Brixham Heritage Museum
Free volunteer-run museum in the old police station in Brixham, covering the fishing port, its maritime past, wartime and Victorian life.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
Brixham Heritage Museum tells the story of the Devon fishing town and its harbour. It grew out of a local history society that was set up in the late 1950s to record and protect the town's heritage. Since 1976 it has been housed in the former police station and sergeant's house, a three-storey brick building from 1902 on New Road.
The displays range from the geology and caves of the area and its Neolithic past to the fishing fleets that made Brixham well known, the Napoleonic period, the two world wars and everyday life in the Victorian town. A maritime gallery, opened in 1990, shows boats, nets and ship models, while a reconstructed Victorian parlour and nursery show how local families lived.
The collection numbers more than 10,000 objects. A library and archive are open to researchers by appointment. The museum is now run by Brixham Museum Trust, a registered charity, with the help of volunteers, and it also offers school workshops and family history research.
Highlights
- Maritime gallery with fishing nets, boats and ship models
- Reconstructed Victorian parlour and nursery
- Displays on the Napoleonic period and Brixham in the two world wars
- Geology and Neolithic finds from the Brixham area
- Library and archive for family history research (by appointment)
Permanent exhibitions
- Fishing and maritime gallery – Fishing nets, boats and ship models showing the port's role in the fishing industry.
- Victorian parlour and nursery – Reconstructed rooms showing domestic life in a Victorian Brixham home.
- Brixham through the centuries – Displays on local geology and the Neolithic past, the Napoleonic wars and the two world wars.
- Founded
- 1958
- Operated by
- Brixham Museum Trust CIO
Admission & discounts
Admission is free.
Entry is free; donations are welcome. School groups pay a small charge per child (see visit notes).
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible: no information
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom: no information
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
The museum states that dogs are welcome. No details on step-free access, lifts or accessible toilets are published on its website.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
- Family tours & workshops
Children are welcome. The museum offers family activities, and school workshops use real and replica objects, role play and trails.
Getting there & parking
By car
Parking available
The nearest car park is Brixham Central Car Park (stay up to three hours). Oxen Cove and Freshwater Quarry car parks offer longer stays, a walk past the harbour and through the town.
The museum is in the Old Police Station on New Road, Brixham.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
An online gift shop is linked from the museum website.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | The museum offers school visits, family activities and guided tours. School workshops (prehistory, explorers and shipbuilding, Brixham in the Second World War) last one to two hours; museum-led visits cost £3 per child and self-led visits £1 per child during opening hours, with teachers and helpers free. Book six to eight weeks ahead. The library and archive can be used by appointment. |
