Creswell Crags Museum

Creswell Crags is a limestone gorge honeycombed with caves and smaller fissures. Stone tools and remains of animals found in the caves provide evidence for a fascinating story of life during the last Ice Age between 50,000 and 10,000 years ago. Further evidence came to light in 2003 with the discovery of Britain’s only known Ice Age rock art.

Take a cave tour, explore our ancient artefacts, indulge on cake and tea in the Crags Edge Café, or just take a stroll between Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire.

Catalyst: Science Discovery Centre

Over 40 hands-on exhibits allowing you to investigate how modern materials and chemicals are made. Discover colourful crystals, investigate polymers, create big bubbles or generate some electricity in this interactive gallery.

Two fantastic teaching spaces funded by the Millennium Commission. Hosting a range of workshops and hands-on activities for pupils from 8 years and upwards. The Alchemy Theatre hosts a range of science talks and shows too!

Investigate the development of the Chemical Industry from ancient times up to the 1940s with the aid of fascinating historical objects, life like reconstructions, archive films and computer quizzes which bring the past vividly to life.

Englesea Brook Chapel and Museum of Primitive Methodism

Visit our beautiful Georgian Chapel, and see Hugh Bourne’s Memorial in the graveyard.

There are changing exhibitions in the Museum, and you can always pop in for a cuppa and a cake in our Tea Room!

We are located in the peaceful hamlet of Englesea Brook, on the Cheshire/Staffordshire border, with easy access from the M6 (Junction 16).

National Waterways Museum, Ellesmere Port

Sitting at the point where the Shropshire Union Canal meets the Manchester Ship Canal and the River Mersey is the National Waterways Museum, Ellesmere Port. Together with our sister museum in Gloucester Docks, together we look after one of the greatest collection of historic boats in the world.

Using interactive and virtual reality technology, you can truly experience what it was like to live and work on these great waterways. Here’s just a taster of what you’ll discover on this fantastic family day out!

Grosvenor Museum

The Grosvenor Museum houses collections exploring the history of Chester, its art and silver heritage, and its natural history. Find out about life during the Roman military occupation and visit the Period House, with rooms from the 17th century to the 1920s.

There is a year round programme of special exhibitions and events, with an inspiring service for schools.

Admission to the museum is free, however we welcome a suggested donation of £3 per person.

The Grosvenor Museum was built in 1885-6 to house the collections of the Chester Archaeological Society and the Chester Society of Natural Science, Literature and Art, together with schools of Science and Art. It was designed by the Chester Architect Thomas Meakin Lockwood.

The museum is named after Hugh Lupus Grosvenor, 1^st Duke of Westminster, who donated a portion of the site in Grosvenor Street and part of the building costs; the rest of the costs were met by public appeal.

Macclesfield Silk Museum

We are the Macclesfield Silk Heritage Trust, an independent charity established in 1987 to champion the incredible history of Macclesfield and the surrounding area through our collections and museums, which today include The Silk Museum, Paradise Mill, West Park Museum, and The Old Sunday School.

Our vision is to create an innovative and exciting museum and heritage offer for Macclesfield, providing inspiring experiences for our visitors through our unique collections and remarkable heritage buildings.

Our mission is to celebrate and share the extraordinary story of Macclesfield; a story of creativity, industry and enterprise.

We fulfil our mission in a number of ways:

We celebrate. Macclesfield was once the beating heart of Britain’s silk trade, the western end of the Silk Road.  It’s made us who we are today and shaped much of what we do, from our exhibitions to our special events.  Even after hundreds of years its legacy continues to inspire, innovate and inform.  We think that’s something worth celebrating

We tell stories about extraordinary people. Of our industrial entrepreneurs, skilled craftspeople, and their hard-working families.  Through our incredible collections, historic buildings and temporary exhibitions, we’re able to share the rollercoaster story of prosperity and hardship, of industry and creativity.  It’s quite a ride.

We create experiences. Encountering our unique spaces for the first time is breath-taking.  We specialise in creating jaw-dropping moments that amaze, surprise and entertain.  Our talented team bring the past to life, creating memories that stay with our visitors.

West Park Museum and Art Gallery

West Park Museum is a small but beautifully formed collection of the surprising and unusual.  The museum was the idea of Marianne Brocklehurst, the daughter of Macclesfield’s first MP and silk manufacturer John Brocklehurst.  Today it contains a sample of her collection of Egyptian artefacts, along with fine art and local history.

Marianne has an amazing story.  Along with her companion Mary Booth (together known as the MBs), she travelled to Egypt recording her visits in her diary and watercolours, and returned with a variety of treasures to share with the people of Macclesfield.  They went on their first trip in 1873 with her nephew Alfred and liveried footman George Lewis, who both enjoyed shooting and wanted to ‘bag’ a crocodile.  A special exhibition about their trip, MBs’ Trip Up the Nile,  is now open at the Old Sunday School and includes the mummy case of Shebmut which once contained the remains of a 12 year old dancing girl.

Stretton Watermill

Step back in time and visit one of the country’s best preserved demonstration water powered corn mills, in beautiful rural Cheshire.

Learn about the history of the mill, then join one of our millers on a fascinating tour of the building. See the ancient wooden machinery in action, listen to stories, have a go at milling grain, work miniature models, wander around the displays or just relax and enjoy the beautiful countryside setting.

The site consists of the working mill, an old 19th century stable which houses an exhibition, and pleasant grounds with a picnic area. Access to the upper floor of the mill has been greatly improved and the new landscaping and pathways offer further idyllic views of the pond and the mill buildings, making the most of this charming rural setting.

Weaver Hall Museum and Workhouse

Weaver Hall Museum and Workhouse is full of displays and tales of the history and industry of West Cheshire. The stories are told through films, reconstructions, models and vivid displays of intriguing artefacts, which relate to local industry, market towns, transport, archaeology, and the building’s former history.

The museum is housed within the old Northwich Union Workhouse building. A special exhibition in the former workhouse schoolroom explores life for the paupers, and our younger visitors can dress up and imagine themselves as workhouse inmates learning all about the 3 Rs!

Around the rest of the museum you can find out about workhouse food, discover some of the people who lived in the workhouse and visit the recreated Master’s sitting room. You may even want to challenge yourselves with our workhouse quiz or test your observation skills looking for important objects with our I-Spy trail.

Geology Collections, UCL

Learning with objects has been an integral part of geological study at UCL since the first half of the nineteenth century. Today, the collection includes not only rocks, minerals and fossils collected over the last 175 years, but also individual collections of historical importance. The highlights include the Johnston-Lavis Volcanological collection, the Planetary Science Collection (Regional Planetary Image Facility) and the internationally recognised Micropalaeontological collections.

The Rock Room is currently closed but will be re-housed following refurbishment of the Kathleen Lonsdale building at the end of 2017.