Tudor World
Hands-on museum in a historic Stratford-upon-Avon building about Tudor life, from kings and queens to crime, witches and plague.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
Tudor World is a small independent museum on Sheep Street in the centre of Stratford-upon-Avon, a short walk from the Royal Shakespeare Company. It occupies a historic listed building with timber floors, low beams and a cobbled courtyard, and the displays are arranged as period room settings.
The exhibition looks at everyday and dramatic sides of life in Tudor England: kings and queens, crime and punishment, witchcraft, medicine, the plague and the world of William Shakespeare. Figures, props, sound and scent help to create the atmosphere, and a sensor-activated voice explains each exhibit.
The museum has a strong hands-on element. Visitors can sit at a feast table, try a throne and a four-poster bed, take part in a written witch trial, put their head in the stocks and practise quill writing in a schoolroom. Alongside the daytime museum, the same building hosts lantern-lit ghost tours after closing time, which the museum says have been running since 2002, and a guided Shakespeare walking tour on Saturdays. Schools can book programmes linked to the history curriculum.
Highlights
- Period room settings with figures, sound and scents
- Feast table, throne and four-poster bed to try
- Written witch trial, stocks and quill writing in the schoolroom
- Children's quiz included with admission
- Lantern-lit ghost tours and a Shakespeare walking tour
Admission & discounts
| Adults | £8 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | £7People aged 60 and over, visitors with disabilities, NHS workers and military personnel (proof required) |
| Children & teens | £4.50free up to age 4 · Child ticket for ages 5 to 15; children under 5 are free. |
| Seniors | £7Aged 60 and over |
| Visitors with disabilities | £7One carer per visit receives the concession rate with a carers card. |
| Families | £20Two adults and two children |
| Shakespeare walking tour (adult, 16+) | £10Saturdays at 2pm; includes Holy Trinity Church when no service is held |
| Shakespeare walking tour (child, 8+) | £5Children under 8 are free with a paying adult |
| Ghost tour (adult) | £9.50Evening tour; not suitable for young children |
The online booking platform adds a percentage fee, and prices may vary for seasonal events.
Accessibility
- Partially wheelchair accessible
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom: no information
- 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 building is listed and has uneven floors, steep stairs and a cobbled courtyard. The ground floor is reached by ramps and the upper floor may be reachable with help. Staff can help on the cobbles and offer a one-to-one tour of the lower floor if told in advance. The Shakespeare walking tour is fully accessible; the ghost tour is not suitable for wheelchair users. Guide and assistance dogs are welcome free of charge.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Time needed | approx. 30 min |
|---|---|
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 4 |
| Family ticket | £20 · Two adults and two children |
- Family tours & workshops
- Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
- Hands-on stations
- Stroller-friendly: not available
Suitable for all ages. A children's quiz is included with admission and there are many hands-on activities. Pushchairs are not practical inside but can be stored free of charge. Schools can book Key Stage 2 and 3 programmes.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Stratford-upon-Avon station
Stratford-upon-Avon railway station is about 1 mile away, roughly a 15-minute walk. Park-and-ride buses stop on Bridge Street and Wood Street.
By car
Several long and short stay car parks in the town; on-street parking on Sheep Street is free after 6pm. Two disabled bays are at the rear of the building in the service yard.
- Accessible parking
Walk under the arch and along the cobbled courtyard to the entrance. By car leave the M40 at junction 15, take the A46 and A439, then Waterside and the first right onto Sheep Street.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Café: not available
- Coat check
No café, but many places to eat on Sheep Street. Eating, drinking and smoking are not allowed in the museum or courtyard. Bags can be left in the baggage store; there is no charge for museum visitors.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Photography | Photos are encouraged and may be shared on social media; ask permission before filming. |
| Good to know | The museum gives a typical visit time of 20 to 30 minutes. Well-behaved dogs are welcome in the museum and on the Shakespeare tour (not inside the church). Unaccompanied young people are not admitted. Some exhibits include figures, so younger children may need a warning. |
