List of museums in Wiltshire facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Wiltshire, a county in England, is home to many exciting museums! Museums are special places that collect and look after interesting objects. These objects can be about art, science, history, or different cultures. They let you see these collections and learn new things. This list will tell you about the museums in Wiltshire that are perfect for young explorers like you!

Awesome Museums to Explore
Museums That Are No Longer Open
See also
Images for kids

Awesome Museums to Explore

Aldbourne Heritage Centre

This museum in Aldbourne teaches you about the local history and culture of the area. You can also see cool collections of bells here!

Alexander Keiller Museum at Avebury

Located in Avebury, this museum is all about ancient history. It has amazing prehistoric items, many of which were found right there at Avebury. You can also learn about the history of this famous ancient site.

Arundells

Found in Salisbury, Arundells is a historic house. It was once the home of Sir Edward Heath, a former Prime Minister. He lived here from 1985, and you can see his furniture and personal collections.

Athelstan Museum

In Malmesbury, the Athelstan Museum shares the local history and culture of the town. They have interesting collections, including old lace, coins, and even bicycles and tricycles!

Atwell-Wilson Motor Museum

If you love cars, head to Calne for this museum! It's packed with classic and rare cars, lorries, motorcycles, mopeds, and even old push bikes. You'll also find lots of car-related items.

Avebury Manor and Garden

This beautiful place in Avebury is run by the National Trust. It's an old manor house from the early 1500s with a lovely garden from the early 1900s.

Bedwyn Stone Museum

In Great Bedwyn, this museum showcases beautiful carved stone decorations and pieces. It's a great place to see amazing stonework art.

Boscombe Down Aviation Collection

Located at Old Sarum Airfield, this museum is for anyone interested in planes! It has restored aircraft, vehicles, and other items connected to RAF Boscombe Down.

Bowood House

Near Derry Hill, Bowood House is a grand country house from the Georgian period. It has beautiful rooms designed by Robert Adam and a famous garden created by Capability Brown.

Bradford on Avon Museum

This museum in Bradford on Avon covers local history and even natural history. You can also see a recreated Victorian pharmacy shop, which is really cool!

Calne Heritage Centre

In Calne, this centre focuses on the local history and art of the area. It's a great spot to learn about Calne's past.

Chippenham Museum

The Chippenham Museum in Chippenham explores the local history and culture of the town. It's a good place to discover how Chippenham has changed over time.

Chiseldon Museum

This museum in Chiseldon tells the story of the local history of the village.

Corsham Almshouses & 17th-century Schoolroom

In Corsham, you can visit these old almshouses and a schoolroom from the 1600s. It's like stepping back in time to see how people lived and learned.

Corsham Court

Also in Corsham, Corsham Court is a large country house from the 1500s. It's famous for its amazing art collection and its beautiful landscape garden, also designed by Capability Brown.

Corsham Information and Heritage Centre

This centre in Corsham is a good place to find out about local history and get information about the area.

Cricklade Museum

The Cricklade Museum in Cricklade covers the local history and culture of the town.

Crofton Pumping Station

Near Great Bedwyn, this is a fascinating early 19th-century steam-powered pumping station. You can see its huge engines still working!

Great Chalfield Manor

Run by the National Trust, this 15th-century manor house in Great Chalfield is surrounded by a moat. It also has lovely gardens to explore.

Kennet and Avon Canal Museum

In Devizes, this museum tells the story of the Kennet and Avon Canal. You can learn all about its history and how important it was.

Lacock Abbey, Fox Talbot Museum & Village

This special place in Lacock is operated by the National Trust. It includes a medieval country home, a former abbey, a charming rural village, and a museum dedicated to William Henry Fox Talbot, a pioneer of photography.

Lackham Museum of Agriculture and Rural Life

Based at Wiltshire College Lackham in Lacock, this museum shows how farming, agriculture, and rural trades used to be. It's all about rural life in the past.

Little Clarendon

This late 15th-century stone house and chapel in Dinton is run by the National Trust.

Longleat

In Horningsham, Longleat is a grand Elizabethan country house. It also has a fun maze, beautiful parkland, and a famous safari park where you can see amazing animals!

Lydiard House

Located in Swindon, Lydiard House is a grand stately home with beautifully restored rooms. It also has changing exhibits of local art and culture.

Market Lavington Village Museum

This museum in Market Lavington covers local history, culture, old rural trades, agriculture, and how people lived their daily lives.

Merchant's House, Marlborough

In Marlborough, this is a 17th-century merchant's house. You can see what a wealthy merchant's home looked like centuries ago.

Mere Museum

The Mere Museum in Mere focuses on the local history of the area.

Museum of Computing

In Swindon, this museum explores the history of computers and digital technology. You can learn about the Internet and even video games!

Mompesson House

Operated by the National Trust in Salisbury, this 18th-century Queen Anne house has period furniture, a collection of drinking glasses, and a lovely walled garden.

Oxfam Art Gallery

This art gallery in Salisbury is run by Oxfam.

Pewsey Heritage Centre

The Pewsey Heritage Centre in Pewsey has a collection that covers local history, social history, and the farming history of the Vale of Pewsey.

Philipps House

In Dinton, this early 19th-century country house is run by the National Trust. It has beautiful Regency furniture and a park.

The Pound

Located in Corsham, The Pound is a performing arts centre that also has an exhibit gallery where you can see art.

Purton Museum

This museum in Purton focuses on local history, domestic life, and agriculture in the area.

Railway Village Museum

In Swindon, this museum is a Victorian railway worker's cottage. It shows you what life was like for people who worked on the railways long ago.

REME Museum

At MoD Lyneham, the REME Museum displays items used by the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers. This includes communication equipment, computers, vehicles, and even weapons.

Richard Jefferies Museum

This museum in Coate is the birthplace and museum of writer and naturalist Richard Jefferies. You can learn about his life and work here.

The Rifles Berkshire and Wiltshire Museum

Also known as The Wardrobe Military Museum, this museum in Salisbury has artifacts and tells the history of the Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Regiment.

Salisbury Museum

The Salisbury Museum in Salisbury has amazing collections on archaeology, Stonehenge and prehistory, art, decorative arts, Roman, Saxon and medieval history, social history, and costumes. It's a nationally important museum!

Salisbury Arts Centre

In Salisbury, this centre is a place for both performing arts and visual arts.

Science Museum at Wroughton

Located in Wroughton, this museum stores many large objects from the Science Museum (London). You can visit it by booking special tours in the summer.

STEAM - Museum of the Great Western Railway

In Swindon, STEAM is a fantastic museum about the Great Western Railway. You can see historic locomotives, old train carriages, and even recreated work areas. It tells the whole story of this famous railway.

Stourhead

Run by the National Trust in Stourton, Stourhead is a grand mansion with a beautiful library, Chippendale furniture, and paintings. It's famous for its amazing 18th-century landscape gardens.

Swindon and Cricklade Railway

Near Blunsdon, this is a heritage railway where you can ride old trains. They also have museum exhibits open during special events at the Blunsdon railway station.

Swindon Art Gallery

In Swindon, this gallery has the Swindon Collection of Modern British Art. It's managed together with the Swindon Museum.

Swindon Museum

Also in Swindon, this museum covers local history, archaeology, and geology. It's managed with the Swindon Art Gallery.

Trowbridge Museum

This museum in Trowbridge focuses on the local textile industry. You can see equipment and exhibits about how cloth was made in the area.

Warminster Museum

In Warminster, this museum (also known as the Warminster Dewey Museum) covers local history and geology.

The Well House Collection

Located in Melksham, this collection has artifacts, exhibits, and a large collection of photos celebrating Melksham's history. It's housed in an old Edwardian manor.

Westbury Visitor Centre

In Westbury, this centre has local history displays and provides information for visitors.

Westwood Manor

Run by the National Trust in Westwood, this 15th-century manor house was built over many centuries. It has period furniture, tapestries, and a modern topiary garden.

Wilton Carpet Factory Museum

In Wilton, this museum is about the history of the Wilton Carpet Factory. You can even take tours to see how carpets are made!

Wilton House

Also in Wilton, Wilton House is a grand country house with beautiful state rooms, art, sculptures, furnishings, and lovely gardens.

Wilton Town Museum

Located in Wilton, this museum shares the local history of the town. It's in the same place as the Wilton Carpet Museum.

Wilton Windmill

Near Wilton, this is an early 19th-century brick tower windmill with five floors. It's a great example of old technology!

Wiltshire Museum

In Devizes, this museum (formerly Devizes Museum) has amazing collections on archaeology, art, local history, social history, and natural history of Wiltshire. Its collections are nationally important!

Wootton Bassett Museum

This museum in Wootton Bassett focuses on the local history and culture of the town.

Young Gallery

Housed at Salisbury Library in Salisbury, this gallery shows 19th-century images of Salisbury by artist Edward Young, and also features contemporary British artists and students, especially those with a Wiltshire connection.

Museums That Are No Longer Open

Castle Combe Museum, Castle Combe, closed in 2012.
Coate Agricultural Museum at Coate Water Country Park, closed and was sadly destroyed by fire in December 2016.

Images for kids

Aldbourne Heritage Centre
Alexander Keiller Museum at Avebury
Arundells
Athelstan Museum
Atwell-Wilson Motor Museum
Avebury Manor and Garden
Bedwyn Stone Museum
Bowood House
Bradford on Avon Museum
Corsham Almshouses
Corsham Court
Crofton Pumping Station
Great Chalfield Manor
Kennet and Avon Canal Museum
Lacock Abbey
Longleat House
Lydiard House
Mompesson House
Pewsey Heritage Centre
Philipps House
REME Museum
Richard Jefferies Museum
The Rifles Berkshire and Wiltshire Museum
Salisbury Museum
Salisbury Arts Centre
Science Museum at Wroughton
STEAM - Museum of the Great Western Railway
Stourhead
Swindon and Cricklade Railway
Swindon Art Gallery
Trowbridge Museum
Westbury Visitor Centre
Westwood Manor
Wilton House
Wilton Windmill
Wiltshire Museum
Wootton Bassett Museum

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List of museums in Wiltshire Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.