Royal Irish Fusiliers Museum

Opened to the public in 1997, the museum celebrates the history of the Royal Irish Fusiliers, which have played an important part in Armagh’s history since 1793, including interpretive displays of the Armagh, Cavan and Monaghan Militias from 1793 to 1968.

• The innovative displays offer a fresh approach to the interpretation of Irish military history.
• The collection contains the uniforms, medals, regalia and the two Victoria Crosses won by the Regiment.

• Our staff and volunteers are a varied bunch, with a wide scope of knowledge in military history/research, museum practice and public facing roles.

Natural History Museum

The Museum is a world-class visitor attraction and leading science research centre.

We use our unique collections and unrivalled expertise to tackle the biggest challenges facing the world today.

We care for more than 80 million specimens spanning billions of years and welcome more than five million visitors annually.

The Princess Royal Class Locomotive Trust’s West Shed Experience

The Trust was formed in 1993 when the shareholders of the 80080 Locomotive Company Limited , the company that owned locomotives 80080 and 80098, and Mr Brell Ewart, who owned locomotive No 46203 Princess Margaret Rose, combined their assets into one charitable organisation. Such a move would open up opportunities for further development in the future.

As such The Princess Royal Class Locomotive Trust (PRCLT) was born, set up with charitable status and with the aim of preservation, restoration, operation and display of locomotives and in particular the Princess Royal Class. The Trustees decided that although the Trust would remain totally committed to the Midland Railway Trust, preference was for a ‘stand alone’ position where the Trust could be master of it’s own destiny.

In 1994, utilising profits from railtours, the trust embarked on an ambitious plan to build its own headquarters in which all the three standard gauge locomotives, the 21 inch gauge collection, and two standard gauge coaches could be housed. Building commenced in late 1994 and the building was completed in 1996. Over half a mile of track and four turnouts were laid by volunteers. Some 5,000 tons of fill was used in forming the embankment that forms the headshunt in the yard.

Inside the shed, a number of original windows and a door rescued from Westhouses Locomotive Shed (18B) were incorporated into the building. With its location being at the west end of Swanwick Junction site of the Midland Railway – Butterley, and its connection with Westhouses, the name West Shed was deemed appropriate. Significantly the building was constructed by the trust entirely from its own financial resources and without recourse to any external funding.

Since 1996 the external precincts of the West Shed have seen regular additions and development. The yard was given a tarmac surface in 1997, a wall with the Armorial devices was added in 1998. In 2001 the 21 inch gauge track was started and this is still on going as time and materials permit. In 2002 an external ash pit was constructed thus allowing the Trust’s locomotives to ash out and be oiled up within the Trust’s own site. The rail lines into the shed were numbered 2 to 6 leaving No 1 for future extensions. A turnout was laid in the arrival road to feed No 1 road.

The new building has been constructed to a very high specification on the principal that quality accommodation will help produce quality engineering. With this asset complete the Trust can now work on through forthcoming winters far more productively in warm and dry conditions. The building was extended in 2006. More details in the ‘West Shed Story’ page.

Tangmere Military Aviation Museum

Tangmere Military Aviation Museum is situated in a corner of the old RAF Tangmere airfield, famed for its illustrious service from 1916 through to the post-war years.  It was opened by a group of aviation enthusiasts in 1982 to promote public awareness of the United Kingdom’s military aviation heritage, educate present and future generations in military aviation and serve as a memorial to airmen and airwomen who gave their lives in the service of this country.

The Museum is home to an impressive display of historic aircraft and a unique collection of aviation memorabilia stretching from the First World War through to the Cold War.  Amongst the many attractions, are numerous interactive displays and several aircraft simulators for visitors to experience.  There is something for all members of the family to see and do.

Redbridge Museum

Between 2014 and 2016 Redbridge Museum, assisted by a small team of volunteers, researched a wide range of First World War resources held in its archives. These included local newspapers, Council records, hospital records, photographs, family papers and published works. An appeal to local residents elicited further material while other museums and archives were also consulted. This information was used to create an exhibition in 2014-15 and a book, ‘Redbridge and the First World War’, which was published in 2015.

At the same time, the Museum researched, photographed and documented 127 First World War memorials in the London Borough of Redbridge, with the support of local residents.

A database was then compiled of over 3000 individuals featured on the memorials and it was possible to match 1324 of these individuals to records held by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Some of these individuals may not have lived in the local area but were remembered on local memorials by friends, family and loved ones.

Biographies for a sample of 123 individuals were researched and written and, with the help of local residents, a further 99 biographies were added.

Redbridge Museum traced another 762 individuals who may have been linked to the area but whose names do not feature on a Borough memorial. This may be because the memorial no longer exists or that the individual was commemorated on a family gravestone or on another memorial outside of the Borough. Unfortunately, it has not been possible to include their details here.

The programme has been supported by a £38,000 grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Lindisfarne Priory

Cross the dramatic causeway to reach the island of Lindisfarne, on a journey that will stay in your memory forever. Follow in the footsteps of the ancient monks who built their priory here nearly 1,400 years ago, and explore the wild coastal beauty of Holy Island. Visit our fascinating museum and find out about a grisly Viking raid, the cult of St Cuthbert, and the beautiful medieval manuscript: the Lindisfarne Gospels.

Bressingham Steam Museum

There really is something for everyone at Bressingham.

The Bressingham Gardens

The unique Bressingham Gardens are renowned worldwide for their horticultural excellence. With nearly 20 acres, four linking gardens and 8,000 species they can be a truly tranquil place, perfect for relaxing and enjoying the scenery.

The Bressingham Collections 
Take a trip on one of the four railways at Bressingham, the collection of working locomotives will take you round our magnificent gardens and woodland, or ride on the steam Gallopers.

A trip to the locomotive sheds brings the power and the glory of mighty steam engineering up close. The National Dad’s Army collection lets you wander through Walmington-on-Sea looking at original props and vehicles from the series, you’d be a stupid boy to miss it!

Whether your passion is Gardens, Steam, Exhibits, Rides or even a mixture of them all, we are confident that Bressingham has something for all.

We recommend you spend no less than four hours here, and you can easily spend all day!

Peace Museum

The Peace Museum explores the history and the often untold stories of peace, peacemakers, social reform and peace movements. It occupies three small galleries in one of Bradford’s many fine Victorian buildings. It is unique in that it is the only accredited museum of its kind in the UK.

The Peace Museum:

• Tells the stories of peace, peacemakers, and the peace movement
• Honours the history of ‘people of peace’ – every object tells a story of someone who has tried to make the world more peaceful
• Is a resource for future peace-making
• Has local, regional, national and international reach aiming to tell diverse stories of peacemakers

Museum of Hartlepool

The Museum of Hartlepool tells the story of a past which is packed with exciting and interesting people!As you enter, you are taken back 5000 years to the Bronze Age and introduced to the museum by Hartlepool’s oldest know man.  From here you move through centuries of the town’s past, ending up with the joining of Hartlepool and West Hartlepool in 1967 and a look to today and the future.Don’t forget P.S.S Wingfield Castle – a wonderfully restored 1930’s paddle steamer.  Serving hot drinks and snacks in cafe’ (check opening times).  Rooms available for private hire and education activities.Entry to the museum and the restored paddle steamer Wingfiled Castle is free of charge.The Museum of Hartlepool is part of the visitor attraction, Hartlepool’s Maritime Experience.

Hartlepool Art Gallery

Hartlepool Art Gallery sits centrally within the cultural quarter of the town and  is part of  the Church Street innovation and Skills Quarter (ISQ). It is a stunning and beautifully restored Grade II Victorian church, formerly known as Christ Church which was built in 1858. The gallery opened 1996 and is within a minutes’ walk from Hartlepool Railway Station and close to Hartlepool Town Centre, the Middleton Grange Shopping Centre, National Museum of the Royal Navy Hartlepool, and Town Hall Theatre. Church Street and Church Square are the centre of the towns revitalisation with it moving towards a cafe culture and thriving daytime economy based around the new campus for Cleveland College of Art and Design The Northern School of Art since 1879.

The gallery  has two exhibition spaces available The Main Gallery and The Apse Gallery. It has an extensive exhibition programme which aims to be ambitious and creatively diverse. The gallery’s programming group strive to ensure the exhibition line-up chimes with the town, is inspiring for future artists but also the audience feels that there is something there for them. This is achieved through a programme mix of  in-house curated exhibitions, open artist proposals and exhibition developed in partnership.