Guildford Castle

This historic castle in Guildford offers a glimpse into medieval times.

Hatchlands Park

Near East Clandon, this 18th-century country house is also run by the National Trust. It has unique nautical-style interiors designed by Robert Adam and is home to the Cobbe Collection of old keyboard instruments.

The Homewood

In Esher, this 20th-century Modernist house and garden was designed by architect Patrick Gwynne and is cared for by the National Trust.

Loseley Park

Near Compton, this is a beautiful 16th-century manor house with a rich history.

Oakhurst Cottage

In Hambledon, this National Trust property is a restored labourer's dwelling. It shows how people lived over four centuries ago and can be visited by appointment.

Polesden Lacey

Near Great Bookham, this Edwardian period house is run by the National Trust. It has a wonderful collection of paintings, furniture, porcelain, and silver, plus beautiful gardens.

Titsey Place

In Oxted, this 19th-century country house has lovely gardens and a park to explore.

Transportation and Military Museums

For those interested in vehicles, planes, and military history, these museums are a must-see.

Army Medical Services Museum

In Mytchett, this museum displays uniforms, medical equipment, ambulances, and medals from different army medical corps.

Basingstoke Canal Visitor Centre

Also in Mytchett, this centre has displays about the history of the Basingstoke Canal. You can see an interactive lock model, a video, and a replica barge cabin.

Brooklands Museum

Located in Weybridge, this museum tells the story of Brooklands, a famous motor racing circuit and aerodrome. You can see old cars, racing cars, motorcycles, bicycles, and aircraft. Your ticket also includes entry to the London Bus Museum!

Dapdune Wharf

In Guildford, this National Trust site has a visitor centre with exhibits about the Wey and Godalming Navigations and barges. It's a great place to learn about river transport.

Gatwick Aviation Museum

Near Charlwood, this museum is home to aircraft engines and over 500 aircraft models. It's a fantastic place for aviation enthusiasts.

Kempton Park Steam Engines

At Kempton Park, you can see two huge triple-expansion steam engines. These incredible machines show the power of steam technology.

London Bus Museum

Now located within the grounds of Brooklands Museum in Weybridge, this museum has historic London buses and other related vehicles and items. It used to be called the Cobham Bus Museum.

Mercedes-Benz World

Also in Weybridge, at the Brooklands motor racing circuit, this facility showcases many amazing Mercedes-Benz cars.

Royal Logistic Corps Museum

In Camberley, this military museum has artifacts and memorabilia, including transport vehicles and items used to feed and arm soldiers.

Surrey Infantry Museum

Located at Clandon Park near West Clandon, this museum displays artifacts and memorabilia from the Surrey Infantry Regiment.

Other Interesting Museums

Museum of the National Rifle Association

In Bisley, this museum is run by the National Rifle Association. It displays rifles and sports trophies.

Shalford Mill

In Shalford, this 18th-century watermill is operated by the National Trust. It's a fascinating look at how mills used to work.

Surrey Fire Museum

Located in Reigate, this museum is dedicated to firefighting history and is open by appointment.

Surrey Police Museum

In Guildford, this museum tells the story of law enforcement in Surrey and is open by appointment.

Museums That Have Changed

Sometimes museums close or change. Here are a few that are no longer operating in their original form:

Elmbridge Museum: This museum site closed in 2014. Now, it's a "museum without walls," offering traveling exhibits and programs around the Elmbridge area.
Haxted Watermill: This old watermill is now a restaurant.
Royal Earlswood Museum: Located in Redhill, its collections have moved to the Langdon Down Museum of Learning Disability.