Oak House Museum

About the museum

Oak House is a timber-framed farmhouse in West Bromwich that was built around 1620 and extended in the 1630s, with brick additions at the rear in the 1650s. The family most closely linked with it is the Turton family, who lived there by 1634 and worked as farmers and nail makers and later as moneylenders. They kept the house until 1768. The house probably took its name from an oak that stood on the green in front of it.

In the 19th century the house passed through several owners. Alderman Reuben Farley, three times mayor of West Bromwich, bought it intending to live there but decided to give it to the town as a museum. Local architects restored it, and the museum was formally opened on 25 July 1898 with gardens and a bowling green. To mark the fiftieth anniversary of the gift, the town council turned it into a period house with antique furnishings, which reopened in 1951. It was upgraded from Grade II* to Grade I listed in 2024.

Today Oak House is run by Sandwell Council as part of Sandwell Museums. The house has fine panelling and 17th-century furniture, and the story of the Turton family is told in the Old Barn, which is part of the visitor centre. The grounds include a children's playground, and free guided tours and a programme of family events take place through the year.

Highlights

• Half-timbered farmhouse from about 1620, Grade I listed
• Fine panelling and 17th-century furniture
• The Turton family story told in the Old Barn with its talking barrels
• Free guided tours of the house
• Grounds with a children's playground

Permanent exhibitions

• The 17th-century house – A half-timbered farmhouse with fine panelling and period furniture, explored on free guided tours.
• The Turton family in the Old Barn – The story of the farming, nail-making and moneylending Turton family, told with talking barrels in the Old Barn.

Founded

1898

Operated by

Sandwell Council (Sandwell Museums)

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

Admission is free; some activities and events are charged. Guided tours are free and need no booking, but a donation of 3 pounds is suggested; groups must book their own tour.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom
• Accessible parking
• Service dogs welcome
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The barns visitor centre has accessible toilets and a lift to the classroom and event area, and most of the grounds have ramp or level access. There is no step-free access to the first floor of the house. Limited accessible parking on site can be arranged in advance but not on event days. Pushchairs are not allowed inside the house or the first-floor event space. Assistance dogs are welcome inside the house and in the playground; other dogs on a lead are allowed in the grounds.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Hands-on stations
• Stroller-friendly: not available
• Playground / play area

The grounds have a children's playground that can be used during opening hours, and a programme of events for all ages runs through the year, including school holiday activities. Pushchairs must be left in the courtyard outside the front door or taken through the visitor centre to the playground.

Getting there & parking

The entrance is through the barns visitor centre on the corner of Oak Road and Cambridge Street.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Restaurant: not available

A tearoom serves tea, coffee, cold drinks and basic snacks. Picnics are welcome on site, but alcohol is not.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit