What to do and see in West Sussex, England: The Best History Museums

Come and discover rescued rural buildings set in a beautiful landscape, which tell the stories of the people who lived and worked in them over 1,000 years. Explore our 40-acre site and visit our collection – we have more than 50 historic buildings, from a replica Anglo-Saxon hall house to an Edwardian tin church. Enjoy a regular programme of demonstrations, including milling in our 17th century watermill; cooking in our Tudor kitchen; blacksmithing in our Victorian smithy, baking in our newly opened bakehouse; plus seasonal demonstrations. Take a walk in the woods, bring the dog (we are dog friendly), visit our waterside cafe or enjoy your own picnic. New exhibit buildings include: a dairy and bakehouse, near the watermill, plus a late 18th century barn and early 19th century stable known as May Day Farm. Need a new hobby or a new skill? Try our day courses in traditional rural trades and crafts or historic building conservation.

Located in the heart of the South Downs national park, our museum is dedicated to preserving the industrial heritage of the South East. With 36 acres to explore and over 40 exhibits to visit, you can discover the South’s working past. Exhibits include a working print shop, which is the only one of its kind in the South of England. The BT Connected Earth exhibit shows the history of communications, with interactive displays for all ages to enjoy. Our lime kilns are scheduled ancient monuments, which date back to when the site was once a working chalk quarry. The Life of Lime exhibition shows the history of the chalk quarry and its importance in Sussex’s industrial working past. Our Museum is also home to traditional crafts people such as the blacksmith. There is also a pottery on site, where our resident potters will showcase their skills on selected days. We also have our own industrial narrow gauge railway.

Based in Midhurst, West Sussex - in the heart of the South Downs National Park, the Midhurst Museum comprises two rooms - one contains theme-displays that change every month and reflect aspects of local heritage or wider historical interests. The larger room comprises a "time line" of Midhurst and district with displays from the stone age to modern day. There is a wide variety of social and economic history on show. The Midhurst Museum Tea Rooms is set in a 16th Century hayloft located above the Midhurst Museum, in the charming Knockhundred Market. Our characterful and historic setting serves homemade scones, cakes, delicious sandwiches and toasties. We also serve seasonal specials such a homemade soups. We do a traditional afternoon tea on a 3-tier cake stand featuring a selection of sandwiches, homemade scones with clotted cream and jam, assortment of small cakes and sweet treats! (By reservation only) Dog friendly. A warm welcome awaits you!

Cuckfield Museum is a small, volunteer-run, independent museum located on the first floor of the historic Queen's Hall. We aim to reflect and inspire Cuckfield's community and culture, past and present.

Crawley Museum is a independent local history museum, which tells the history of the town through objects and their stories. Our collections include objects from Crawley prehistory, its medieval settlement, the Victorian town and the 20th Century New Town development. Items on permanent display include our 1903 Rex Forecar and a Bronze Age sword. We also have a temporary exhibition space. This hosts a variety of displays which change regularly. We also collect contemporary objects. We celebrate Crawley’s communities today through our oral history collections, temporary exhibitions and community engagement projects. We are fully accessible to wheelchair users. We welcome children as visitors. Due to Covid-19 we have made a number of changes to keep our visitors and volunteers safe. All visitors need to wear face coverings unless they are exempt. We are a free museum but welcome a donation if you can afford it as it helps to pay our running costs.

Opened in 2012, The Novium Museum is Chichester District's award-winning museum. Built over the remains of a Roman bathhouse and with three floors of fantastic exhibitions, The Novium Museum tells the fascinating story of Chichester District and its rich heritage. It looks after 500,000 artefacts, both on display and in its store. The museum is free for people to visit, and is located in Tower Street, close to the cathedral and just opposite Chichester Library. The remains of the Roman baths fill much of the ground floor gallery, with an audio visual film showing you how they were built and used in Roman times. Throughout the year, residents and visitors can enjoy a wide variety of permanent, temporary and travelling exhibitions. The museum also hosts a rich programme of events, including the award winning annual Chichester Roman Week every May half term. For current exhibitions on show and a full events programme please see the museum's website.

A fascinating museum telling the history of Rustington from the Bronze Age through to the present day. All artefacts are from the local area, giving the story personal touch. A local studies area lets you explore the history in more detail and hands-on activities get up close to the collection.