North Devon Museums & Galleries

Ilfracombe Museum

Wilder Road, Ilfracombe, Devon, EX34 8AF
Tel: 01271 863541   E-mail: ilfracombe@devonmuseums.net
Web: www.ilfracombemuseum.co.uk

Ilfracombe Museum boasts a fascinating collection of over 20,000 items of natural history, Victoriana, maritime, minerals, archaeology, maps, paintings, photos, militaria and costume related to local history, all lovingly gathered by curators and trustees for over 65 years. Ilfracombe Museum also offers a brass rubbing centre.

South Molton & District Museum

within Town Hall, 5 Broad Street, South Molton, Devon, EX36 3AB
Tel: 01769 572951    E-mail: info@southmoltonmuseum.org
Web: www.southmoltonmuseum.org

In 1987 this museum won an illustrated London News award for the best small museum of the year. It displays offer a most coherent story line of the life and times of the town and the surrounding district, with items and photographs depicting domestic activities, trades, industry and farming. Discover a massive cider press with contemporary implements, two fire engines, one Newshams model bought in 1736 for £46 and the second which is horse drawn bearing the date 1886. South Molton Museum also has a unique pewter collection and various displays of minerals, most of which are from local mining works.

Torrington Museum

High Street, Torrington, Devon, EX38 8HN
Tel: 01805 626140    Fax: 01805 626142
E-mail: info@great-torrington.com    Web: www.great-torrington.com

A fascinating Free Museum giving an insight into a small country town in Devon over the centuries. Law & Order. Agriculture. Transport. Old Postcards. Domestic Life. Local Industries.

Museum of Barnstaple & North Devon

The Square, Barnstaple, Devon, EX32 8LN
Tel: 01271 346747   E-mail: musuem@northdevon.gov.uk
Web: www.devonmuseums.net/barnstaple

A visit to this museum is the perfect way to get to know the area's landscape, wildlife, history and culture. In The Story of North Devon, special effects and hands-on activity help you find out about life from prehistoric to Victorian times. You can explore Tarke the Otter's riverbanks and go under the sea to meet a giant Leatherback Turtle. Barnstaple's finest products are displayed here, from 17th Century pewter to Art Pottery by Brannam, Baron and Lauder and furniture by Shapland and Petter. Or military displays tell the stories of the Royal Devon Yeomanry and Devonshire Regiment. You can walk through our model Wellington bomber to view Chivenor airfield and find out how the Second World War affected peoples lives.

Cobbaton Combat Collection

Cobbaton, Chittlehampton, Umberleigh, Devon, EX37 9RZ
Tel: 01769 540740   E-mail: info@cobbatoncombat.co.uk
Web: www.cobbatoncombat.co.uk

This military museum covers mostly World War Two, but with exhibits from the Boer War up to the Gulf War. This collection ranges from military surplus tanks, guns, helmets, artillery, grenades, and bombs, to Home Front ration books, gas masks, ARP and Home Guard uniforms, and blackout lamps. In 1981 Preston Isaac's runaway hobby was opened to the public, and just keeps growing. The collection now has over 50 vehicles and literally thousands of other items.

Bideford Railway Museum

Tel: 01237 423585

This is situated at Bideford's former railway station and consists of a number of railway vehicles, artefacts and displays of local railway interest. There is also a gift shop, refreshment area and information about The Tarka Trail. Free admission.

Barometer World & Museum

Tel: 01805 603443

Edwin Banfield, a retired Bank Manager, started this remarkable collection in 1971 and is an internationally renowned collector and prolific author on the subject f barometers. Over the years he has gathered together this fascinating collection of traditional mercury and aneroid barometers, barographs and pocket barometers. There is also a good selection of barometers available for sale, many of which make fascinating gifts.

Lyn & Exmoor Museum

Tel: 01598 752225

St Vincent's Cottage is probably the oldest domestic building in Lynton an now houses a charming collection of curiosities, kitchen appliances, agricultural tools, printed ephemera, memorabilia and local historical items. Founded in 1962 the museum focuses on local history and events, including The Lynmouth Flood Disaster of 1952 and a model of the Lynton to Barnstaple railway. Nearly all the exhibits have been donated by local residents but will bring back memories for all visitors of how life has changed over the last couple of centuries.

Elliott Gallery

Tel: 01271 812100

Here at the Elliott Gallery is an exciting art exhibition that the more discerning person will not want to miss. It contains one of the largest and most comprehensive exhibitions of quality paintings, sculpture and craftwork in all North Devon. Much of the artwork displayed is for sale at unusually competitive prices. Also education facilities for schools. Also a MLA accredited museum.

Dartington Glass

Great Torrington, Devon
Tel: 01805 626244

Molten glass, red-hot from the furnace, is transformed into fragile goblets, vases, jugs and many other kinds of lead crystal glassware, under the gaze of visitors in the viewing galleries of Dartington Glass. It takes as many as 11 glassblowers to shape an intricate piece, but even the simplest tumbler requires the labours of a team of six under the supervision of a master blower. Visitors can see all stages of the process, then view and buy the finished glassware. The Glass Centre includes a video theatre, a re-creation of an 18th century glass-making workshop and displays on the history of glass.

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