Hertford Museum
Free local museum in a Grade II listed house of 1610 in Hertford, covering the town’s history, its people and the founders’ collections.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
Hertford Museum goes back to the collecting of the brothers R. T. and W. F. Andrews, who began gathering objects in the late 19th century and opened a museum in 1903 at their offices in Fore Street. In 1913 they bought the house at Bull Plain, which opened as a museum on 26 February 1914. The brothers left the museum as a gift to the town, and it became a charitable trust in 1948.
The building is a Grade II listed house dating from 1610. It was substantially redeveloped in 2008 with local fundraising and a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund, and the museum reopened after the work in 2010.
The collections reflect gifts from well-travelled local people and collectors. They cover local, military, natural and social history, archaeology, fine art and geology. The galleries on two floors present the museum’s own early history and the story of Hertford and the surrounding villages from prehistoric times to today. The Addis collection of around 5,000 toothbrushes recalls the factory that employed many local people until 1996.
Highlights
- Grade II listed house of 1610
- Gallery on the history of Hertford from prehistoric times to today
- Collections gathered by the founding Andrews brothers
- Addis collection of historic toothbrushes
- Free admission
- Touchable objects and listening posts in some galleries
Permanent exhibitions
- The Early Days – The ground-floor gallery tells the story of the museum and its founders, the Andrews brothers, and shows objects they collected from around the world.
- The History of Hertford – The first-floor gallery follows Hertford and its surrounding villages from prehistoric times to the present day.
- Founded
- 1903
- Operated by
- Hertford Museum charitable trust
Admission & discounts
Admission is free.
Admission is free and donations are welcome. A separate list of charges applies to some paid items such as workshops and services.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible: no information
- Elevator
- Accessible restroom
- Accessible parking
- Service dogs welcome: no information
- Tactile models & exhibits
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
The museum is displayed over two floors with stair and platform lift access between them. There is a fully accessible toilet and a family toilet with a baby changing facility. Magnifying screens are available on request at reception, newsletters are available in large print, and some galleries have touchable objects and listening posts. Disabled parking is available on Bull Plain. Staff can help with enquiries but cannot accompany visitors throughout their visit.
Kids & families
- Hands-on stations
- Baby changing facilities
There is a family toilet with baby changing and a child-sized toilet, and some galleries have objects visitors can touch.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Hertford Bus Station · 3-min walk
Hertford East railway station is about a 5-minute walk away and Hertford North about 15 minutes. Hertford Bus Station is about a 3-minute walk. The museum is close to cycle paths.
By car
Parking available
The nearest car parks are Bircherley Street, Gascoyne Way and Hartham Common, each about 3 to 5 minutes’ walk away. Disabled parking is available on Bull Plain.
- Accessible parking
Amenities & dining
- Museum shop
The museum has a shop selling books, cards, gifts and images.
Events & venue rental
- Spaces for rent
Rooms at the museum can be hired through the museum’s venue hire service.
Plan your visit
| School programs | yes |
|---|---|
| Good to know | Schools can book workshops and guided sessions with real objects at the museum or at school, and loan boxes are available for Key Stages 1 to 4. A visual story describes what to expect on a visit. |
