Ashby de la Zouch Museum

About the museum

Ashby de la Zouch Museum opened in 1982 in a small cottage on Lower Church Street. In 1991 it moved to North Street, where it took over part of a former school building that it shared with the town library. A two-storey extension, paid for with the help of a Heritage Lottery Fund grant, was added in 2006-7 and gave the museum its present exhibition galleries.

The museum is run by a registered charity and depends almost entirely on volunteers, around seventy of them, supported by a board of trustees and a long-standing partnership with Ashby Town Council. It holds full accreditation from Arts Council England, first awarded in 2008 and renewed in 2023, and it was named Leicestershire Museum of the Year in 2007 and again in 2010.

The collections fall into three main groups: an artefact collection, a large photographic collection showing the town and surrounding communities over time, and a local archive that is kept upstairs and made available to researchers on request. Displays cover the history of the town and its villages from early times to the present day and include items linked to local families, such as a robe worn at the 1953 coronation by the 16th Earl of Huntingdon. Temporary exhibitions and an artefact of the month change through the year.

Highlights

• Displays on the history of Ashby de la Zouch and nearby villages
• Large collection of historic local photographs
• Coronation robe worn by the 16th Earl of Huntingdon
• Push-button audio stories and Discovery Pens with commentary in several languages
• Changing temporary exhibitions and an artefact of the month

Permanent exhibition

• Ashby town history displays – Permanent displays on the history of Ashby de la Zouch and the surrounding villages, drawing on the museum's artefacts, photographs and archives.

Founded

1982

Operated by

Ashby de la Zouch Museum (registered charity no. 513745)

Admission & discounts

Payment by cash or contactless card. No group discounts. Donations are welcome.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom
• Accessible parking
• Service dogs welcome
• Tactile models & exhibits
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

A gentle ramp with a handrail leads to the entrance, and reception, both galleries and the toilets are on one level. There is a low reception counter, a hearing loop, seating in the galleries and short-pile carpet with room for wheelchairs. Assistance dogs are welcome and water can be provided. Displays use large print, push-button audio stories and sounds, and Discovery Pens give audio commentary that can also help visually impaired visitors. The community room used for research has two steps and a temporary ramp. The upstairs archive is not open to visitors. The museum is a member of the VAQAS accessibility scheme and was last assessed in December 2025.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Hands-on stations

The museum describes itself as suitable for all ages. Displays include sounds and hands-on elements, and children aged 4 and under enter free.

Getting there & parking

Drop-off is possible on North Street outside the front entrance. Streets and pavements nearby are fairly level, and there is a pedestrian crossing on North Street.

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop

Small shop inside the entrance with local books and copies of historic photographs. Toilets are free and next to reception.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit