Chippenham Museum
Free town museum in an 18th-century townhouse in Chippenham, telling the story of the town from prehistory to today, with a strong art and photography collection.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
Chippenham Museum is housed in an 18th-century townhouse at 9-10 Market Place and is run by Chippenham Town Council. Its galleries tell the story of the market town from its prehistoric origins to the present day, and show how its development was shaped by river, road and rail.
The museum cares for nearly 35,000 objects relating to Chippenham and the surrounding towns and villages, dating from the Neolithic period to the present. They cover geology, archaeology and the artistic and social history of the area. Important groups include material on local industries such as the cloth trade, dairy and cheese making and the railway signalling firm Westinghouse Brake and Signal Company, once the town's largest employer. The museum also holds paintings and prints with local connections, among them works by Robin Tanner and by students and teachers at the Bath Academy of Art in Corsham, more than 9,000 photographs and postcards of local views dating from the 1860s, and uniforms and regalia, including the Historic Police Collection on loan from Wiltshire Police.
The town council also looks after the medieval Yelde Hall nearby, which opens on selected mornings each summer. Changing exhibitions, community projects and a Young Curators Group complement the permanent displays.
Highlights
- Story of Chippenham from prehistory to today in an 18th-century townhouse
- Art collection with works by Robin Tanner and the Bath Academy of Art at Corsham
- More than 9,000 local photographs and postcards from the 1860s onwards
- Material on local industries including Westinghouse Brake and Signal Company
- Free digital guide through the Bloomberg Connects app
Permanent exhibitions
- (Not) Still Lifes – A permanent display on still life painting and on how objects tell stories about taste and identity, with the installation (Not) Guilty Pleasures by Jo Taylor.
- Bon à tirer – A display celebrating ten years of collaboration between artists and the printer INK on PAPER PRESS, drawn from the studio archive held by the museum.
- Founded
- 2000
- Operated by
- Chippenham Town Council
Admission & discounts
Admission is free.
Admission is free.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- Elevator
- Accessible restroom
- 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 level entrance is to the left of the entrance with steps; pressing the silver button to its right alerts the museum team to open the door. The two floors of galleries, the shop and the education room have level access with a lift and an accessible toilet. A visual guide and an accessibility guide are available on the museum website.
Kids & families
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Chippenham bus station · 1-min walk
Chippenham bus station is a one-minute walk away and Chippenham railway station is a 10-minute walk.
By car
No on-site parking at the museum.
The museum has no public car park. The nearest car parks are Borough Parade (short stay) and Wood Lane (long stay). The nearest cycle stands are in Borough Parade car park.
Amenities & dining
- Museum shop
The museum has a shop and an online shop.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Good to know | A free digital guide to the museum is available through the Bloomberg Connects app. Visitors can phone the museum before a visit to discuss access needs. |
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