Some of the UK’s quirkiest museums are waiting for you to visit!
From old operating theatres to sewing machine shrines, Britain is full of hidden treasures if you know where to find them.
Diverge from the beaten path and you’ll find yourself captivated, enthralled – and perhaps a little off colour – at these curiously kooky establishments around the UK.
Sewing Machine Museum, London
This museum in Tooting Bec is hidden away on the upper floor of an industrial warehouse. And would you believe, it opens for just three hours every month! Its broad collection of sewing machines makes it worth the trip for keen or would-be seamstresses and will have you itching to get out your needle and thread at home.
A focal point is the sewing machine created for Queen Victoria’s daughter in honour of her wedding in 1858. Kensington Palace is etched into the machine’s scratch blade.
The exhibits are part of the personal collection of sewing machine salesman Ray Rushton, whose business is located in the same building. This means you even have the opportunity to purchase a selection of haberdashery items as you exit through the gift shop!
The Pitt Rivers Museum, Oxford
Set up in 1844 with a founding gift of 26,000 objects from the personal collection of General Pitt Rivers, this treasure trove of oddities now contains an astonishing half a million objects. Glass cabinet after glass cabinet brims with curious exhibits ranging from Roman shoes to shrunken heads and even a mummified crocodile.
The National Piping Centre, Glasgow
The Museum of Piping located at the National Piping Centre charts three hundred years of piping heritage, including bagpipes from Argyll dating back to the 1700s. European bagpipes are also on show, with Polish, Spanish, Hungarian and Italian examples exhibited. Visitors have an opportunity to try out a set of bagpipes for themselves – ear plugs optional!
Derwent Pencil Museum, Keswick
This special interest collection in Cumbria can surely claim one of the quirkiest entrances to a museum in the country! Visitors enter through a replica of the mine where graphite, used to make pencil lead, was first discovered in the 1550s. From there, follow the history of pencil manufacturing from the Elizabethan era to the present day. View the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee pencil and the largest pencil in the world, among many other historic writing instruments. There is also a quiz designed especially for children, making this museum apt for a family adventure.
The Old Operating Theatre Museum & Herb Garret, London
Situated in the attic of the early-18th century chapel of St Thomas’ Hospital in Southwark, this atmospheric museum offers fascinating insight into the history of medicine and the early days of surgery. The faint of heart may wish to skip the herb garret, which includes a small operating theatre. This was used between 1821 and 1862 – the era before the invention of general anaesthetic. Weekly talks detail the intricacies and gore of medicine in centuries past and sometimes include Victorian surgery demonstrations.
Teapot Island, Maidstone
This family-run, Kentish museum seems appropriately located in a country known for its fondness for a cup of Rosie Lee. The owners, a mother and son, pride themselves on the fact that there are no duplicates among their collection of almost 7,000 teapots, which manifests a clear penchant for novelty teapots. Once you’ve exhausted the viewing collection, you can recharge with a mug of tea (of course!) in the museum’s neighbouring tea room.
Back to Backs, Birmingham
The National Trust has preserved the last surviving court of so-called back-to-back houses, which provided homes around a single, shared courtyard for the 19th century working classes. Accessible by pre-booked guided tour only, a visit charts the working lives of former residents between the 1840s and the 1970s. Pick up a paper bag of pear drops from ‘Candies’, a working sweetshop still peddling sugary tuck from its beautifully preserved 1930s interior. Visitors can also snoop around the kitchen of a long-ago resident, which has been restored to its former condition.
House of Marbles, Bovey Tracey
For a fun-filled family day out on the edge of Dartmoor National Park, look no further than the wonderfully bizarre House of Marbles. This interactive museum on the site of a working glassworks is sure to keep children entertained for hours. It boasts an assortment of marble runs, fairground mirrors and a giant floating marble. Adult visitors might also enjoy the site’s listed kilns, as this is an historic location of pottery making.
The Fan Museum, London
Feeling flushed? You’ll enjoy a trip to The Fan Museum, located in Greenwich, and home to over 5,000 fans from around the world. The museum’s oldest artefacts date back to the 12th century and the collection includes a number of commemorative fans.
We hope you visit some of these quirky UK museums!
For more ideas for fun days out, visit the Inspire Me section of our blog. Find other Days Out ideas, as well as Ideas for the Garden and Creative Crafts.
Around Britain
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Head of Dairy Diary; I’m passionate about producing high quality products that our customers will cherish. I’m also a mum of three and I enjoy cooking, walking, gardening and art with my family, as well as lino printing (if I find time!)
