Heart of England - Worcestershire

There are 30 buildings of architectural and social interest including homes, places of worship and places to work that date from the 14th to the 21st century. All of them have been rescued from their original sites under the threat of destruction or demolition and carefully reconstructed at the Museum.

Firm favourites with visitors include a working 19th century windmill (please see our website for the list of “sailing days” to see the mill in operation), a medieval Town House, a “flat pack” Victorian church made of corrugated iron and a fully-furnished 1940s prefab.

There are also tributes to the Midlands’ industrial heritage, including a 100 year forge and a 19th century chain-making shop, both still in use for training courses and demonstrations today.

The Museum is also home to the National Telephone Kiosk Collection of classic phone boxes. Visitors can make calls between the different kiosks and there is a blue police box that may look very familiar to Doctor Who fans...

Avoncroft Museum also has a children’s play area, an orchard containing traditional varieties of cider apples and perry pears, a pond, a picnic area and a wild flower meadow.

There is a lively programme of events throughout the year, including traditional rural celebrations, historical re-enactments, open-air theatre and family fun days. Friendly dogs on leads are welcome in the grounds at Avoncroft Museum.

After you have strolled around the Museum, take a relaxing break in Avoncroft’s award-winning Tea Room and savour the atmosphere of a bygone era with a selection of drinks, light meals and scrumptious cakes. The Tea Room is based in a lovely black and white timbered building with a colourful past. Originally from Shrewsbury, it was built as a mansion in 1576 for a rich family, went on to become an inn called “The String of Horses” in 1828 and later became the Shrewsbury Co-operative Society. Having been damaged by fire and later threatened by a road development, the building was rescued, restored and rebuilt at Avoncroft.

For a special present or souvenir, browse our shop for unusual gifts and delicious locally produced treats, including cider made from apples from the Avoncroft orchard and homemade preserves made from fruit picked from the site.

We were delighted to receive our third consecutive TripAdvisor “Certificate of Excellence” in 2015 and to be named Destination Worcestershire’s “Best Tourism Experience” in 2014.

Avoncroft Museum is located just off the A38, two miles south of Bromsgrove in Worcestershire (between Birmingham and Worcester). It is within a few minutes’ drive of the M5, M40 and M42.
Most of the Museum grounds are accessible by wheelchair and mobility scooter, please give us a call on 01527 831363 if you have any questions. We can provide a limited number of mobility scooters and wheelchairs on request.

The opening hours of the Museum vary seasonally, so please check the website: www.avoncroft.org.uk for opening times and to see what is happening on the day of your visit.

(Joust photo © Anthony Hall)