Free Museums and Galleries deals page discussion / Report top spots

wildthing01

shalaa wrote: »

Would really recommend Derby Museum, it's over 3 floors and has a lovely nature section. Very interactive and quite often have free activities on over the holiday. Library is attached so can attend storytime or sit in kids section.

glad you posted this - i was going to! - most disappointed no mention of derby in the east midlands list. the museum also has the joseph wright gallery, which has some fantastic paintings, and temp exhibitions by various artists, all free, egyptian mummies, some live exhibits and everything!

also in derby: silk mill museum of industry and history, inc exhibits of rolls royce engines and midlands railway, and pickfords house museum, a house set up as it was in georgian times (when joseph pickford lived there - no idea who he was!!), inc toy museum.

http://www.derby.gov.uk/LeisureCulture/MuseumsGalleries/

Sharpylad

The Watergate Street Gallery is in Chester in the Northwest,an independent art gallery with a permanent display of over 1000 paintings with a concept of 'art for all' so it is all styles under one roof.

Very welcoming and informative staff.

Dedicated exhibition area in the Roman cavern under the building displaying local, national and international artists.

It's a hidden gem well worth a visit. Their website has current exhibition details amongst other things, just search engine 'watergate street gallery'

shofar

the Grosvenor museum in Chester is free so is the Wrexham museum but unfortunately is closed for refurbishment at the moment.

fetfer

Web site 3 Ws nantwichmuseum org uk

Located in Pillory Street, in the center of the most beautiful Cheshire Market town. (I'm not biased I just live there.)

The museum tells the story of Nantwich through the ages;
- Roman salt making,
- Nantwich's Great Fire in the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, who's generosity help build many of the fine Tudor houses that still exist in the town,
- The Civil War Battle of Nantwich
- and of course as the area is famous for it cheese, a cheese-making exhibition.

Open: Tuesday to Saturday, 10.30am to 4.30pm.

Plenty of other things to see in and around the town such as St Mary's Church where the residents sheltered from the Great Fire.

curriej99

Brighton Museum and Art Gallery is free (Pavilion Gardens, Brighton).
So too is Hove Museum and Art Gallery (Church Rd., Hove)

Andrew_Haynes

There must be plenty of museums in London that are still not listed. A few that come to mind are the RAF Museum (Hendon), the National Army Museum, the National Maritime Museum (including Queen’s House and the Greenwich Observatory), the Wallace Collection and the Petrie Museum of Eguptian Archaeology (University College London).

In Cambridge, the Polar Museum at the Scott Polar Research Institute is being refurbished and is due to reopen in June.

debbie_debt

Haworth Museum and Art Gallery, Manchester Rd, Accrington, lancashire is free to all and have free kids activities going on over the easter hols advertised as 'Hands On Haworth'. 01254 233782 is the direct number to check.

Link to the official pages on the local council website:
http://www.hyndburnbc.gov.uk/hag

Earl_Grey_Jay

The Meffan Museum and Gallery in Forfar is free all year round and well worth a visit.

The main art gallery has a superb programme of 10 art exhibitions a year, changing every 5 weeks, showing work by past and contemporary Scottish artists and paintings from Angus Museums' Collection.

Visitors to the museum can wander through time down an old narrow cobbled street called The Vennel. They can peer into a knockmaker’s workshop (clocks), see linen being woven by a weaver and drool over Forfar bridies at the bakers! The last shop on the street is Peter Reid’s sweetie shop with it’s famed Forfar Rock. The museum is also home to a stunning collection of Pictish Carved Stones - elaborately carved stonework from the period of the Picts (900-1000AD) from all over the county of Angus.

The Meffan Museum and Gallery
20 West High Street
Forfar
DD8 1BB

Tel: 01307 464123
Email: [EMAIL="the.meffan@angus.gov.uk"]the.meffan@angus.gov.uk[/EMAIL]
[EMAIL="the.meffan@angus.gov.uk"]
[/EMAIL]The Meffan is situated in Forfar town centre. Parking available at the nearby Myre car park. The building now has full disabled access with lift to upper galleries.

Open Monday to Saturday 10.00 - 17.00 all year (Closed 25/26 December and 1 - 2 January). No entrance charges.

djalice

The Wallace Collection is my favourite museum in London and is free.

It houses a magnificent collection of 18C French painting and furniture and the historic Hertford House is decorated beautifully.

Situated in Manchester Square, to the rear of Selfridges, it is a little oasis of calm away from the bustle of Oxford Street.

Alice

ca55ie

Manchester Costume Museum has just re-opened - there are not too many costume museums still open