Bassetlaw Museum
Free local museum in a Georgian town house in Retford, covering North Nottinghamshire from prehistory to today, with Pilgrim Fathers and rural life galleries.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
Bassetlaw Museum was created in 1983 from collections donated by local people and moved in 1986 to Amcott House on Grove Street in Retford, an 18th-century Georgian town house that is listed Grade II*. The museum is run by Bassetlaw District Council, and entry is free. It tells the story of North Nottinghamshire, from the earliest inhabitants to the present day, through archaeology, local history, fine and decorative art, agriculture, costume and textiles. It was named Nottinghamshire Museum of the Year in 2009.
The Percy Laws Art Gallery was built in 1994 with help from the Rotary Club of Retford, and the Rural Heritage Centre in the grounds was added in 2008 to house the collection on farming, rural crafts and country life. A large photographic archive includes more than 21,000 negatives by the Retford photographers Edgar Welchman and Son, taken between 1910 and 1960.
The Pilgrims Gallery opened in 2019 for the 400th anniversary of the Mayflower voyage. Many of the separatists who sailed in 1620 came from north Nottinghamshire, and the gallery explores their lives, their time in Holland and their early contacts in America with the Wampanoag people, with a recreated study of William Brewster. Other displays include an Anglo-Saxon log boat, a Victorian school room, a 1940s wartime kitchen and a gallery of toys.
Highlights
- Anglo-Saxon log boat
- Pilgrims Gallery on the Mayflower separatists and the Wampanoag people
- Victorian school room and 1940s wartime kitchen
- Rural Heritage Centre with a vet's office, farm kitchen and vintage tractors
- Costume collection and gallery of old toys
- Percy Laws Art Gallery with changing fine art exhibitions
Permanent exhibitions
- Pilgrims Gallery – A gallery on the Mayflower Pilgrims from north Nottinghamshire, with a recreated study of William Brewster, Wampanoag artefacts, a timeline and maps, and a Wetu in the garden.
- Rural Heritage Centre – Farming and rural life in Bassetlaw, with a vet's office, a farm kitchen, vintage tractors and the tools of rural craftsmen.
- Amcott House collections – Galleries on the area from prehistory to today, including an Anglo-Saxon boat, a Victorian school room, a 1940s wartime kitchen, toys and costume.
- Founded
- 1983
- Operated by
- Bassetlaw District Council
Admission & discounts
Admission is free.
Entry is free. Donations help the museum care for its collections and run free children's activities.
Accessibility
- Partially wheelchair accessible
- Elevator: not available
- Accessible restroom
- Accessible parking
- Service dogs welcome
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
The ground floor of the museum, the Percy Laws Gallery and the Rural Heritage Centre are accessible to wheelchair users. Amcott House is a Grade II* listed building, so no lift could be installed and the first floor is reached by stairs only; staff can help if visitors contact the museum beforehand. Accessible toilets are available. Car parking outside is limited to 30 minutes, but Blue Badge holders may use designated on-road parking for the whole day. Dogs are welcome on leads. Detailed access guides are published on the AccessAble and Euan's Guide websites.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
- Family tours & workshops
- Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
- Baby changing facilities
The museum runs family-friendly events, workshops and free children's activities during the year. A child-friendly version of the Retford Heritage Trail is available at the museum. Baby changing facilities are provided and the museum is breastfeeding friendly.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Retford bus station · 5-min walk
There are regular buses from Doncaster, Gainsborough and Worksop, and the bus station in Retford is a 5-minute walk from the museum. Retford railway station, on the East Coast Main Line, is about a 20-minute walk away.
By car
Paid parking
Parking outside the museum is restricted to 30 minutes. The nearest pay and display long-stay car parks are on Chapelgate (DN22 6PL), New Street (DN22 6EA) and Churchgate (DN22 6PA).
- Accessible parking
The museum is on Grove Street, a short walk from the Market Square in the centre of Retford.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Café: not available
- Restaurant: not available
- Museum shop
There is no cafe, but visitors may bring a picnic to eat in the garden. Food and drink are not allowed in the galleries. The gift shop sells local history books, postcards and gifts.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | Talks and tours are available by arrangement. Schools can book free workshops for Early Years Foundation Stage to Key Stage 2 and borrow handling boxes. The museum also offers reminiscence sessions and memory boxes, and researchers can see the reserve collections by appointment. |
