Newarke Houses Museum

About the museum

Newarke Houses consists of two historic houses, Wygston's Chantry House and Skeffington House, both built around 1511 for William Wygston and Thomas Skeffington. They stand in the Newarke, a walled enclosure laid out in the 15th century for Leicester's religious community, in what is now the heart of the De Montfort University campus. Gun loops in the garden wall date from the English Civil War, and the houses were involved in the siege of Leicester in 1645. They were also used as a boys' school.

The houses opened to the public as a museum in 1953, bringing together objects from everyday life. The museum also holds the collections of the Royal Leicestershire Regiment in dedicated galleries, with a recreated First World War trench and a look at life on the home front.

Other displays include a gallery of toys from Tudor times to the present, the story of the local figure Daniel Lambert, a 1950s street scene based on Wharf Street with shops and a pub, and a permanent exhibition on Ugandan Asians who came to Leicester in 1972. Three garden galleries are used for temporary exhibitions, talks and private hire, and the walled gardens are open for visitors to relax in.

Highlights

• Recreated First World War trench in the Royal Leicestershire Regiment galleries
• Toy gallery with dress-up and a six-foot teddy bear
• 1950s street scene with shops and a pub
• Daniel Lambert gallery with his chair and clothing
• Kampala to Leicester gallery on Ugandan Asian refugees
• Walled gardens with Civil War gun loops

Permanent exhibitions

• Royal Leicestershire Regiment galleries – The history of the regiment and local soldiers, with a recreated First World War trench with sound and lighting and a look at home-front life with a Morrison shelter.
• 1950s street scene – A recreated Wharf Street with a draper's, a grocer's and an interactive pub, plus the toy gallery and the story of Daniel Lambert.
• Kampala to Leicester – A permanent exhibition using film, personal testimony and objects lent by Leicester's Ugandan Asian community to tell the story of those expelled from Uganda in 1972.

Founded

1953

Operated by

Leicester City Council (Leicester Museums & Galleries)

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

General entry is free, with a suggested donation of 3 pounds.

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

A lift serves both floors and both mezzanine levels, the entrance doors are automatic, and the 1950s street and the regimental galleries have ramped or level access. The gardens are partly accessible to wheelchairs. There is an accessible toilet on the ground floor, a hearing loop and a wheelchair for loan. There is no car park; pay and display parking is on the Newarke outside, where Blue Badge holders can park free. Assistance dogs are welcome and water is provided on request. Interpretation text is fairly small, which may be hard for visitors with visual impairments. The quietest time to visit is after 14:00, in winter or outside school holidays, and a quiet area can be provided on request. The museum has published an access statement.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
• Hands-on stations
• Playground / play area

Children can dress up in the toy gallery and try games in a play area. Printable activity packs, a treasure hunt, a quiz and a trail are offered, and the museum holds seasonal children's events. Families can picnic in the walled gardens.

Getting there & parking

The museum is an 11-minute walk or a 6-minute cycle from the Clock Tower in the city centre, across the road from the De Montfort University campus. The Magazine is a 1-minute walk away and Castle Gardens 3 minutes.

Amenities & dining

• Café: not available
• Restaurant: not available
• Museum shop
• Lockers

There is no cafe on site; a cafe on the De Montfort University campus opposite is open to everyone, and the city centre is a 10-minute walk away. Visitors may picnic in the walled gardens. Lockers in the entrance lobby cost 1 pound (coins only); there is no storage for large luggage. The shop sells gifts inspired by the collections, such as old-fashioned games and replica wartime books.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Private parties
• Corporate events
• Weddings / ceremonies: not available

Up to 120 guests.

The three Garden Galleries hold up to 120 people across the rooms, and the Education Room suits small meetings and training events with a projector and sound system. The garden can also be hired. Weddings are not held at Newarke Houses.

Plan your visit