Preston Park Museum & Grounds

About the museum

Preston Hall was built in 1825 for David Burton Fowler. In 1882 the hall and part of its park were sold to the shipbuilder and later MP Robert Ropner, whose family extended the house and lived there until the 1930s. After the Second World War a housing scheme for the site failed and Stockton Corporation bought the hall, which opened as a public museum on 3 June 1953.

In the 1970s the museum added a recreated Victorian street, built from the hall’s former service wing and outbuildings, which has remained a favourite with visitors. A major redevelopment funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, worth nearly £7 million, led to a reopening in 2012 as Preston Park Museum & Grounds.

The museum reopened again in 2025 after a further transformation that added the new Spence Building with interactive galleries and exhibitions, a café and a shop. Visitors can also follow the Ropner family story in the hall, walk along the riverside and woodland trails, and visit the seasonal Walled Garden.

Highlights

• Victorian Street with characters from 1895
• The Ropner family story in Preston Hall
• Interactive galleries in the Spence Building
• Riverside walks and woodland trails
• Seasonal Walled Garden

Founded

1953

Operated by

Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council

Admission & discounts

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Accessibility

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

The museum describes itself as suitable for all ages, with interactive galleries and an events programme; the operator also runs family sessions and toddler takeovers across its sites.

Getting there & parking

The address for navigation is Yarm Road, Eaglescliffe, TS18 3RH.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Museum shop

The Spence Café and a new shop are in the Spence Building.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.