Nottingham / Places / Nottingham Industrial Museum
Nottingham Industrial Museum
The Courtyard, Wollaton Hall and Deer Park, Nottingham
ENTRY
Free
WHERE
Nottingham
WHAT IT’S LIKE
Volunteer-run heritage museum in Wollaton Hall's stables, free entry for accompanied kids, five hands-on galleries, and monthly Steaming Days when the engines actually run.
Nottingham Industrial Museum sits in the old stable block of Wollaton Hall and Deer Park, right by the café, and packs five galleries into the courtyard: Steam Hall, Transport, Lace, the Gin Yard and a Nottingham's Industries gallery covering radios, telephones and clocks. Kids can see a Victorian kitchen and blacksmith's forge, a model railway with miniature steam engines, historic games and museum trails in the Lace Gallery, and famous names like Raleigh bikes, Brough Superior motorbikes and horse-drawn coaches in the Transport Gallery. It's run by volunteers and open every weekend, Thursdays and bank holidays, with plenty of parking on site (it's part of the Wollaton Hall estate, so you can combine a visit with the deer park). Once a month, on the last Sunday, Steaming Days bring the static and portable engines to life, including the Basford Beam Engine and vintage tractors, a good one for kids who like things that move and make noise, though entry costs a bit more on those days. Accompanied children get in free on normal visits, and weekday group visits can be arranged by contacting the museum directly.
GOOD TO KNOW
Experiences
Basford Beam Engine
indoors1858 beam pumping engine that lifted water for Nottingham, still operated on Steaming Days.
Ploughing Engines No.17756 and No.17757
Pair of 1929 Fowler ploughing engines; No.17756 is steamable and runs on Steaming Days.
Victorian Kitchen (Mrs Bird's Victorian World)
indoorsRecreated Victorian kitchen showing 19th century domestic life, cooking and cleaning.
Facilities
Blacksmith's Forge and Woodworking Shop
Historic forge and woodworking shop on display.
Areas to explore
Gin Yard
outdoorsOutdoor yard with mining history exhibits, a coal truck, a Living Van, and barn engines.
Lace Gallery
indoorsGallery of historic lace and hosiery machinery with board games and Explore, Create and Play challenges for families.
Nottingham's Industries Gallery
indoorsDisplays on Boots, Plessey and Players covering radios, telephones, clocks and telecommunications history.
Steam Hall
indoorsGallery of working steam and diesel engines including the Basford Beam Engine and ploughing engines.
Transport Gallery
indoorsCollection of bicycles, motorcycles and cars including Raleigh, Humber, Brough Superior and horse-drawn coaches.
What's on
Steaming Day
Working steam and diesel engines including the Basford Beam Engine, up to eight engines running, vintage tractors, Victorian kitchen demonstrations and museum trails.