Wookey Hole Museum

About the museum

Wookey Hole is a limestone cave system in the Mendip Hills where people have left traces for thousands of years. The museum at the site, housed in the former paper mill, presents three themes: the geology of the caves and the people who lived and worked there, the story of cave diving, and the history of paper-making at the mill.

The cave diving display recalls the first successful cave dive in Britain, made at Wookey Hole in 1935 by Graham Balcombe and Penelope Powell, who reached Chamber 7 at a depth of 52 metres. It also shows finds from the caves and a film by the British team that led the 2018 rescue of a youth football team from a cave in Thailand.

The paper-making display explains how old rags were turned into paper at a mill that was built in the 1850s and was once the largest of its kind in Europe. Visitors can also try making paper themselves. The museum is part of the Wookey Hole Caves attraction, which also includes guided cave tours of about 40 minutes and a range of family attractions.

Highlights

• Display on the first successful British cave dive in 1935
• Film by the team behind the 2018 Thailand cave rescue
• History of paper-making at the Victorian mill, with paper-making activity
• Finds from the caves and legend of the Witch of Wookey Hole
• Guided tours of the caves with the same ticket

Permanent exhibition

• Wookey Hole Museum – Three displays on the geology and human history of the caves, the first British cave dive in 1935 and the history of paper-making at the mill.

Founded

1926

Admission & discounts

One ticket covers the whole Wookey Hole Caves attraction, including the museum and cave tour. The lowest prices are off-peak advance online prices (15% off): adult £21.24, child £16.99, senior £18.69. Standard off-peak prices are £24.99, £19.99 and £21.99. Peak prices: adult £24.64 (standard £28.99), child £19.54 (standard £22.99), senior £21.24 (standard £24.99).

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• 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

All areas except the caves are reachable by flat, hard surfaces and ramps. The caves are not wheelchair accessible, but staff will take a wheelchair or mobility scooter from the cave entrance to the exit. Accessible toilets are in the car park, and there are nine Blue Badge spaces close to the entrance. The museum itself is not described separately. Registered assistance dogs are welcome in all public areas; other dogs are not allowed.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Hands-on stations
• Stroller-friendly

Circus shows run at weekends and daily in the Somerset school holidays, and the site holds a Winter Wonderland in December. Visitors can try making paper in the museum. Buggies can be used everywhere except the caves, where small children are carried.

Getting there & parking

Address for sat nav: Wookey Hole Caves, The Mill, Wookey Hole, BA5 1BA.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Restaurant
• Museum shop

400-seat Mill Restaurant, a refreshments hut in the valley and an ice cream parlour at peak times, indoor and outdoor picnic areas, and a gift shop.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit