15 Museums to Explore in Lancashire

One of the most beautiful houses in Lancashire. It is now a museum and art gallery. The Hall is set within the beautiful surroundings of Astley Park which include historic woodland, a lake, a fully renovated Victorian walled garden alongside clean and modern facilities for visitors to enjoy. Astley Hall today contains Tudor, Stuart, and Georgian architecture that reflects the times and building tastes of the three families that owned it throughout most of its history.

A majestic castle perched above the town of Clitheroe where it has dominated the skyline for 800 years. This majestic house tells the story of the town, the formation of the landscape 350 million years ago and why the Ribble Valley is a haven for Lancashire's wildlife. Moving through the galleries,

Clitheroe Castle Museum is housed in the listed steward’s house on the picturesque site of the Grade I listed Castle Keep and Scheduled Monument. Its intriguing galleries will take you on a journey through 350 million years of history, heritage and geology of the local area. Younger hearts may take an adventure kitted out with rucksack, map and magnifying glass.

The Custom House, Lancaster is a grade II* listed building located on St Georges Quay, Lancaster, Lancashire, England. It is now the home of the Maritime Museum, packed with fascinating exhibits from the town’s time as a port and a centre of the fishing industry. Its exhibits include local fishing vessels, ship models, area merchants and trade, including the slave trade, the Lancaster Canal, area fishing industry, the development of the local ports of Glasson, Heysham, Sunderland Point, and Mor

Fleetwood Museum is a local history and maritime museum in the English seaside town of Fleetwood, Lancashire. This local history and maritime museum is key in preserving and allowing people to discover Fleetwood’s heritage. There are many displays that are available to view, heavily focused on what life and working conditions were like for fisherman and it conveys a great comparison to how different it is now. It houses an important collection of history from the fishing industry and from the lo

A majestic art gallery and museum located in Preston, Lancashire. It has a remarkable collections of fine art, costume and textiles, ceramics and glass, and history are all housed in a stunning Grade I listed building. It also has the largest collection of scent bottles in the UK, along with glass, ceramics, textiles and exhibits relating to Preston's history.

Helmshore Textile Mill tells the fascinating stories of wool, cotton and the Industrial Revolution. Imagine the hard lives of the mill workers and relish the opportunity to see spellbinding historic machinery in motion. Witness Its spellbinding historic machinery in action; where the noisy clicks, clunks, thumps, and distinctive scents will transport you to another era.

The Judges’ Lodgings is Lancaster’s oldest townhouse, standing on the site of an earlier hall. It was built around 1625 and was the residence of wealthy Lancaster citizens and visiting judges for nearly 200 years. Today the house is home to beautiful Georgian furniture by Gillows of Lancaster, elegant period rooms, and the popular Museum of Childhood.

This is the "largest Regimental archive and the premier centre for military historical research in the North of England and it has the largest regimental military heritage collection in the North of England, and possibly the whole country with over 60,000 items catalogued. This Museum provides a most unusual museum experience that covers over 300 years of our history with the prime appeal being to those who served or have family members who served in the present or ancestor Regiments.

A majestic museum which was situated in the heart of this historic cultural city of Lancaster in an elegant Georgian building is where to discover more about Lancaster’s past from the Romans to the present day. The museum itself was founded in 1923 and its collections illustrate the history and archaeology of the city of Lancaster. It is also home to the King's Own Royal Regiment Museum.

Ribchester Roman Museum is located in the beautiful countryside of the Ribble Valley. The museum was built above the remains of the headquarters building of the Roman Fort in 1914 and opened to the public the following year. Roman Ribchester is brought to life by dramatic displays, which contain a life size cavalryman, Roman legionary and exciting interactive exhibits.

The British Commercial Vehicle Museum has a compelling story to tell .It represents one of the largest manufacturing industries in the United kingdom.This Museum charts British commercial vehicle history since the 1800’s. The museum is housed in the original inspection building of Leyland Motors and has a traditional Northern Light Roof.

The Ruskin Library and Museum sits at the entrance to Lancaster University and is open to everyone. It is free to visit, with stunning exhibits on display from John Ruskin’s life and work. In this piece, we will begin with a short discussion on Ruskin’s contributions to Victorian society and his relevance today. We will then turn to the construction of this very modern-looking building and the work its staff are doing to engage the wider public with the thoughts and philosophy of John Ruskin.

A beautiful Museum & Art Gallery in the heart of the scenic Rossendale valley. It was set in a beautiful park at the center of the Rossendale Valley, Lancashire. This little 'gem' of the valley was originally built in 1840. You can wander through our museum you will encounter our infamous Tiger and Python scene, the two animals locked in a battle to the death! Discover our changing program of art exhibitions, dine in our café.

Towneley Hall historic house, art gallery and museum located in 400 acres of beautiful parkland provides all the ingredients for a fun, educational and adventurous day out. It houses an eclectic collection including an Egyptian mummy, the Whalley Abbey vestments, Lancashire-made oak furniture, Pilkington Pottery and the Towneley Bear. There are also so many other things to see and feel around.