Museums
See also Leicestershire & Rutland Museums Forum
| Museum | Location | Description | Opening Times |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abbey Pumping Station Museum Museum of Technology Abbey Pumping Station Corporation Road LEICESTER LE4 5PX Tel.: 0116 2995111 Email: museums@leicester.gov.uk www.leicester.gov.uk/museumsandgalleries |
Abbey Lane | Abbey Pumping Station pumped Leicester's sewage. The grand Victorian building was preserved because of the four beautifully decorated magnificent Gimson steam engines which can be seen working at special steam events. The museum also has exhibition on light and optics, historic transport and public health. | Contact for opening times. |
| National Space Science Centre Exploration Drive LEICESTER LE4 5NS Tel.: 0845 605 2001 Email: info@spacecentre.co.uk www.spacecentre.co.uk |
Abbey Lane | Take a journey through the six hands-on galleries, stopping at over 150 interactive experiences, then travel in the glass lift through three floors in the 42m Rocket Tower. Sit back in awe in the UK's largest planetarium, the Space Theatre. The Centre is an all weather attraction for all the family... hours of breathtaking discovery and interactive fun. Free annual pass upgrade tprovides a full year ticket for the price of one day! | See website for details. |
| Sir John Moore Heritage Centre Sir John Moore Foundation Top Street Appleby Magna SWADLINCOTE DE12 7AH Tel.: 01530 273629 www.sirjohnmoore.org.uk |
Appleby Magna | The Centre provides a unique insight into life in a rural Victorian School. Explore the authentic village boys classroom, boarder's dormitory, Latin master study, cloakroom and toilets. All in the historic setting of the Sir John Moore Foundation designed by Wren and built in 1697. Also discover the village trail around Appleby and the Community Gallery with local exhibitions. Education pack, website, virtual trails and school visits available. | Opening times by appointment. |
| Ashby de la Zouch Museum Ashby Museum North Street ASHBY-DE-LA-ZOUCH LE65 1HU Tel.: 01530 560090 Email: ashbydelazouchmuseum@live.co.uk www.ashbydelazouchmuseum.org.uk |
Ashby De La Zouch | The Zouch and Hastings Gallery tells the story of this historic market town from prehistoric times to the early 20th century, whilst the Loudnoun Room concentrates on the last 100 years and the surrounding villages. The New Ferrers Community Room is used for school workshops, eveing classes and lectures, individual and group research, and temporary exhibitions. It can also be hired. The museum has an extensive archive of local material: books, documents, photographs, maps and artefacts and welcomes family historians and researchers. | Open throughout the year, see website for details. |
| Discovering Cricket at Grace Road Leicestershire County Cricket Club Grace Road LEICESTER LE2 8AD Tel.: 0116 283 2128 Email: enquiries@leicestershireccc.co.uk www.leicestershireccc.co.uk |
Aylestone | The museum in its current format was opened in April 1996 and is situated in the Charles Palmer Pavilion Suite at the County Ground. The museum is built around the Club's extensive collection of cricket memorabilia and provides displays about the history of the game, the evolution of cricket equipment and life size cut-outs of some of Leicestershire's great players. | Contact for details. |
| National Gas Museum Trust 195, Aylestone Road LEICESTER LE2 7QJ Tel.: 0116 250 3190 www.gasmuseum.co.uk |
Aylestone | Housed in the Victorian gatehouse of Leicester's biggest gas works, this museum has the largest collection of gas related artefacts in the world and traces the story of gas from the production of coal gas to the discovery of natural gas. Exhibits include working lights from 1820, fires and cookers from 1880, washing appliances from 1890, even oven gas powered radio and hairdryers, together with a 1920's kitchen. Guided tours by appointment. | Open all year Tuesdays to Thursdays, please telephone for details. |
| Belgrave Hall and Gardens Church Road Belgrave LEICESTER LE4 5PE Tel.: 0116 266 6590 Email: museums@leicester.gov.uk www.leicester.gov.uk/museumsandgalleries |
Belgrave | An early 18th century Queen Anne house famed for its ghost story. The period rooms showing the contrasting lifestyles of an upper middle class family and domestic servants in Victoria times. Belgrave Hall has two acres of serene walled gardens that are open to the public. In the 19th century Belgrave was a village surrounded by fields. The Hall and Gardens provide an oasis of peace and quiet in a busy suburb of Leicester | Contact for details. |
| Queen's Royal Lancers Museum Belvoir Castle Belvoir GRANTHAM NG32 1PD |
Belvoir | This historical setting houses the collections of the 16th/5th Lancers, 17th/21st Lancers and the Queens Royal Lancers. These tell the story of two fine cavalry regiments from formation to the present day through arms, uniforms, silver paintings, with personal accounts and artefacts. The regimental archive is held at Lancer House, Prince William of Gloucester Barracks, Grantham and can be viewed by appointment. | March to October. Please contact for details. |
| Blaby Heritage & Museum Society 64, Southway Blaby LEICESTER LE8 4BB Tel.: 0116 277 1055 Email: ptroake@yahoo.co.uk |
Blaby | Blaby Area Museum Society is small, and without a building as yet. It is keen to build up its collections of items connected with Blaby, and expand its services in the future. In this way, the Society aims to remind people of the importance of local history, and to support local history groups. Their lack of a building does not stop them holding exhibitions around Blaby District. To increase their collections they are looking for anyone who has information, artefacts, records, photographs or any other historical item on the area. | Contact for details. |
| Cold War Jets Bruntingthorpe Airfield & Proving Ground Bruntingthorpe LUTTERWORTH LE17 5QS Tel.: 0116 247 8030 Email: r.norrislpg@btinternet.com www.lightnings.org.uk |
Bruntingthorpe | Bruntingthorpe Airfield houses a collection of British cold war jets, some of which are in serviceable condition and make simulated take-offs down the two mile long runway in May and September each year. Highlights include the return to flight of the Avro Vulcan bomber and reconstruction of the former RAF Wattisham quick reaction alert hangar which will house two English Electric Lightning Interceptors. Lightnings, 3 Buccaneers, 3 Jet Provosts and a Comet. Other aircraft include a Victor, Canberra, two Hunters, three Buccaneers, three Jet Provosts and a Comet | Open Sundays 10am to 4pm. See website for details. |
| Castle Donington Museum The Stone House 4, Apiary Gate Castle Donington DERBY DE74 2JA Tel.: 07854 689 399 www.castledoningtonmuseum.org.uk |
Castle Donington | Occupying the ground floor of a 17th century farmhouse in the former market town, the museum stages a series of exhibitions featuring various aspects of the history of the area, describing the lifestyles, occupations, homes and leisure activities of the inhabitants. Hands-on computer displays and exhibits ouline the history of the village from prehistoric to modern times, there is also a garden. | Open Easter to end September. Contact for details. |
| Donington Grand Prix Collection Donington Park Castle Donington DERBY DE74 2RP Tel.: 01332 811027 Email: gary.rankin@donington-park.com www.donington-park.com |
Castle Donington | The world's largest collection of Grand Prix racing cars. Five halls containing over 130 exhibits depicting motor sport history from the turn of the 20th century to the present day. Features the largest collection of McLarens in the world. Also on display Mansell's Williams; Senna's McLaren; BRM Lotus; Vanwall and cars drive by such greats as Moss, Nuvolari and Clark. | Contact for details. |
| Coalville Heritage Society 125, Highfield Street COALVILLE LE67 3BR Tel.: 01530 222330 Email: info@coalville-heritage.info www.coalville-heritage.info |
Coalville | Coalville is situated in North West Leicestershire and is a relatively new town dating back only about 175 years. The discovery of rich coal seams in the area attracted several industrial entrepreneurs (including George and Robert Stephenson) to lay railways and sink mines. Because of these mines and the miners that worked them grew the town of Coalville. | Contact for details. |
| Snibston Snibston Discovery Park Ashby Road COALVILLE LE67 3LN Tel.: 01530 278444 Email: snibston@leics.gov.uk www.snibston.com |
Coalville | Set in the heart of the National Forest on the site of a former colliery, Snibston explores the impact of technology on our lives with over 90 indoor and outdoor interactive exhibits. Lift a car in our hands-on gallery Extra Ordinary, or see the amazing collection of historic and contemporary costumes in the Fashion Gallery. Join real life miners on a tour of the colliery and experience what it was like to work underground, or take a ride on a diesel locomotive. Enjoy the sun in our nature reserve or let off steam in our adventure play area. | Open every day, please see website for details. |
| Rutland Railway Museum Cottesmore Iron Ore Mine Sidings Ashwell Road Cottesmore OAKHAM LE15 7BX Tel.: 01572 813203 Email: simon@wilks-head.co.uk www.rutlandrailwaymuseum.org.uk |
Cottesmore | The open air museum houses a unique collection of exhibits demonstrating the rich heritage of iron ore mining in the East Midlands. A feature of the museum is the quarry recreation with authentic railway system operated on specific days. Facilities include a shop, nature trail, workshop and quarry tours. | See website for details. |
| Diseworth Heritage Centre Ladygate Diseworth DERBY DE74 2QF Tel.: 01332 814514 Email: info@dhtrust.org www.diseworthcentre.org |
Diseworth | The centre is a grade 2 listed former Baptist Church, totally restored. The core of the building is its display of times past in Diseworth and Long Whatton, with periodic themed exhibitions on life and work in the two villages over the centuries. A feature is the IT suite with specialist facilities for family history research. | Contact or see website for opening times, although open most weekends. |
| Donington-le-Heath Manor House Museum Manor Road Donington Le Heath COALVILLE LE67 2FW Tel.: 01530 831259 Email: dlhmanorhouse@leics.gov.uk www.leics.gov.uk/donington |
Donington Le Heath | The Manor House was built in the late 13th century and was renovated early in the 17th century. Visitors to the house can now see restored rooms and displays on medieval life as well as a series of temporary exhibitions on a wide range of subjects. The house is set in recently recreated 17th century style gardens with flower gardens, an orchard, herb gardens and a maze. The site is noted for its lively series of monthly events that use re-enactment, crafts, hands-on activities and specialist demonstrations to interpret Leicestershire's history and archaeology to visitors of all ages | Open daily. See website for details. |
| Normanton Church Museum Normanton Church Museum Normanton OAKHAM LE15 8RP Tel.: 01572 653026 Email: tic@anglianwater.co.uk www.anglianwater.co.uk/leisure/what-to-see/attractions/normanton-church/ |
Edith Weston | Normanton Church, Rutland Water's most famous landmark, sits half-submerged on the edge of Rutland Water. Originally part of the Normanton Estate, it now houses pre-historic remains and an Anglo-Saxon female skeleton. There is also an exhibition showing the history of 'what the papers said' about the development of the reservoir and video presentation. | Open April to October, see website for details. |
| Fleckney Museum Fleckney Centre School Street Fleckney LEICESTER LE8 8AS Tel.: 0116 240 4221 or 240 2123 Email: nvkdodsworth@tiscali.co.uk www.leicestershirevillages.com/fleckney/fleckneymuseum.html |
Fleckney | Fleckney Museum's collection of photographs and documents relating to the village. Access is available through the Leicestershire Villages website on a designated computer in the library. | Library opening times. Tel 0116 305 3585 for details. |
| Foxton Canal Museum Middle Lock Gumley Road Foxton MARKET HARBOROUGH LE16 7RA Tel.: 0116 279 2657 Email: info@fipt.org.uk www.fipt.org.uk |
Foxton | Situated at one of Leicestershire's most popular tourist attractions, this award winnimg museum is located in the reconstructed boiler house of the Foxton Boat Lift. Displays tell the story of the Lift, a masterpiece of Victorian engineering designed to replace the ten locks, the locks themselves and the local canals. Interactive computer displays, working models and playboat. | Summer every day 10am to 5pm. Winter open weekends and some days. Contact for details. |
| Hallaton Village Museum Hogg Lane Hallaton MARKET HARBOROUGH LE16 8UE Tel.: 01858 555305 Email: carolkirby@k1net.com www.leicestershirevillages.com/hallaton |
Hallaton | Situated in the heart of the village, just off High Street, this small museum examines the history of the village. The exhibition 'Rituals, Hoards and Helmets' tells the story of the finding of The Hallaton Treasure. | Weekends and Bank Hols (Easter Mon to end October), 2.30pm to 5pm. Contact for more details. |
| Hinckley and District Museum 18, Lower Bond Street HINCKLEY LE10 1QU Tel.: 01455 251218 Email: hinckleymuseum@myway.com www.hinckleydistrictmuseum.org.uk |
Hinckley | Housed in a row of 17th century thatched cottages once used for framework knitting, the museum illustrates the history of the Hinckley area from pre-historic to modern times with new displays each season. Delightful cottage garden and tea room. Near to the town centre on B4667. | Easter Monday to end October, Sats & Bank Hol. Mona 10 to 4, Sun 2 to 5pm. |
| Kegworth Museum 52, High Street Kegworth DERBY DE74 2DA Tel.: 01509 670137 Email: info@kegworthmuseum.org.uk www.kegworthmuseum.org.uk |
Kegworth | Housed in a restored 19th century barn, this award winning museum tells the story of Kegworth from earliest times to the present day. Displays include a Victorian parlour, the story of two hundred years of the local knitting industry, the history of the village school from slates to computers and a saddler's workshop. Memorabilia of the Royal British Legion, reflecting the war service of local people, is also on show. Educational visits by arrangement. Opening Times: Sat (10am-1pm), Sun (1pm-4pm), Bank Holiday Monday (10am-1pm) and Wed (2pm to 5pm) for research and general enquiries only. | |
| Charles Moore Collection of Musical Instruments University of Leicester University Road LEICESTER LE1 7RH Tel.: 0116 252 2781 Email: arts-music@le.ac.uk www.le.ac.uk/music/charlesmoore.html |
Leicester | Since the original establishment of the Charles Moore Collection at the University of Leicester in 1982, there have been some acquisitions of non-wind instruments, and so the collection is now designated as less specialised and being of the wider term 'musical instruments'. The collection is divided into three sections: Woodwind instruments, Brass instruments and Non-wind and incomplete instruments. | Contact for details. |
| Collections Resources Centre Leicestershire County Council Leicester Road Glenfield LEICESTER LE3 8TD Tel.: 01509 815514 Email: museums@leics.gov.uk www.leics.gov.uk/crc |
Leicester | The Collections Resources Centre offers unique behind the scenes access to the County Council's museum collections. The objects and collections form the basis of desplays and exhibitions across Leicestershire and are loaned to other museums across the country and abroad. | Contact for details. |
| EcoHouse Ecohouse Groundwork Leicester & Leicestershire Parkfield Western Park LEICESTER LE3 6HX Tel.: 0116 254 5489 Email: ecohouse@gwll.org.uk www.gwll.org.uk/ecohouse |
Leicester | Leicester's internationally renowned environmental showhome demonstrates hundreds of environmental features and ideas, inspiring and encouraging visitors to make green changes to their own homes and gardens. Situated just off the Hinckley Road in Western Park, the EcoHouse is easily accessible by public transport, bicycle or car. Audio guide, interactive displays, organic garden, café and EcoShop. Guided tours can be arranged and school visits are welcome. The EcoHouse staff are happy to give advice and information to visitors about being kinder to the environment. | See website for details. |
| Leicester City Fire Brigade Museum Society 84, Charles Street Sileby LOUGHBOROUGH LE12 7SJ Tel.: 01509 816204 |
Leicester | Remember your visit by buying something from the museum shop, like a little fire engine, or other fire brigade toys. The museum is a site with access for everyone, situated nears Bradgate Park. There are public toilets nearby, and on-site parking. Come and see some vintage fire engines and various items of equipment. | Contact for details. |
| Leicester Transport Heritage Trust Museum & Art Gallery 53, New Walk LEICESTER LE1 7EA Tel.: 0116 2751642 Email: aecregent@aol.com www.ltht.org.uk |
Leicester | The Leicester Transport Heritage Trust was constituted in October 2007. The Trust was the result of a merger of two well established groups, the Leicester Transport Study Group, which was formed in 1997 and the Leicester Corporation Bus Preservation Group which was formed in 2002. The purpose of the Trust, which is an educational charity, is to bring together a wide variety of people with either specialist or a general road transport interest relating to Leicester and Leicestershire, and to provide the opportunity to pool resources and publish the results of ongoing research on a wide range of local transport related topics. | Contact for details. |
| William Carey Museum Central Baptist Church Charles Street LEICESTER LE1 1LA Tel.: 0116 287 3864 Email: keithw.harrison@virgin.net www.central-baptist.org.uk |
Leicester | This museum chronicles the life of William Carey, a founder of the Baptist Missionary Movement. Models, tableaux and an archive of letters and publications illustrate his life and work from his ministry in Leicester to his work as a missionary and social reformer in India. Also in the museum are mementoes of Robert Hall, the great preacher, who was a minister of Harvey Lane Baptist Church from 1808 to 1826. | Open Sundays and by appointment. Contact for details |
| Guru Nanak Sikh Museum Guru Nanak Gurdwara Temple 9, Holy Bones LEICESTER LE1 4LJ Tel.: 0116 262 8606 Email: info@thesikhmuseum.com www.thesikhmuseum.com |
Leicester City Centre | The first registered Sikh musum in the UK is located in the city centre near St Nicholas Circle. Permanent displays include spectacular models of major Sikh shrines, a superb collection of paintings illustrating Sikh culture, hand written manuscripts, coins and many historic photographs which include portraits of Sikh army offers who fought for Britain in the two world wars. | Open all year. Contact for details. |
| Jewry Wall Museum St. Nicholas Circle LEICESTER LE1 4LB Tel.: 0116 225 4971 Email: museums@leicester.gov.uk www.leicester.gov.uk/museumsandgalleries |
Leicester City Centre | Leicester's Museum of Archaeology is placed in the wonderful setting of the remains of the Roman town's public baths.Its centrepiece is the 2000 year old Jewry Wall, a rare example of Roman walling which is one of Leicester's major landmarks. The museum tells the story of Leicester from prehistory through to the end of the medieval period and holds Leicestershire's archaeological collections ranging in date from 300,000 years ago to the end of the Middle Ages. | Contact for details. |
| New Walk Museum and Art Gallery Museum & Art Gallery 53, New Walk LEICESTER LE1 7EA Tel.: 0116 225 4900 Email: museums@leicester.gov.uk www.leicester.gov.uk/your-council--services/lc/leicester-city-museums/museums/nwm--art-gallery |
Leicester City Centre | Please contact for details. | |
| Newarke Houses Museum Newarke House Museum The Newarke LEICESTER LE2 7BY Tel.: 0116 225 4980 Email: museums@leics.gov.uk www.leicester.gov.uk/your-council--services/lc/leicester-city-museums/museums/newarkehouses/ |
Leicester City Centre | Experience the history and stories of 20th Leicester. Find out about Leicester's famous sons, Daniel Lambert, and visit the Jolly Angler public house and pawnbrokers in the 1950s street scene. Includes room displays from the 1950s and 70s, a cinema experience, community galleries, toy collections and children's games area. Includes the Museum of the Royal Leics Regiment, telling the story of Leicester at War, the home front and history of the Regiment, including a recreation of a 1st World War trench with sound and lighting. | Contact for details. |
| The Guildhall The Guildhall Guildhall Lane LEICESTER LE1 5FQ Tel.: 0116 253 2569 Email: museums@leicester.gov.uk www.leicester.gov.uk/your-council--services/lc/leicester-city-museums/museums-galleries |
Leicester City Centre | One of the best preserved timber framed halls in the country, the Guildhall was built around 1390 as a meeting place for the Guild of Corpus Christi and was used as the Town Hall from the late 15th century to 1876. It houses a 17th century town library, which has many rare books, and the Great Hall. It is believed that Shakespeare performed here during Tudor times and Leicester's first police force was based here. Two of Leicester's notorious criminals, can be found lurking in the Victorian police cells. | Contact for details. |
| Bellfoundry Museum The Bellfoundry Freehold Street LOUGHBOROUGH LE11 1AR Tel.: 01509 233414 Email: museum@taylorbells.co.uk www.taylorbells.co.uk/ |
Loughborough | A unique museum showing the history of bells, bell founding and the Taylor Company's long history. Displays include the manufacturing and tuning of bells. You can even ring some yourself! The museum forms part of the largest working bell foundry in the world. Tours of works available by arrangement. You can also join already arranged tours. Contact the museum for educational opportunities. | Contact for details. |
| Charnwood Museum Granby Street LOUGHBOROUGH LE11 3DU Tel.: 01509 233754 www.leics.gov.uk/CharnwoodMuseum.htm |
Loughborough | Popular family-friendly museum featuring a wide range of exhibits which reflect the area's local history, wildlife, geology and archaeology. Many exhibits are interactive. Visitors can enjoy playing a computer game about Loughborough, handling rocks from Charnwood's volcanic past, walk below the giant oak or zoom in on a fly's eye. Regularly changing programme of temporary exhibitions and events, including school holiday activities and regular art and craft workshops for children and adults. | Open Tuesday - Friday except Christmas and New Year. See website for details. |
| Great Central Railway Great Central Station Great Central Road LOUGHBOROUGH LE11 1RW Tel.: 01509 230726 www.gcrailway.co.uk/ |
Loughborough | Heritage railway forming a living museum with steam-hauled passenger trains operating between restored period stations. The history of the railway is captured in its own museum where historic photographs illustrate the building of the line, memorabilia, models and name plates reflect past glories and silverware hints at the luxury of railway travel in days gone by. | Contact for details. |
| Loughborough War Memorial Museum Carillon War Memorial Museum Queens Park Granby Street LOUGHBOROUGH LE11 3DU Tel.: 01509 263370 / 231667 (groups) Email: Carillonmuseum@talktalk.net |
Loughborough | The unique tower, inspired by the carillons of Flanders, was erected as a war memorial to the Loughborough men who died in the Great War. The ground floor contains a collection of wartime memorabilia donated by local people. The first floor displays the Leicestershire Yeomanry collection, while the second floor houses collections relating to the airborne forces. The tower contains a 47 bell carillon. Regular recitals are given throughout the year. | Open Easter to September. Contact for details. |
| Old Rectory Museum Rectory Place LOUGHBOROUGH LE11 1UW Tel.: 01509 843297 |
Loughborough | Housed in a preserved medieval manor house, later the local rectory, this small museum illustrates the history of Loughborough and its environs from the earliest times to the present day. Permanent displays feature local archaeology and history. Temporary exhibitions illustrate the lives and work of local people of the past. A fine collection of Swithland slate gravestones preserved in the Rectory's attractive grounds demonstrates the skill and artistry of local stonemasons. | Contact for opening times |
| Lutterworth & District Museum One Stop Shop Wycliffe House Gilmorton Road LUTTERWORTH LE17 4DY Tel.: 01455 555585 Email: aligeoff@aol.com www.thisislutterworth.com |
Lutterworth | General local history collections are complemented by a large archive of photographs from the town and local villages. Displays featuring John Wycliffe (first to translate the Bible); Frank Whittle, who developed the 'jet engine' in Lutterworth, 1937-45; working Lutterworth railway display; artefacts from the Tripontium Roman dig; a collection from the archaoelogical fieldwork group; archive room for family history tracing including the 1901 Census - Leics on microfiche. | Contact for details. |
