Eyam Museum
BEST FOR
Ages 0-16
ENTRY
from £2
SETTING
Indoors
BUGGY FRIENDLY
Yes
What it’s like
Plague village history told through trails and dressing-up clothes, with a first floor you'll need to leave the buggy for.
This is the museum that tells Eyam's plague story, the village that shut itself off in 1665 to stop the disease spreading further. Kids get their own trails split by age, so a five-year-old and an eleven-year-old aren't stuck doing the same worksheet, and there's dressing-up clothes and hands-on bits alongside the display panels and short films. It's not a hands-on science centre, but for a museum it's got more to actually do than just read.
Budget 45 to 60 minutes, which feels about right for the ages this suits, up to about 16. Any longer and you'd be flagging on the panels. It's £6 for an adult, £16 for a family of two adults and up to three kids, and school groups get in for £2 if they've booked ahead. No need to book for a normal visit, though they'll stagger walk-ups if it's rammed.
The building's the catch for anyone with a buggy or in a wheelchair. Ground floor's fully accessible with a ramp, but the first floor is stairs only, so pushchairs get left in a safe spot and wheelchair users get a virtual version of that half instead. There's no toilet in the museum itself, just the free public ones in the car park opposite, which is a faff if you've got a toddler mid potty training.
It shuts on Mondays outside bank holidays, and closes completely from mid December through to February, so this isn't a rainy half-term-in-January option. If you're around in late August, the well dressings go on display during Wakes Week, which is worth timing a visit around if you're already planning one.
Facilities
Need to know
- Best for
- Ages 5 to 16; under-fives may find the panels heavy going
- Last entry
- 15:30
- Booking
- Pre-booking not required for general admission, but walk-ups may be staggered during very busy times
- Parking
- DDDC car park opposite museum with charges
- How long to allow
- Approximately 45-60 minutes
- Pushchairs
- Accessible to ground floor only
- Wheelchairs
- Ground floor fully accessible with ramp
- Worth knowing
- Annual 2026 pass gives free repeat visits during 2026
- No toilets inside the museum, use the free ones in the car park opposite
- Pushchairs can go on the ground floor only, staff will store them while you do the stairs
- An annual pass for 2026 gets you free repeat visits all year
- Closed mid December to February, so don't plan a winter trip around it
- Well dressings go on show during Wakes Week, late August into September
Plan your visit
How much does it cost?
£6 for an adult, £5 for a student, and £16 for a family ticket covering two adults and up to three kids. Group bookings of 10 or more get a discount, and pre-booked school groups pay £2.
Do we need to book ahead?
Not for general admission. On very busy days they might stagger entry, but you can just turn up.
How long should we set aside?
About 45 to 60 minutes. There's a fair bit to read plus some short films and interactive bits, but it's not a full afternoon out.
Is it suitable for young kids?
There are trails for three different age groups plus dressing-up clothes and hands-on activities, so it's built with children in mind rather than an adult-only exhibition.
Can we bring a pushchair?
Onto the ground floor, yes. The first floor is stairs only, so staff will point you to a safe spot to leave the pushchair while you go up.
Is it wheelchair accessible?
The ground floor has a ramp and is fully accessible. The first floor is stairs only, though there's a virtual version of that part of the exhibition to cover it.
Are there toilets?
Not in the museum itself. The free public toilets are in the car park directly opposite, on Hawkhill Road.
Where do we park?
There's a car park opposite the museum with charges, or a Parish Council car park behind with an honesty box. On-street parking is allowed too, depending on the signs.
What's the last entry time?
15:30, with the museum closing at 4pm.
Is there anywhere for kids to play nearby?
There's a playground on the sports field opposite the museum, handy if they need to run about before or after.
When is the museum closed?
Mondays, apart from bank holiday Mondays, and the whole winter stretch from mid December to February. It's also worth knowing it sometimes closes for private bookings.
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