Top Things to do in Shropshire
Top Hotels in Shropshire
Things to do in Shropshire, England: The Best History Museums
Discover the best top things to do in Shropshire, United Kingdom including Royal Air Force Museum Cosford, Ironbridge Gorge Museums, Shrewsbury Museum and Art Gallery, Blists Hill Victorian Town, Broseley Pipeworks, Whitchurch Heritage Centre, Much Wenlock Museum and Visitor Centre, Ludlow Museum, Museum of the Gorge, Coalbrookdale Museum of Iron.
Restaurants in Shropshire
1. Royal Air Force Museum Cosford
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 2,557 reviews
Our Cosford site is currently in Tier 2. We are open throughout the festive season apart from Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Dear. Our doors open at 10.00am. Entry to our Museum is free of charge, but by timed ticket only. To book your's please go directly to our website - car parking charges will still apply. The Royal Air Force Museum Cosford is located in Shropshire and offers a fun, entertaining day out for all the family. Housed in wartime hangars and in the National Cold War Exhibition, there is a huge display of aircraft and exhibits to explore.
Reviewed By angelawA6201UJ
What an amazing place to spend a wet and windy day during the school half term holiday. All staff were friendly, polite and knowledgeable. We had a superb day with our 9 year old daughter. Lots for children to do. The food in the cafe was delicious - very fresh sandwiches. Again, the staff were polite and friendly. Free to get in - amazing in this day and age!! £5 for the car park and a suggested donation of £5 in the museum. Thank you to all.
2. Ironbridge Gorge Museums
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 853 reviews
This scenic area, often used by moviemakers because of its unspoiled, authentic 18th-century architecture, offers several museums that represent a different aspect of Britain's industrial heritage.
Reviewed By LeslieMcC1958 - Radlett, United Kingdom
Good insight to the foundations of our Industrial Age and daily life for people of the time. Victorian village was well done with the actors role playing very well staff and volunteers very friendly and helpful in spite of current times and extra pressures. Glad we came to discover this part of the history and the gorge and bridge too.
3. Shrewsbury Museum and Art Gallery
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 539 reviews
Located in the old Victorian Music Hall and 13th Century Vaughan's Mansion, Shrewsbury Museum & Art Gallery offers a family friendly museum experience that brings to life the Roman, Medieval, Tudor and Stuart eras as well as sharing some of the most prominent local history in our Shropshire gallery. These tell the story of Shrewsbury and Shropshire from pre-history to the modern day. As well as it's five main galleries, Shrewsbury Museum & Art Gallery also has a temporary exhibition gallery. Making this gallery its' home until Sunday 17 September is Antarctica: Life in a hostile land which allows you to explore the amazing human relationship with the most hostile continent on earth through Sir Ernest Shackleton and Captain Scott mementos, virtual reality at Halley VI in Antarctica and much, much more! Accessible to all, Shrewsbury Museum & Art Gallery is able to illuminate your senses through displaying local and national heritage in a wide range of exciting ways. Fine art from the collections has been included throughout the galleries. Facilities include a café, Museum shop and Visitor Information Centre.
Reviewed By nastynick540 - Telford, United Kingdom
Although ‘locals’ we had never visited the museum before so decided to go today before the end of the Lego exhibition currently displaying in the museum. One off entrance fee of £4.50 per adult (you can buy a yearly pass if you wish for £25 if memory serves me correctly). Lego exhibition was good depicting various moments in history. The museum itself takes you through time from Iron Age through to Tudor times and a section focusing on when the Roman’s were in occupancy. Some interesting exhibits and loved seeing the old paintings/mockups of how Shrewsbury and the surrounding areas looked back in time. We spent around 1 1/2 hours there (although you could spend longer) and enjoyed our visit. Also the staff were friendly and welcoming. We also ate in the ‘Stop’ cafe which although not cheap did serve very nice coffee and cakes, gluten free option of orange and chocolate polenta for my wife and coffee cake for me. Well worth a visit if you want to find out more of the history of Shrewsbury.
4. Blists Hill Victorian Town
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 4,055 reviews
This reconstructed Victorian mining town is one of the best of its kind in England.
Reviewed By alandcooper37 - Nottingham, United Kingdom
Enjoyed a good day at Blists hill on our coach holiday despite rather wet weather.Lots of interesting buildings to explore and the staff in the shops etc are very informative to talk to and delicious cake in the tea room too.Particularly enjoyed talking to the people in the plasters shed and buying lovely handmade small items from there.Definiteley would like to return hopefully on a drier day.
5. Broseley Pipeworks
6. Whitchurch Heritage Centre
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 23 reviews
The Heritage Centre is home to Whitchurch Museum and Archives and contains displays and exhibits that reflect the town’s historic roots. The integral Gallery contains a selection of original works, in both oil and watercolour, by Randolph Caldecott and other artists connected with Whitchurch. Permanent displays include ● Local Archaeological Finds – includes Bronze Age axe-head, Anglo Saxon silver tags & Roman pottery ● Sir Edward German - Whitchurch-born composer and musician ● Randolph Caldecott - Artist and illustrator who worked in Whitchurch ● History of Joyce’s Clocks - a Whitchurch- based company famous for its tower clocks ● World War One - based around communication wagon ● Themed interactive displays geared towards younger children There are numerous temporary displays which tell stories connected to Whitchurch and the local area. These currently include • Transportation • Commemorative China • Napoleonic Wars • Prees Heath WW1 Camp • Whitchurch Railway Station
Reviewed By 346dominiquet - Falmouth, United Kingdom
interesting cultural. video to explain activities, free helpful staff. a trip in the past. artifacts were interesting. a lot of informative leaflets were free,not much walking
7. Much Wenlock Museum and Visitor Centre
8. Ludlow Museum
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 74 reviews
Reviewed By freddiedoncaster
I had a bit of time to kill, so I ventured into this quaint little museum! £1 entry fee was a bargain, and the member of staff I got talking to was very knowledgeable. Some interesting artefacts on display, so well worth popping in for a hour.
9. Museum of the Gorge
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 384 reviews
Reviewed By JeffNineLives
Well-presented displays and information, helpful staff/volunteers and the best diorama I've ever seen!
10. Coalbrookdale Museum of Iron
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 333 reviews
Reviewed By 227ianc - London, United Kingdom
Abraham Derby I transformed the cast iron industry when he perfected the smelting of iron with coke rather than charcoal The remains of his blast furnace of 1709 still exist in Coalbrookdale alongside the new Museum of Iron in the old 1838 warehouse which celebrates the individuals who made this area 'the birthplace of the industrial revolution' in England plus the products of the famous Coalbrookdale Company which are still to be found all over England, having started from creating cooking pots from 1709. The displays include the gold medal presented by the Royal Academy in 1787 for the wooden model of the Iron Bridge, also on show, and ends with a couple of Agas, which are made in Coalbrookdale today. It shows how designers created many useful objects that we still see in our towns and cities today and also some very strange objects such as a dining room table held up by dogs. A fascinating museum telling the story of how Coalbrookdale changed the world, and there is a good shop and a popular coffeeshop/restaurant in an adjacent building. There is a link to Scotland, with a lamp from the Carron Works in Falkirk - in its day one of the largest ironworks in Europe, whose achievements are in need of similar recognition to the works at Coalbrookdale
