Peterborough is an incredibly historic city. For example, Peterborough Cathedral is over 900 years old! We are incredibly lucky to have so much exciting history saved for us in this city. Some of this can be seen when exploring Peterborough and the surrounding areas. Other parts of history have been preserved in some of our fantastic local museums in Peterborough. Some of these museums are free to visit, others charge a small entrance fee. Please check current opening times before setting out.
Peterborough Museum
Peterborough Museum is in the city centre, just a few minutes’ walk from Queensgate Shopping Centre and off the Long Causeway. The building itself is steeped in history having been home to various Lords and Ladies, a hospital and now a museum. The collection at Peterborough Museum includes over 200,000 objects and national and international importance. You can also visit the Peterborough Art Gallery inside the museum, and the old operating theatre as it was when in use.
Flag Fen
Flag Fen Archaeology Park allows you to experience how the prehistoric people lived in the fen over 3,000 years ago. You can take a walk through the Bronze Age village and sit in the reconstructed roundhouses. Flag Fen Archaeology Park has Open Days throughout the year where you can see actors of this time, showing you how our ancestors really lived. Did you know that Flag Fen Archaeology Park is the only place in the UK where the original Bronze Age remains can be seen in situ.
Thorney Museum
At Thorney Museum you can learn about the museum, now the Church of St Mary and St Botolph. You can follow the timeline of the building from the medieval monastery established on the island of Thorney and understand the struggles that the estate faced keeping the water at bay. You can also see how the village fared during the Great War and WWI.
Whittlesey Museum
Whittlesey Museum was founded in 1976. It collects, cares for and interprets the natural and cultural heritage of the village and surrounding villages. The museum is located on the ground floor of the early 19th century Town Hall in Whittlesey. There are displays of the history of the building and all who have lived there. Outside the museum, you can see the forge, wheelwright’s bench and the agricultural equipment used, in times gone by.
How many of these museums have you visited? We would love to hear what you leant on your visit. Do you have a favourite local museum in Peterborough that you think we have missed off the list? We would love to hear about it.
