Top museums in Buckinghamshire and Northamptonshire
Are you a museum lover? Look no further. Here are some of the best museums in Milton Keynes & Northampton.
Whether it be a rainy day activity or just something different to do on the weekend, everyone loves spending time at museums. In fact, you can easily fill a whole day wandering around and enjoying the collection of artefacts, with a tasty lunch in the afternoon and a gift-shop visit on your way out.
Here are some of our favourites to visit…
Amersham Museum, Amersham
Following a major refurbishment and expansion, Amersham Museum reopened in the summer of 2017 and offers a mediaeval hall house and artefacts from 1580, 1775, 1892, 1939 and 1964. You can also explore their herb garden, which is filled with plants used for medicinal purposes.
Bletchley Park, Bletchley
Learn all about WWII’s code-breaking history at the very site where the German Enigma code was cracked! This historic landmark and heritage attraction boasts a mansion, huts, and blocks, all filled with artefacts like the code-breaking machines used in 1938 onwards. Historical drama film, The Imitation Game, was even based on Bletchley Park’s code-breaking and the grounds used for filming!
Buckinghamshire Railway Centre, Aylesbury
Based in the rolling Buckinghamshire countryside, this museum offers restored steam locomotives, engines, carriages, wagons, and other railway artefacts – plus a miniature railway museum and a large model railway. You can even take a steam train ride!
Chiltern Open Air Museum, Chalfont St. Giles
Best visited on a sunny day, this open-air museum boasts over 30 rescued and reconstructed historic buildings from the Chilterns. The grounds are home to a traditional farm, cherry and apple orchards, and re-erected buildings from an iron age roundhouse to a tin chapel.
The Canal Museum, Stoke Bruerne
The Canal Museum tells the story of Britain’s canals, including engineers and navvies that created them and the boat families, leggers and local keepers who lived and worked on them. Inside, you’ll find models of working boats, traditional clothing, canal crafts, a boat-builders workshop, and historical signs. You can also enjoy a gift shop, the waterside café, and a stroll along the canal just outside.
The Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre, Great Missenden
Are you a fan of Roald Dahl? This family attraction brings the famous author’s characters to life as you come face to face with Fantastic Mr Fox and Matilda. You can also discover his famous writing hut, view his famous manuscripts, and more.
Silverstone Interactive Museum, Towcester
This immersive museum tells the story of the past, present and future of British motor racing. Inside, you’ll find over 60 interactive elements, including a replica grand prix car, plus the chance to learn to pilot a WWII plane or experience a lap of Silverstone in a 360-degree cinema.
Sywell Aviation Museum, Sywell
Sywell Aviation Museum aims to preserve the history of Sywell Aerodrome and Northamptonshire’s rich aviation heritage, from the early days of aviation to WWII2 and beyond. Here you can find a collection of old planes such as The Norton B-17 and The Blakeley B-17, with more artefacts within the halls. There’s also the Chipmunk Experience, which allows youngsters the chance to ‘fly’ a vintage aeroplane!
Wellingborough Museum, Wellingborough
Housed in Dulley’s Baths and built in 1982, this museum displays typical market town artefacts relating to Wellingborough, across two main gallery areas. The first explores early history from the Iron Age, while the second focuses on the 20th century and features a re-creation of a 1940s living room and kitchen.
Wycombe Museum, High Wycombe
This family-friendly museum explores the history of Wycombe via seven hands-in galleries, with local art collections and historic objects and furniture. There are also heritage trails to wander, an interactive old kitchen, and a cafe serving hot food and drinks. Entry is free!
These are just some of the many wonderful museums you can visit around Buckinghamshire and Northamptonshire. Have you visited any of these before? Do you have any favourites to recommend? Let us know!
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