The Burwell Museum, viewed from the mill

Burwell Museum

Set among beautifully preserved historic farming buildings, Burwell Museum tells the story of a bustling fen-edge village. Alongside the 19th-century mill, displays from the everyday to the amazing vividly recreate Burwell life over the ages.

  • The Barn: this stunning 18th-century timber-framed barn contains reconstructions of an old Burwell wash room, kitchen, living room and child's bedroom. There are agricultural displays of historic farm tools and machines, local building materials, plus historic plumbing and carpentry tools.
  • Vintage Vehicles Gallery: see the last remaining ‘Burwell and District’ bus, rare carriages and vintage vehicles including a working (though slightly temperamental) 1907 Holsman, an Austin 7 and a mobile butcher’s shop.
  • Nissen Hut contains items from both World Wars including a serviceman’s bed and locker and a range of uniforms. Contemporary songs and radio broadcasts play in the background. There is a working air-raid siren.
  • Wagon Sheds house historic carts and farm machinery.
  • Village Shop and Victorian Schoolroom, with interactive 1950s/60s electromechanical telephone exchange.
  • Forge and Wheelwright’s Shop: originally from Haddenham Museum, this includes a working forge and hand-operated wheelwright’s lathe and is used for craft skills workshops and blacksmithing demonstrations.
  • Burwell Archive Reading Room: have a look through the archive of photographs and books of Burwell activities and events. Includes a copy of every edition of Clunch, Burwell's community magazine, dating back to the first edition in the 1970s right up to the most recent edition.
  • Roman Pottery: contains a Roman kiln from Huntingdon, a replica potter’s wheel and pots.
  • Shepherd’s Hut: an authentic local shepherd's hut.
  • Revolving Summerhouse now near the tea room,  it is probably the item that has travelled the shortest distance to be at the museum. It stood in the garden of a house in Mill Lane for most of the 20th century.
  • Tea Room selling hot and cold drinks and snacks. Also selling gifts, cards and books.
  • Maclaren Room: Model railway,  model rolling stock of varying ages, scale model of Burwell railway station which was closed and demolished in the 1960s. Plus displays of mid-20th century Dinky toys.
  • Vintage Clothes: Various types of clothing, including weddings dresses, from across the decades plus other related items.

There are also open spaces for children to play, lots of hands-on interactive exhibits, and picnic areas (you are welcome to bring your own picnic).

Well behaved dogs (and other pets!) are welcome on site and in buildings except the tea room and the windmill (these are food areas). Assistance dogs are welcome in any buildings. Water for your furry friend can be obtained from the outside tap on our toilet block but please bring a bowl for them. Please clean up any mess immediately with tissue and flush it down a toilet. Please don't put it in any bin even with a 'Poo Bag'.

Burwell Museum is run solely by volunteers (the Trustees are also volunteers), who generously donate their time to keep the Museum open to the public, and offer a wide range of events and learning opportunities. Find out more about volunteering with us here.