Sudbury Heritage Centre

About the museum

Sudbury Heritage Centre is run by the Sudbury Museum Trust and tells the story of the Suffolk market town of Sudbury on the border with Essex. It occupies rooms in the Town Hall, entered from Gaol Lane, and admission is free. The trust also publishes local history books and maintains a large online archive of photographs, research articles and interviews.

The displays follow the history of the town from the Iron Age to the twenty-first century. Visitors see a two-metre model of the German Zeppelin that raided Sudbury in the First World War, together with a bomb dropped that night and recovered from the river. Other displays introduce Simon of Sudbury, the Archbishop of Canterbury who was killed in the Peasants' Revolt of 1381, and the part played by the town in the two World Wars, including the 3,000 American airmen of the 486th Bomb Group based nearby.

Touch screens allow visitors to explore topics in more depth. The Local History Booth has a large interactive screen with stories such as the Peasants' Revolt, the naturalist Mark Catesby and the coming of the railway. Further screens show Edwardian Sudbury, religious life in the town and the Sudbury Photo Archive, which gives access to more than 1,300 historic photographs.

Highlights

• Two-metre model of the Zeppelin that raided Sudbury in 1916
• Display on Simon of Sudbury and the Peasants' Revolt of 1381
• Painting of a damaged Flying Fortress bomber over wartime Sudbury
• Local History Booth with a large touch screen
• Sudbury Photo Archive with more than 1,300 historic images
• Stories of the town in the two World Wars and the American airmen based nearby

Permanent exhibitions

• Sudbury from the Iron Age to today – Curved display panels and cases cover the town from the Iron Age to the twenty-first century, including the Zeppelin raid of 1916, Simon of Sudbury and the wartime airfield.
• Local History Booth – A large touch screen with short illustrated stories about Sudbury, from the Peasants' Revolt to the railway and the police and fire services.

Founded

2005

Operated by

Sudbury Museum Trust

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

Entry is free; donations are welcome.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• 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 website states that the centre is accessible for wheelchairs and for visitors with limited mobility.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
• Hands-on stations

Quiz sheets on different themes help young people engage with the displays, and the touch screens can be used by children. A town-centre history quiz is held each summer holiday with Sudbury Town Council. School visits can be pre-arranged.

Getting there & parking

The entrance is in the Town Hall, Gaol Lane.

Amenities & dining

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit