Bakewell Old House Museum

What it’s like

A 500 year old tithe house in Bakewell where kids follow trails through eleven creaky rooms hunting for rats and dolls' houses.

This is a proper old building, built in 1534, and it looks it. Eleven rooms trace the place from Elizabethan gentleman's residence down to mill workers' cottages, and rather than just wandering round reading labels there are trails to keep kids on task: the Rat Trail, a scavenger hunt, and a choose-your-own-adventure one called Journey with George that hands out a pin badge at the end. That last bit is the one to save for the finish, it gives the visit a proper ending instead of just trailing off.

Right now there's also a special exhibition of over thirty doll's houses and miniatures, which is worth building the visit around if that's your kid's thing. An hour to an hour and a half is what they reckon you need to do the place justice, and that feels about right for a house this size with trails to work through rather than a quick dash.

It's not a cheap pop-in. £4.50 for a child, £7.50 for an adult, and under-fives go free. It's open seasonally, 25 March to 5 November only, 11am to 4pm with last entry at 3.30pm, so this isn't a winter option. Free entry lands on the two Heritage Open Days in September if you can time it right.

Parking is the real faff here. It's limited to Blue Badge holders or by prior arrangement, so everyone else needs to book ahead or ring the museum, and otherwise you're parking in one of the three town centre car parks and walking in. The building's old enough to have steps everywhere, some rooms just a single step up or down, though there's a portable ramp for the entrance if you ask, and the courtyard and toilets are wheelchair friendly. Dogs are welcome too, which is a nice touch for an indoor museum.

Facilities

Need to know

Best for

School-age kids who'll stick with a trail, rather than toddlers

Last entry

3:30pm

Parking

Limited to Blue Badge holders or by prior agreement

How long to allow

1 to 1½ hours minimum recommended

Wheelchairs

Portable wheelchair ramp available for entrance (request in advance or on the day)

Dogs

Are welcome

Getting there by bus or train

Bus No 178 from Bath Gardens (near Rutland Hotel) stops on South Church Street

Worth knowing

Admission ticket valid for 1 year

• Your ticket is valid for a full year, so one visit gets you a second go
• Bus 178 stops on South Church Street, a three-minute walk from the museum
• The doll's houses exhibition is a current special one, so it may not always be on
• Coach parking is at the Agricultural Business Centre, not at the museum

Plan your visit

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