House on the Hill Toy Museum
Privately run toy museum at Mountfitchet Castle in Stansted, with some 80,000 toys, film and TV props and wartime displays.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The House on the Hill Museum was opened to the public in 1991 by Alan Goldsmith and his son Jeremy. Alan began collecting toys as a boy, after he was given a small toy train at the age of seven, and over the decades the family collection grew until it needed a building of its own. The museum stands on a hill beside the reconstructed Norman castle and village at Mountfitchet Castle in Stansted, and it is still privately owned and run. The museum reports more than three million visitors since it opened.
The collection reaches from simple wooden dolls of Roman times to toys of the 1980s, when computer games took over. Its displays cover trains, tin and lead toys, Meccano, dolls, teddy bears, annuals, board games and many other kinds of toy, with a large part of the collection shown as a record of everyday social history. The museum says that more than 80,000 items are on display.
Beside the toys there are a Home Front exhibition on the First and Second World Wars with the Blitz, a showbiz collection with film and TV props and vehicles, and a Rock and Roll exhibition on the 1960s and 70s. A Haunted Manor with a bewitched Victorian bedroom is part of the museum. There are also hands-on activities, such as a puppet theatre, Lego and Brio tables and helmets and gas masks to try on.
Highlights
- About 80,000 toys, games and books from Roman times to the 1980s
- Showbiz collection with film and TV props
- Rock and Roll exhibition on the 1960s and 70s
- Home Front displays on the First and Second World Wars and the Blitz
- Haunted Manor (small extra charge)
- Hands-on activities for children, including a puppet theatre and Lego tables
Permanent exhibitions
- Toy collection – About 80,000 toys, games and books from simple wooden dolls to the toys of the 1980s, grouped by kind such as trains, dolls, teddy bears and military toys.
- Showbiz collection and Rock and Roll exhibition – Film and TV props, a three-wheeled van from a TV comedy, and a display on the music of the 1960s and 70s with a jukebox and life-size figures.
- Home Front exhibition – Displays on the First and Second World Wars, including the Blitz, with helmets and gas masks that visitors can try on.
- Founded
- 1991
- Operated by
- Privately owned (Goldsmith family)
Admission & discounts
| Adults | £18 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | £16Seniors aged 65 and over |
| Children & teens | £14free up to age 2 · Children aged 3 to 13. Children under 3 are free. Under-16s must be accompanied by an adult. |
| Seniors | £16Seniors aged 65 and over. |
| Visitors with disabilities | –The attraction is privately funded and does not offer free tickets for carers or support workers. |
| Groups | –Party rates are available on request by phone; schools and groups have their own booking section. |
| Haunted Manor (inside the museum) | £1.50Per person |
The ticket includes Mountfitchet Castle and Norman village, the House on the Hill Museum, Dinosaur Encounters and The Darkside of Medieval Life. Tickets can be booked online or bought on arrival. Animal food for the castle grounds costs £2.50 a bag. All admissions are final and no refunds are given. A visit of at least two hours is recommended.
Accessibility
- Partially wheelchair accessible
- Elevator: not available
- Accessible restroom: no information
- 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 museum says that disabled access is limited. It stands on top of a steep hill and is reached from the visitor centre by a concrete path with steep sections that can be slippery in wet weather. The museum has two levels: one room is reached by a two-step stairway and another by a stairway of 20 steps, and there are no lifts. The castle site also has slopes, cobbles and steps. Dogs are not allowed because animals roam freely in the grounds. Blue Badge holders park free in the car park.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Time needed | approx. 2 hrs |
|---|---|
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 2 |
- Hands-on stations
The museum describes the castle and museum as suitable for all ages from infants upwards. Children can use a puppet theatre, Lego and Brio tables and quoits, and try on First and Second World War helmets and gas masks. The grounds also include life-size dinosaurs and a fossil-hunting house. Under-16s must be accompanied by an adult.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Stansted Mountfitchet station
The site is next to Stansted Mountfitchet station, about 40 minutes by train from London Liverpool Street and 35 minutes from Cambridge.
By car
Paid parking
The large Lower Street car park is run by the local council and is paid by card at the machine or with the MyPermit app. A 3-hour stay costs £2.70, and parking is £1.20 for the whole day on Sundays and bank holidays. Blue Badge holders park free. There is a long-stay area at the back of the car park, and coach parking costs £7.50 for 5 hours.
The site is about 2 miles from junction 8 of the M11, and brown tourist signs lead to the village centre. Satnav users should use the postcode CM24 8LY.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Café
- Museum shop
The visitor centre tea room serves hot and cold snacks, cakes and drinks, with indoor seating and a large outdoor picnic area. The gift shop sells souvenirs from 50p, and an antique centre offers collectables.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| School programs | yes |
|---|---|
| Good to know | The museum recommends allowing at least two hours for the whole site. Schools can book visits, and the museum offers teachers information sheets, a box of labelled toys for a talk on toy history and a box of original Second World War items about the Home Front. |
