Buckinghamshire

THE OLD GAOL MUSEUM

Market Hill, Buckingham, Bucks, MK18 1JX
Tel/Fax: 01280 823020
E-mail: buckingham.t.i.c@btconnect.com
Web: www.mkheritage.co.uk

The Old Gaol is the landmark building in Buckingham town centre. Restored extensively by the Buckingham Heritage Trust, it contains a fascinating Museum reflecting the building's history through an audio visual display, aspects of Buckingham's past, and Buckinghamshire's military history. The year 2000 saw the construction of a spectacular high-tech glass roof, spanning the original prisoners' exercise yard to create a new light-filled area for special exhibits and the new educational resource centre. Included is a 'Cell Shop' for obtaining souvenirs & mementoes, and it is also home to the Buckingham Tourist Information Centre. Regular themed exhibitions are also held at the Museum throughout the year.

Buckinghamshire Railway Centre

Quainton Road Station, Quainton, Nr. Aylesbury, Bucks, HP22 4BY
Tel: 01296 655450
E-mail: bucksrailcentre@btopenworld.com
Web: www.bucksrailcentre.org  

Buckinghamshire Railway Centre is a working steam museum located on an extensive site 6 miles N.W. of Aylesbury. The Centre's collection of 30 steam and diesel locomotives plus numerous vintage carriages and wagons is displayed in the sidings and sheds surrounding the Victorian country station of Quainton Road (surprisingly once served by trains of London Transport and the old Metropolitan Railway). Exhibits include items from U.S.A., Egypt and South Africa. Of particular note is a dining car from the Royal Train of 1901 as well as other 19th Century wooden bodied coaches. Steam locomotives in the collection include a 'Beattie' Well Tank of 1863 and Metropolitan No.1 of 1898. Steaming Open Days are held each Sunday and Bank Holiday from Easter to the end of October when visitors can take a short ride behind one of the Centre's steam locos. Regular "Thomas the Tank Engine" days are held as well as 'Santa's Magic Steamings' at Christmas.

Amersham Museum

49 High Street, Old Amersham, Bucks, HP7 0DP
Tel: 01494 723700
E-mail: Curator@AmershamMuseum.org
Web: www.AmershamMuseum.org

This National Heritage Award winning museum is housed in a restored medieval hall house in picturesque Old Amersham. Exhibits range from a new exhibit about Roman Amersham to old photographs on an interactive touch screen and examples of the local crafts of lace and straw plait making. They also trace Amersham's connections with the Lollard Martyrs, and with submarines and barrage balloon making in World War II.

Chiltern Open Air Museum

ewlands Park, Gorelands Lane, Chalfont St. Giles, Bucks, HP8 4AB
Tel: 01494 871117    Fax: 01494 872774    Info line: 01494 872163
E-mail: coamuseum@netscape.net
Web: www.coam.org.uk

Step back in time: get a feel of the 1940s in a fully-furnished Prefab, visit a Victorian Toll House, experience 50AD at the Iron Age House or revisit bygone rural Bucks on the farm. All these and other historic buildings have been re-erected here, in a relaxing countryside setting. Spend a couple of hours or a day, enjoying the woodland walk, farm animals and demonstrations of traditional skills or visiting the shop and café.

The Cowper & Newton Museum

Orchard Side, Market Place, Olney, Buckinghamshire, MK46 4AJ
Tel: 01234 711516    Fax: 0870 1640662
E-mail: cnm@mkheritage.co.uk
Web: www.mkheritage.co.uk

See Cowper's Parlour where he and Mrs. Unwin took tea - 'the cups that cheer but do not inebriate' and the famous sofa which inspired The Task, also his self-designed unique filing cabinet. Many original manuscripts and books connected with John Newton are on display. He was the Author of Amazing Grace and many other hymns. A reformed slave-trader, curate of Olney and renowned preacher, he worked with Wilberforce to abolish the slave trade. The two charming gardens which are dedicated to flowers, trees and plants, now entirely stocked with specimens dating from the 18th century or earlier and are grown organically. The vegetable garden contains Cowper's Summer House - his 'verse manufactory' where he and his friends frequently met for conversation and smoking.

Milton Keynes Museum

McConnell Drive, Wolverton, Milton Keynes, Bucks, MK12 5EL
Tel: 01908 316222    Fax: 01908 319148
E-mail: info@mkmuseum.org.uk
Web: www.mkmuseum.org.uk

Housed in a beautiful Victorian Farmstead, once owned by the Radcliffe Trust, this large and constantly changing Museum has something for all members of the family. Room settings cover all aspects of Victorian/Edwardian domestic life and the nursery, toy and living rooms feature in special displays. The schoolroom is quite an experience. Restoration of the Wolverton to Stony Stratford tramcar has taken several years. Close by, in the Hall of Transport, is an early engine after the design of local inventor Herbert Ackroyd Stuart. His contribution at least equals that of Diesel. The Museum has one of the finest collections of working telephones for you to try. Shops in 'The Street' are now open and more will open throughout the year. The Museum is all on one level, accessible for wheelchairs and has toilets suitable for those with disabilities.

Wycombe Museum

Priory Avenue, High Wycombe, Bucks, HP13 6PX
Tel: 01494 421895
E-mail: museum@wycombe.gov.uk
Web: www.wycombe.gov.uk

A children's Discovery Room, trails and special activities combine with imaginative displays to make this a lively museum for visitors of all ages. Permanent exhibits, videos and sound recordings tell the story of Wycombe, Marlow, Princes Risborough and their villages, whilst the Special Exhibitions offers a changing programme of displays about local history, furniture, art or science, ensuring there is always something different to see. Everyone with an eye for style appreciates the museum's superb collection of Windsor chairs and other furniture made by renowned Wycombe companies such as Ercol and G-Plan. Together with other historic items, they trace the fascinating development of High Wycombe's famous furniture industry, which flourished using beech wood from the Chiltern Hills. The museum occupies a gracious 18th-century house set in very pleasant gardens which include a pond and a Norman 'castle' mound. Popular for picnics, the grounds also host special demonstrations and events.