Ely Museum

About the museum

Ely Museum is housed in the Old Gaol on the corner of Market Street and Lynn Road, a building whose origins go back to the 13th century. In 1679 Bishop Peter Gunning turned a private house here into the Bishop's Gaol, which stayed in use until 1836. Later the building was home to the Mechanics Institute, diocesan records and council offices, and graffiti left by prisoners can still be seen.

The museum's roots lie in a small museum started in the gaol in 1849 by the local librarian Marshall Fisher. The present museum opened in the 1970s in the Sacrist Gate on the High Street, run by volunteers, and moved into the Old Gaol in 1997. A redevelopment costing £2.2 million, supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, ran from 2019 to 2021 and added a second-floor extension and new displays.

Today the galleries cover the people and landscape of Ely and the Fens from prehistory to the present, with the early history of the area, from fossils to the medieval period, on the ground floor and more recent centuries after the draining of the fens upstairs.

Highlights

• Original gaol cells and the stories of the prisoners held there
• Hands-on displays across the galleries
• Galleries from fossils and the medieval cathedral city to fenland life
• Explorer kits for children
• Research hub with local history films and library books

Permanent exhibitions

• Early Ely: fossils to the medieval period – Ground-floor galleries on the early history of the Ely area, from fossils and prehistory to the medieval cathedral city.
• Fenland life after the drainage – Upstairs galleries covering more recent centuries, after the fen marshes were drained for farmland.
• Original gaol cells – The preserved cells of the Old Gaol, with the stories of the prisoners who were held there.

Admission & discounts

Tickets are valid for a year from purchase and do not need to be pre-booked. Free for National Art Pass and Museums Association members.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator
• Accessible restroom
• 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

Step-free access from the road and a fully enclosed lift to the second floor. Four toilets, two on each floor, including one accessible toilet on the ground floor. The museum offers a walk-through access guide, a sensory map (with Makaton) and a social story about visiting. No animals are allowed except assistance dogs.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
• Hands-on stations
• Stroller-friendly
• Baby changing facilities

Explorer kits for children, hands-on displays, a family ticket and baby changing on each floor.

Getting there & parking

The museum is about a five-minute walk from Ely Market and Ely Cathedral, on the corner of Market Street and Lynn Road.

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop

Shop selling local history books, children’s toys and gifts. Food and drink are not allowed in the galleries.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent

Up to 40 guests.

The Aedwen Room, a bright room with a kitchenette, can be hired for meetings, training, talks and workshops (up to 20 people boardroom style, up to 40 lecture style); charity and commercial rates apply.

Plan your visit