| Bosworth Battlefield Bosworth Battlefield Visitor Centre Ambion Lane Sutton Cheney NUNEATON CV13 0AD Tel.: 01455 290429 Email: Bosworth@leics.gov.uk www.BosworthBattlefield.com |
Market Bosworth | A unique day out for all the family. Re-live this famous turning point in British history - the death of a King and the birth of the all powerful Tudor dynasty. | See website for details of opening times. |
| Harborough Museum Harborough District Council Council Offices Adam & Eve Street MARKET HARBOROUGH LE16 7AG Tel.: 01858 821085 Email: harboroughmuseum@leics.gov.uk www.leics.gov.uk/HarboroughMuseum |
Market Harborough | The museum illustrates Market Harborough's past role as a market, social centre and stagecoach post. Displays include the Symington collection of corsetry, and reconstruction of a local bootmaker's workshop as well as archaeological collections including the fabulous Hallaton Treasure Gallery. There are events and holiday activities as well as a changing programme of temporary exhibitions all year round. | Open daily, see website for details. |
| Measham Museum Measham Station Off Mannings Terrace High Street Measham SWADLINCOTE DE12 7HB Tel.: 01530 273956 |
Measham | A small museum illustraing the history of Measham and its inhabitants through changing exhibitions. Permanent displays include examples of 19th century Measham ware pottery, a unique collection of local mining artefacts and the Hart collection. Gathered by father and son, local doctors, this collection provides an insight into local health care over a period of nearly 100 years. | Contact for details. |
| Melton Carnegie Museum 34, Thorpe End MELTON MOWBRAY LE13 1RB Tel.: 0116 305 3860 Email: meltonmuseum@leics.gov.uk www.leics.gov.uk/MeltonMuseum |
Melton Mowbray | This local museum explores the fascinating history and the environment of the Borough of Melton, including the famous Vale of Belvoir. There is a wonderful mixture of exhibits including local crafts, archaeology, geology and even a two headed calf! Programmes of temporary exhibitions, evening talks and children's activities. | Open daily, see website for details. |
| Moira Furnace Museum Furnace Lane Moira SWADLINCOTE DE12 6AT Tel.: 01283 224667 or 225682 Email: moira.furnace@nwleicestershire.gov.uk www.moirafurnace.org.uk/moira_furnace/home.asp?r=7657 |
Moira | The remains of this 19th blast furnace and its setting beside the Ashby canal form a unique industrial monument. The site is explained by interpretative panls and can be explored by a system of trails. A major restoration has introduced imaginative displays about the history of the area and the early iron industry. Guided tours of the museum and Ashby Canal boat trips available daily. | Contact for details. |
| Stonehurst Family Farm and Motor Museum Stonehurst Farm 139, Loughborough Road Mountsorrel LOUGHBOROUGH LE12 7AR Tel.: 01509 413216 Email: tom@stonehurstfarm.co.uk |
Mountsorrel | A collection of vintage cars, motorbikes, bicycles and children's pedal cars, supported by an extensive collection of motoring memorabilia. An early 1900s omnibus has been restored and the development of a period village garage can be seen together with farm implements, vintage tractors and a turn of the century blacksmith's forge. | Open all year, please telephone for details. |
| Oakham Castle Oakham Castle Market Place OAKHAM LE15 6HW Tel.: 01572 758440 Email: museum@rutland.gov.uk www.rutland.gov.uk/castle |
Oakham | Twelfth century great Hall of Norman castle in castle grounds with earlier moat. Unique collection of horseshoes presented by peers of the realm. | See website for details. |
| Rutland County Museum Rutland County Museum Catmose Street OAKHAM LE15 6HW Tel.: 01572 758440 Email: www.rutland.gov.uk/museum www.rutland.gov.uk/museum |
Oakham | The museum of Rutland life including agricultural equipment, implements and wagons, local crafts and domestic items, local archaeology. All housed in an 18th century cavalry riding school. | See website for details. |
| Quorn Village Online Museum Village Hall Leicester Road Quorn LOUGHBOROUGH LE12 8BB Tel.: 01509 412112 Email: team2011@quornmuseum.com www.quornmuseum.com |
Quorn | The aim of the museum is to document the history of Quorn and to provide an archive of local information that will be of value to anyone with a connection to our village. | Contact for details. |
| Railway Vehicle Preservations Ltd Great Central Railway Station Road Rothley LEICESTER LE7 7LD Tel.: 0116 285 7573 Email: rvp-ltd@btinternet.com www.rvp-ltd.co.uk |
Rothley | Originally formed over 40 years ago to preserve historic items of railway rolling stock, today we are the historic carriage group based on the Great Central Railway in Leicestershire. We have assembled a collection of interesting railway vehicles from the London and North Eastern Railway and have a special interest in items related to Travelling Post Office trains. In addition we now own, and are restoring, 3/4 mile of the former Mountsorrel Railway from Swithland. The following pages give details of our collection, where they can be seen, and the assistance we need. | Contact for details. |
| Battlefield Line Shackerstone Railway Society Ltd Shackerstone Station Shackerstone NUNEATON CV13 6NW Tel.: 01827 880754 www.battlefield-line-railway.co.uk/ |
Shackerstone | Relive a country railway experience on a journey from Shackerstone, through rural south west Leicestershire, to Shenton and the Bosworth Battlefield Country Park. Free parking at Shackerstone. Educational visits on request. | Please see website for details of opening times. |
| Stanford Hall and Motorcycle Museum Stanford Hall LUTTERWORTH LE17 6DH Tel.: 01788 860 250 Email: enquiries@stanfordhall.co.uk www.stanfordhall.co.uk/ |
Stanford On Avon | Stanford has been the home of the Cave family since 1430. In the 1690s Sir Roger Cave commissioned the Smiths of Warwick to pull down the old manor house and build the present Hall, which is a fine example of their work and of the William and Mary period. The house contains antique furniture, fine pictures and family costumes. A craft centre and pottery are open most Sundays. | Contact for details or see website. |
| Swannington Heritage Trust 7, Hospital Lane Swannington COALVILLE LE67 8QD Tel.: 01530 222330 Email: denis.baker@which.net www.swannington-heritage.co.uk |
Swannington | The Heritage Trust has prepared village walks along the Swannington trail. You can see early railway history, evidence of 800 years of coalmining and a refurbished windmill. A full size gin engine can be examined. | Contact for details. |
| Grace Dieu Priory www.gracedieupriory.co.uk |
Thringstone | The Priory was founded between 1239-1241 as a house for Augustinian Canonesses. In 1538 the priory was dissolved and immediately converted into a mansion. By the 1700s it was in ruins. After substantial conversation, the priory and its grounds opened to the public in 2006. Parking at nearby pub with a plesant walk through Grace Dieu woods to the site. | Open from dawn to dusk |
| Ullesthorpe Subscription Windmill Granary Works Mill Road Ullesthorpe LUTTERWORTH LE17 5DE Tel.: 01455 209608 Email: susantebby@hotmail.com www.ullesthorpewindmill.org.uk |
Ullesthorpe | Ullesthorpe lies 3 miles west of Lutterworth in South Leicestershire. Its tower mill was built by subscription in 1800. Like many other village mills it ceased to operate as a windmill before 1900. Some time before that an additional pair of stones had been installed on the first floor, driven by a steam engine in the yard below. The wooden windmill mechanism was not modernised in the mid nineteenth century by replacing it with iron and much of it survives unmodified since it was built. | Contact for details. |
| Wigston Framework Knitters Museum Wigston Framework Knitters Museum 42-44, Bushloe End WIGSTON LE18 2BA Tel.: 0116 288 3396 |
Wigston | An 18th century master hosier's house with adjoining 19th century workshop. The house is furnished in the 1920s-30s style while the workshop contains eight original hand knitting frames together with all the equipment once used to produce stockings and gloves. A cobbled rear yard and period garden complete the setting. | Contact for details. |