List of museums in Cumbria

Summary

This list of museums in Cumbria, England contains museums which are defined for this context as institutions (including nonprofit organizations, government entities, and private businesses) that collect and care for objects of cultural, artistic, scientific, or historical interest and make their collections or related exhibits available for public viewing. Also included are non-profit art galleries and university art galleries. Museums that exist only in cyberspace (i.e., virtual museums) are not included.

To use the sortable table, click on the icons at the top of each column to sort that column in alphabetical order; click again for reverse alphabetical order.

Name Image Town/City Type Summary
Abbot Hall Art Gallery Kendal Art Collections include George Romney, J. M. W. Turner, 18th and 19th century watercolours, and modern paintings
Armitt Library Ambleside Multiple Local history, natural history, features over 450 watercolours by Beatrix Potter of archaeological and zoological subjects
Beacon Museum, Whitehaven Whitehaven Multiple website, local history, art, industry, natural history, maritime heritage
Beatrix Potter Gallery Hawkshead Art Operated by the National Trust, original sketches and watercolours by Beatrix Potter for her books
Birdoswald Roman Fort Gilsland Archaeology Excavated Roman fort
Blackwell Bowness-on-Windermere Historic house Arts and Crafts Movement style house from the turn-of-the-20th century, with period rooms, art exhibits
Brantwood Coniston Historic house Home and museum of art critic John Ruskin, art displays, gardens and grounds
Brougham Hall Brougham Historic house Restored country house with local history exhibits
Carlisle Castle Carlisle Military Operated by English Heritage, historic fortress and museum of the Duke of Lancaster's Regiment
Dalemain Estate Ullswater Historic house Medieval, Tudor and early Georgian house and Lake District gardens
Dalton Castle Dalton-in-Furness Local Operated by the National Trust, 14th century peel tower with displays of local history
Derwent Island House Keswick Historic house Operated by the National Trust, 18th-century house on an island, open only a few days a year by timed ticket
Derwent Pencil Museum Keswick Industry Pencil making
Dock Museum Barrow-in-Furness Local Local history, shipbuilding, steel industry, World War II bombings
Dove Cottage Grasmere Historic house A home and museum of poet William Wordsworth
Guildhall Museum, Carlisle Carlisle Historic House website, 1407 building with items related to Guilds
Haig Colliery Mining Museum Whitehaven Mining Coal mining
Hawkshead Grammar School Museum Hawkshead Education Historic school dating back to the 17th century
Helena Thompson Museum Workington Multiple website, period rooms, costumes, decorative arts, local history, industry, culture, agriculture
Heron Corn Mill Beetham Mill Working 18th-century watermill
Hill Top Near Sawrey Historic house Operated by the National Trust, home of children's author Beatrix Potter
Holker Hall Grange-over-Sands Historic house Large country house and gardens
Hub of the North Pennines Museum Alston Multiple website, vintage cars, motorbikes, bicycles, local history, agriculture, model railroad
Hutton in the Forest Penrith Historic house Medieval manor house and gardens
Kendal Museum Kendal Multiple Local history, culture, archaeology, geology, local and world natural history, Roman Britain, Ancient Egypt
Keswick Museum and Art Gallery Keswick Multiple Local history, natural history, minerals, art, collection of oddities
Lakeland Motor Museum Backbarrow Automotive Classic automobiles and memorabilia
Laurel and Hardy Museum Ulverston Biographical website, comedy team Laurel and Hardy
Levens Hall Kendal Historic house Manor house, topiary garden, steam vehicle and engine collection
Maryport Maritime Museum Maryport Maritime website, Maryport's maritime and painting history, also industry, social and political history
Millom Discovery Centre Millom Local Period store displays, iron mining, rural trades, 19th century miner's cottage, agriculture, archaeology, poet Norman Nicholson, local history
Mirehouse Keswick Historic house 17th-century house and gardens with connections to Lord Tennyson, Edward Fitzgerald, Thomas Carlyle and William Wordsworth
Muncaster Castle Ravenglass Historic house Decorated castle, gardens
Museum of Lakeland Life & Industry Kendal Multiple Local history, period rooms, agriculture, mining, Arts & Crafts movement, costumes
Nenthead Mines Heritage Centre Nenthead Mining website, mineral mining past of the North Pennines, lead and zinc mine, equipment, buildings
Norman Centre Appleby-in-Westmorland History website, castle keep with interactive experience
Penrith and Eden Museum Penrith Local website, local history, geology, archaeology
Quaker Tapestry Kendal Religious 77 embroidered panels illustrating the history of the Quakers from the 17th century to the present
Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway Ravenglass Railway Heritage railway and museum at the station
Rheged Centre Penrith Art website, attraction with galleries for art and photography, also 3D films, shops, play areas
Rum Story Whitehaven Industry Story of the rum trade and the creation of rum, located in an original 1785 trading shop and warehouses
Ruskin Museum Coniston Local Local history, copper mining, slate, geology, lace, farming, art critic John Ruskin, car and motorboat racer Donald Campbell
Rydal Mount Ambleside Historic house A home and museum of poet William Wordsworth
Senhouse Roman Museum Maryport Archaeology website, site of the Roman fort Alauna, artifacts
Sir John Barrow Cottage Ulverston Historic house Birthplace of statesman Sir John Barrow, 1st Baronet, currently closed[1]
Sizergh Castle & Garden Helsington Historic house Operated by the National Trust, medieval castle, stately home and garden, woodlands
Solway Aviation Museum Carlisle Aviation Located at the Carlisle Lake District Airport, World War II aviation and local aviation history
Solway Coast Discovery Centre Silloth Local website, local history, culture, natural history, art gallery
Stott Park Bobbin Mill Newby Bridge Industry Operated by English Heritage, former bobbin mill with preserved engines
Threlkeld Quarry & Mining Museum Threlkeld Mining website, former microgranite quarry, exhibits, tools and artifacts from area mines
Townend Troutbeck Historic house Operated by the National Trust, wealthy farming family's house
Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery Carlisle Multiple Contemporary and historic art, decorative art, costumes and textiles, natural history, archaeology, Roman Britain, Carlisle's social history
Windermere Jetty: Museum of Boats, Steam and Stories Windermere Maritime Boat collection and "the sights, smells and sounds of life on the lake"
Wordsworth House Cockermouth Historic house Operated by the National Trust, 18th century Georgian townhouse, childhood home of poet William Wordsworth
World in Miniature Museum Houghton Toy website, collection of miniature furnished room displays

Defunct museums edit

References edit

  1. ^ "Sir John Barrow's Cottage". Ulverston Town Council. Retrieved 8 March 2015.
  2. ^ "Lake District's Bond Museum and Cars of the Stars close". BBC News. 10 May 2011. Retrieved 24 September 2013.
  3. ^ "Egremont, Cumbria. UK - Centre of the Western Lakes - Visitors - Florence Mine". Archived from the original on 24 March 2010. Retrieved 22 March 2010. Visit Egremont: Florence Mine Heritage Centre
  4. ^ "The Bond Museum in Keswick closes its doors, collection moving to Miami". MI6. Retrieved 24 September 2013.
  • Visit Cumbria

See also edit

  • Visitor attractions in Cumbria