Torquay Museum
Museum of Torbay’s natural and cultural heritage in a Victorian Venetian-Gothic building, with fossil, farmhouse and explorer galleries for families.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
Torquay Museum grew out of the Torquay Natural History Society, founded in 1844. Its collection moved several times, from Glen Cottage to the Torquay Club House, the Commercial Hall and, from 1857, the Freemasons Hall in Park Place, before it found a permanent home. The foundation stone of the present building was laid in 1874 by the society’s president, the Reverend Stebbing. The architect, William Harvey Jnr, designed it in the Venetian-Gothic style, and the land was leased from the Cary family for 1,000 years at a rent of one shilling a year.
The building’s features include a glass lantern roof that lights the Upper Gallery and two upper windows with terracotta panels showing the Arts and Nature, designed by John Philip, who was also the architect of the Albert Memorial. The society was reconstituted as Torquay Museum Society in 2003, and the museum is now run by the charity Torbay Museums Trust, trading as Torquay Museum.
The collection covers Torbay’s natural environment and its cultural and historic heritage, spanning about 400 million years. Galleries include Time Ark and Explorers, a life-size Devon farmhouse of 1860, and an Ancestors gallery. The museum follows the Kids in Museums manifesto and offers many activities for children.
Highlights
- Torbay’s heritage across 400 million years
- Life-size Old Devon Farmhouse of 1860
- Time Ark and Explorers galleries with handling objects
- Victorian Venetian-Gothic building with a glass lantern roof
- Family trails and borrowable explorer backpacks
Permanent exhibitions
- Old Devon Farmhouse – A life-size Devon farmhouse of 1860 with a soundtrack and wooden toys for children to play with.
- Explorers Gallery – A gallery with handling objects, a crawl tunnel with hidden items and Egyptian hieroglyphs.
- Founded
- 1844
- Operated by
- Torbay Museums Trust (registered charity no. 1025390), trading as Torquay Museum
Admission & discounts
| Adults | £10 |
|---|---|
| Children & teens | £5free up to age 4 · Children and young people aged 5 to 17; under-5s are free. |
| Visitors with disabilities | –companion free · Carers are admitted free when visiting with the person or people they care for, as part of a family group. This does not apply to organisations. |
| Families | £252 adults and children; 1 adult and children costs £15 |
| 1 adult and children | £15 |
A ticket is valid for 12 months and gives unlimited visits to the galleries, displays, trails and activities, but not to special event days or some special activities. It cannot be transferred. Blue Light Card holders receive 25% off.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- Elevator
- Accessible restroom
- Accessible parking
- Service dogs welcome
- Tactile models & exhibits
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
The ground floor is reached by a ramp, and a lift and a stair lift serve the galleries, so all galleries and lecture rooms are open to wheelchair users. Accessible toilets with baby-changing facilities are on the ground floor and level 1. One space on the forecourt is reserved for visitors with disabilities and must be booked by phone; Blue Badge holders may park free for an unlimited time in the limited bays opposite the museum. Assistance animals are welcome. Large-print plans, a visual guide and a pre-visit booklet are available, and some handling objects in the Time Ark and Explorers galleries have Braille labels. Sensory backpacks for families with autistic children can be borrowed for a £10 refundable deposit if booked ahead.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 4 |
|---|---|
| Family ticket | £25 · 2 adults and children; 1 adult and children costs £15 |
- Family tours & workshops
- Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
- Hands-on stations
- Baby changing facilities
- Playground / play area
The museum follows the Kids in Museums manifesto. Explorer helmets and backpacks for ages 3 to 8 can be borrowed, and trails for older children change regularly. Activities include the Time Ark tunnel, fossil activities and a sensory play zone in the Holden Gallery, the Explorers Game and a crawl tunnel, a life-size Devon farmhouse with wooden toys, and a forensics table in the Ancestors Gallery. There are spacious baby-changing areas and a dedicated eating space.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Bus stop outside the museum (routes 11 and 22)
Buses 11 and 22 from the town centre stop outside the museum. The museum is about five minutes’ walk from Torquay Harbour and the Clocktower; from the Clocktower walk up Torwood Street, and the museum is about 300 metres up on the left, opposite Torwood Gardens.
By car
Paid parking · 45 m to the entrance
The museum has no car park. The Harbour/Terrace pay-and-display car park (Montpelier Road, TQ1 1DD) is about 45 metres from the museum, down a steep hill. There is limited on-street parking, and one forecourt space is reserved for visitors with disabilities.
- Accessible parking
Sat nav postcode TQ1 1HG. From the seafront, follow the A379 (Torbay Road) and take the first exit at each of the two roundabouts.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Café
- Museum shop
Pengelly’s Cafe serves hot drinks, snacks and bottled water; it was described as not fully operational at the time of research. Visitors may eat packed lunches in the café space. The Museum Gift Shop is on site.
Events & venue rental
- Spaces for rent
- Corporate events
Up to 130 guests.
Pengelly Hall seats 130 in a tiered theatre layout with a stage, AV equipment and an audio loop. The Forbes Julian Room seats 15 to 25 for receptions, and the whole museum can be hired on request. Catering is available through Pengelly’s Cafe.
Inquiries & detailsPlan your visit
| School programs | yes |
|---|---|
| Good to know | Group bookings and school visits are arranged through the museum. |
