Bishop's Stortford Museum

About the museum

Bishop’s Stortford Museum occupies a Georgian house on South Road that was the birthplace of Cecil Rhodes. The building opened as a memorial museum in 1938 and was redesigned in the 1930s by Herbert Baker, Rhodes’s architect. Buildings added behind it in the 1960s later formed an arts complex, now called South Mill Arts, which is run by the same charity.

In 2005 the Rhodes memorial museum merged its collections with those of the Bishop’s Stortford Local History Museum, creating one museum for the town. The charity running it, once called the Rhodes Birthplace Trust, was renamed Bishop’s Stortford Museum and Arts CIO in 2020, and the arts complex was renamed South Mill Arts that August.

The museum has about 80,000 objects in five main collections: archaeological finds from local excavations, locally found coins and seals, textiles mostly from the Victorian period, more than 3,000 local photographs, and fine art. An ethnographic collection includes objects collected in the communities of South Africa. Displays on the second floor present the history of the town and surrounding area, and a limestone Roman coffin found near Stane Street is a highlight.

Highlights

• Roman limestone coffin found near Stane Street
• Local photograph collection with more than 3,000 images
• Victorian textiles and local fine art
• Ethnographic objects collected in South African communities
• ArtSpace showcase for local artists and monthly Object of the Month displays

Permanent exhibition

• Local history displays – Second-floor galleries on the history of Bishop’s Stortford and the surrounding area, including a Roman limestone coffin and a monthly Object of the Month.

Founded

2005

Operated by

Bishop’s Stortford Museum and Arts CIO

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

Admission is free and donations are welcome. Some talks and walks are ticketed separately.

Accessibility

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

The museum’s website links to a general website accessibility statement but gives no details of step-free access, toilets or hearing loops.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide

The museum offers family-friendly displays, holiday activities, free storytime for ages 2.5 to 5 and kids’ crafts for ages 3 to 11 with a suggested £2 donation. Free Town Trails help families explore the town.

Getting there & parking

The museum is part of the South Mill Arts site on South Road. The website gives no travel or parking details.

Amenities & dining

• Café

The Maltings Bar in South Mill Arts serves hot and cold drinks, snacks and cakes.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit