Thornbury and District Museum

About the museum

Thornbury and District Museum was set up in 1986 in a former cottage just off Thornbury High Street. Its core was the collection of Mary Bruton, a local woman from Oldbury who had a passion for gathering objects of local historical interest. The collection has since grown through donations from the local community, and its archive of historical photographs of the area is a particular strength.

The museum sees itself as a community museum. Local people share information and photographs, work on exhibitions and give time as volunteers, and the museum in turn puts on exhibitions, talks, guided walks and family events, works with schools and takes part in local festivals.

The displays cover the market town, local people and occupations, and everyday life in the past. The Thornbury Coin Hoard, a pot of Roman coins found by a local man digging a garden pond, has its own room. Other stories include the Littleton Whale, which was stranded on the Severn shore in 1885. The museum is run by Thornbury & District Heritage Trust.

Highlights

• Thornbury Roman coin hoard
• Archive of historical photographs of the area
• Displays on the market town, local people and trades
• Hunt the Mice trail and a Roman activity box for children
• Free entry

Permanent exhibitions

• Thornbury Coin Hoard and the Romans – The story of a hoard of Roman coins found in a Thornbury garden, with what it shows about the Romans in the area.
• Thornbury through time – Displays on the market town, local people, trades and professions, everyday life in the past and the Littleton Whale.

Founded

1986

Operated by

Thornbury & District Heritage Trust

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

Entry to the permanent exhibitions, the temporary exhibitions and the shop is free, and donations are welcome.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: not available
• Accessible parking
• 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 is a former cottage with fairly small rooms. There is level access at the front entrance into the reception area, the bookshop, the hall and the Roman coin hoard room. There is one step down into the downstairs front room, a narrow steep staircase with a banister to the upper floor, and a step down from the landing into the upper front room. A folding chair is provided in each room, labels use a font size of at least 18, and volunteers are ready to help. There is one disabled parking space immediately outside the museum. There are no toilets in the museum.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

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

Children can hunt for knitted mice hidden in the display cabinets and choose a mouse to take home at the end. A Roman coin activity box offers coin rubbings, colouring, designing coins, making mosaics and sorting pottery fragments with white gloves. The Heritage Trail is a walk around the town with information boards.

Getting there & parking

The museum is at 4 Chapel Street, between Cossham Hall and the Wheatsheaf pub, about a minute's walk from Thornbury High Street. It is near the M5 between junctions 14 and 15 and the A38.

Amenities & dining

• Café: not available
• Museum shop

The museum has no café, but there are cafés, pubs and restaurants nearby. A bookshop sells local history books and inexpensive small items for children. Visitors can use the public toilets at the Hawkes House pub under the Thornbury Community Toilet Scheme without making a purchase, or the public toilets in Rock Street, a two minute walk away.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit