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Somerset Museums

American Museum & Gardens

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American Museum & Gardens

The American Museum takes you on a journey through the history of America, from its early settlers to the twentieth century.


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Museums in Somerset

So much to Explore!

It is not only the museums of Somerset and Exmoor – and they come in every shape and size from the tiny Blake Museum in Bridgwater to the spacious Somerset Rural Life Museum in Glastonbury – that can tell a story from the past. You can stand in a field in the village of Westonzoyland and remember ‘all those who, doing the right as they gave it, fell in the Battle of Sedgemoor 6th July 1685.’ This was the last planned battle on English soil and led to the infamous Bloody Assizes presided over by Judge Jeffreys. Many Somerset villages lost men to the battle or the reprisals as they did in far greater numbers to the two World Wars. There were a few, however, who lost no one at all and these are known as the Thankful Villages.
 
Somerset’s woollen industry was once one of the largest in England and responsible for the legacy of fine churches. Coal mining on the Mendips was another source of wealth and there were 80 collieries around Radstock as late as 1901. Quarrying was important and the Brendon Hills were mined for iron ore. With such natural riches it is not surprising a number of grand houses were built.
Somerset has so much history it’s no wonder there is an abundance of museums helping you to understand it all and to step back in time! From Haynes Motor Museum to the many town museums such as Chard (the birthplace of modern flight) or the TV and Radio and Toy museum at Montacute – the county can cater for a range of tastes, ages and interests.
The impressive Fleet Air Arm museum at RNAS Yeovilton offers an insight into the exploitation of the skies.  Here you can climb on board Concorde or visit the deck of an aircraft carrier and there are dozens of much older planes to see.

Taunton is the home of the Museum of Somerset which provides a superb modern venue in an ancient setting with a variety of exhibitions, events and interactive activities for children. It tells the county’s story from prehistoric times to the present day and has such treasures as the Frome Hoard, the Banwell bear and the Low Ham mosaic.

If you are after something a little more unusual, the boat museum at Watchet or the museum or prehistory at Cheddar Caves will always entertain and fascinate.  
 

Wookey Hole Caves & Attractions
Wookey Hole Caves & Attractions

Wookey Hole Caves is a magical place of caves, legends, and adventure for all ages. It’s an experience millions of years in the making with plenty to do inside and out. Enjoy vintage penny arcades, museums, adventure golf, and soft play zones, and of course the famous, beautiful caves.

Fleet Air Arm Museum
Fleet Air Arm Museum

The all-weather attraction is the perfect place for all the family. With immersive experiences like the Search and Rescue Sea King Helicopter walk through and a walkthrough of the iconic Concorde 002.

The Jane Austen Centre
The Jane Austen Centre

The Jane Austen Centre is in the heart of the Georgian city of Bath, between the architectural attractions of Queen Square and the Circus, and just a short stroll from Bath Abbey, the Assembly Rooms and the Roman Baths. Come and meet their costumed ‘character’ guides, and enjoy being shown Bath’s fascinating history and its associations with Jane Austen and her family.

Somerset Brick and Tile Museum
Somerset Brick and Tile Museum

The Museum tells the story of brick and tile making, one of the many labour-intensive industries once found in Somerset.

American Museum & Gardens
American Museum & Gardens

The American Museum takes you on a journey through the history of America, from its early settlers to the twentieth century.

Haynes Motor Museum
Haynes Motor Museum

Haynes Motor Museum in Sparkford, Somerset is truly a must-see attraction. Home of the UK’s largest collection of cars and motorbikes you can get up close to some of the very first cars invented in The Dawn of Motoring, explore reds around the world in the famous Red Room and feed your need for speed with some of the most iconic Formula 1 cars in Williams’ history.

Museum of Somerset
Museum of Somerset

The Museum of Somerset tells the county's story from prehistoric times to the present day using real objects combined with evocative films, sounds and images, and the voices and words of Somerset people past and present.

Haynes Motor Museum
Haynes Motor Museum

Haynes Motor Museum in Sparkford, Somerset is truly a must-see attraction. Home of the UK’s largest collection of cars and motorbikes you can get up close to some of the very first cars invented in The Dawn of Motoring, explore reds around the world in the famous Red Room and feed your need for speed with some of the most iconic Formula 1 cars in Williams’ history.

Somerset Coalfield Life at Radstock Museum
Somerset Coalfield Life at Radstock Museum

Our award-winning museum transports you back to the Victorian industrial age; a time when Somerset had 75 coal mines covering an area 240 square miles.

Somerset Rural Life Museum
Somerset Rural Life Museum

Visitors to Somerset Rural Life Museum can explore rural life from the 1800s onwards and discover more about the county’s heritage including its landscape, food and farming, working life and rural crafts.


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