Wotton-under-Edge Heritage Centre

About the museum

The museum’s roots go back to 1937, when the Wotton-under-Edge Town Trust set up a museum in the Town Hall after a suggestion from the South-Western Group of Museums. The Historical Society was founded in 1945 and used the museum as its headquarters. In 1983 the Tolsey building, which had housed the museum and library with limited public access, was sold, and the collection went into temporary storage with no public access. A porch at the County Library was leased in 1985 but soon proved too small.

The Heritage Centre opened in 1994 in the former fire station in The Chipping, a building owned by the Town Trust. The Society became a charitable trust and completed its registration as a charity in 1995. It runs the centre with volunteers and trustees.

The centre shows small, changing displays on local and sometimes national history, chosen by the trustees from a collection of well over 12,000 artefacts and supplemented by loans from local people and other museums. Past themes include the wool industry, the Home Front in the Second World War, brewing and forestry. A small library and archive support local and family history research, and the Society organises up to nine lectures a year.

Highlights

• Changing displays on the history of Wotton-under-Edge
• Collection of more than 12,000 artefacts
• Housed in the town’s former fire station
• Library and archive for local and family history research
• Programme of local history lectures

Founded

1937

Operated by

Wotton-under-Edge Historical Society and Heritage Centre (registered charity)

Admission & discounts

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible: no information
• 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 main entrance provides disabled access. There is no public toilet at the centre; toilets are within easy walking distance.

Kids & families

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Getting there & parking

Amenities & dining

• Café: not available
• Museum shop

There is no café on site, but cafés are within easy walking distance. The shop sells books, DVDs, CDs, vouchers and gifts, and tourist information and leaflets are available.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit