Museums and galleries

Britain, places to visit, attractions, heritageFind places to visit in Britain by name, location, type of attraction, or other keyword.

Tap/Click ‘find listings’ for a detailed search – or just have a browse. 

ABBOT HALL Art Gallery

Abbot Hall Art Gallery is one of Britain’s preeminent small art galleries, run by the Lakeland Arts Trust and set in a restored Grade I-listed Georgian house on the banks of the River Kent in Kendal. The gallery holds an exceptional collection of 18th-20th century fine art, including (allegedly) works by George Romney, John Ruskin, JMW Turner, Barbara Hepworth, David Hockney, LS Lowry and Graham Sutherland. The gallery also runs a temporary exhibition programme throughout the year.

A gallery refurbishment project is due to be completed in 2022.

Region/Nation
Location/Address
Kirkland
Kendal
County
Cumbria
Post Code
LA9 5AL
Main Historic Period
N/A
Tip/Nearby
Museum of Lakeland Life, Kendal Museum, Kendal Castle
Primary Management
Other
ALBERT DOCK

Albert Dock is Liverpool's famous Victorian dock area, originally built of iron, stone and brick, now fully restored and claiming to be the largest group of Grade I listed buildings in the country. The complex includes car parking, hotels, shops, restaurants and several museums, including: Slavery Museum; Maritime Museum; Beatles Story; and Tate Liverpool. Albert Dock is about a 20-30 minute walk from Lime Street station and handy for the lively Cavern Quarter.

Region/Nation
Location/Address
Liverpool Waterfront
Liverpool
County
Merseyside
Post Code
L3 4AA
Main Historic Period
Victorian
Useful Website Address
Tip/Nearby
5 minutes from Mathew Street and the Cavern Quarter
Primary Management
Private - open to the public
ALDEBURGH MOOT HALL

A lovely Tudor town hall, dating from c1550, and a symbol of Aldeburgh's prosperity at the time. The ground floor would have been occupied by shops, with meetings taking place on the first floor. Greatly restored in Victorian times, it now houses a good local museum. The building would once have been more at the centre of town - now it is close to the beach, an indication of shoreline erosion in this part of the UK.

Region/Nation
Location/Address
Market Cross
Aldeburgh
County
Suffolk
Post Code
IP15 5DS
Main Historic Period
Tudor
Useful Website Address
Tip/Nearby
Aldrebugh town, Thorpeness, Orford
Primary Management
Local Authority
ALNWICK CASTLE

Alnwick Castle dates from the 11th century and has been in the hands of the Percy family, the Dukes of Northumberland, since 14th century.  The castle is one of the most visited in England, steeped in the Percy family history with gruesome discoveries to be made as well as magnificent state rooms.  It is often used for filming and has starred in Harry Potter and Downton Abbey, for example.  The castle also houses a number of special exhibitions, including the Regimental Museum of the Royal Northumberland Fusiliers. Adjacent to the castle is the Alnwick Garden, a formal garden built around a huge cascading fountain and featuring one of the most astonishing tree houses you will ever see.

Region/Nation
Location/Address
Alnwick
County
Northumberland
Post Code
NE66 1NQ
Main Historic Period
Medieval
Useful Website Address
Tip/Nearby
Bamburgh, Dunstanburgh
Primary Management
Independent – Historic Houses member
Surgery

The Anaesthesia Museum is part of the Anaesthesia Heritage Centre of the Association of Anaethatists and contains objects relating to the history of anaesthesia. The earliest object in the collection is a resuscitation set of 1774. The museum gives an insight into the history of anaesthesia, resuscitation and pain relief.

Region/Nation
Location/Address
21 Portland Place
County
London
Post Code
W1B 1PY
Main Historic Period
Modern
Useful Website Address
Tip/Nearby
BBC, Regent's Park
Primary Management
Educational establisment
ANNE of CLEVES’ HOUSE

Anne of Cleves' House formed part of Anne’s annulment settlement from Henry VIII in 1540. Anne of Cleves was Henry's 4th wife - divorced, beheaded, died; divorced, beheaded, survived. The house is a fine example of a late medieval timber-framed Sussex building, dating from the late 15th century with additions and improvements made over the next 200 years. Some of the rooms have been furnished in contemporary Tudor style. The house also contains the Museum of Lewes History and the Wealden Iron Gallery. There is a small garden, also inspired by the Tudor period, and a cafe. The house and museum is managed by the Sussex Archaeological Society.

Region/Nation
Location/Address
52 Southover High St
Lewes
County
East Sussex
Post Code
BN7 1NJ
Main Historic Period
Tudor
Tip/Nearby
Lewes Castle, South Downs
Primary Management
Other
ARBEIA Roman fort and museum

Arbeia Roman Fort stood guard on the south bank of the Tyne, guarding the sea route to Hadrian's Wall. The fort is situated in what is now a residential area, with a primary school opposite. It was originally built in the 2nd century AD and, with variations and rebuilding (the fort was destroyed in the late 3rd/early 4th century, for example), was occupied until the Anglo-Saxon period. There is a good museum, reconstructed gateway and living quarters (which are a bit tatty) and the excavated outline of the fort.

Region/Nation
Location/Address
Baring Street
South Shields
County
Tyne and Wear
Post Code
NE33 2BB
Main Historic Period
Roman
Link to featured article
Useful Website Address
Tip/Nearby
Wallsend is just across the river
Primary Management
Local Authority
ASHMOLEAN MUSEUM

The Ashmolean is Oxford University's museum of art and archaeology, with objects dating from 8,000 BC. Particular collections include ancient Egypt, the only Minoan collection in Britain, Anglo Saxon artefacts (including the Alfred Jewel) and contemporary artwork from around the world. The Ashmolean is the oldest public museum in Britain, founded in 1683.

Region/Nation
Location/Address
Beaumont Street
Oxford
County
Oxfordshire
Post Code
OX1 2PH
Main Historic Period
All
Useful Website Address
Tip/Nearby
All the sites in Oxford
AVONCROFT MUSEUM

The full name of this place is the Avoncroft Museum of Historic Buildings and it was England's first open air museum, established in 1967. Avoncroft displays 30-odd rescued buildings and structures, ranging from 14th - 20th centuries, which have been re-built in 19 acres of rural Worcestershire. The museum includes a wildflower meadow, period gardens and a traditional cider and perry orchard. It is also home to the National Telephone Kiosk Collection.

Region/Nation
Location/Address
Stoke Heath
Bromsgrove
County
Worcestershire
Post Code
B60 4JR
Main Historic Period
All
Useful Website Address
Tip/Nearby
Worcester, Stratford
Primary Management
Other
BANK of ENGLAND MUSEUM

The Bank of England was founded on 27 July 1694 by a group of merchants along the lines proposed by Scotsman William Paterson (1658-1719). It began as a private bank, primarily to fund war against France. The Bank opened for business on 1 August 1694 in the Mercers' Hall in Cheapside with a staff of seventeen clerks and two gatekeepers. It moved to the Grocers’ Hall on Poultry on 31 December 1694 and remained there until moving to its own premises in Threadneedle Street in 1734.

It has its own museum, allegedly sitting on top of an enormous gold vault. Discover the history of the Bank - the Old Lady of Threadneedle Street - what it does, the story of paper money - and pick up a gold bar. You can't keep it - sorry.

Region/Nation
Location/Address
Bartholemew Lane
County
London
Post Code
EC2R 8AH
Main Historic Period
Georgian
Useful Website Address
Tip/Nearby
Museum of London, St Paul's...
Primary Management
Other

This is a growing listings directory – over 950 entries have been listed as of September 2022. 

Entries have links for further information, such as opening times and entry fees.

If your favourite attraction is not listed yet, and you have a good quality digital photograph of it that you are able to freely send, please get in touch

Scroll to Top
%d bloggers like this: