Educational and group visits may be arranged for any day of the week and evening visits are also possible. Group and evening visits must be by prior arrangement, so please contact us for more details. [Please note: the museum is open from the end of March until the end of October each year. Please check current dates in the What’s On drop box above]
Our displays and artefacts illustrate Malvern’s past, and offer numerous themes of wider interest. We are a small museum, run by volunteers, and whilst we have no specialist guides our staff are available to help during visits.
What to see at the museum
Permanent displays include:
- Geology of the Malvern Hills and the early settlements
- The Medieval Royal Forest and Great Malvern Priory
- Tudor and Stuart Malvern
- Victorian collections; embracing Malvern’s water cure, education, transport, home life, entertainment, important residents and visitors, local Government
- Later developments; the Santler and Morgan car companies, the Festival Theatre
- Malvern during both World Wars, Malvern Hills Conservators, Elgar and Shaw
- 20th century science, radar and technology
Education facilities
Many schools find their time here rewarding, and we will be happy to help plan your visit to enrich school work. We recommend a visit of approximately ¾ to 1 hour. Parties should be divided into smaller groups of about 8 to 10 pupils with one adult. Ideally you should see the museum prior to your pupils’ visit. General ‘Quiz Sheets’ are available, and your preliminary visit should enable you to draw up sheets tailored to your particular interests.
A small gift shop offers affordable souvenirs, and there is a toilet for emergency use only. We regret that the upper rooms are not accessible by wheelchair users, but a ‘Virtual Tour’ can be viewed downstairs. There is little space to store bags, and alas no space for lunch or discussion. Coach parking is 10 minutes away, by the Splash Leisure Complex. The walk to the Museum takes you into the Priory Park, by the former monks’ fish pool, past the Winter Gardens and through the grounds of the Priory. Alternatively your party could be dropped off in Grange Road to approach the museum from its southern side.
Loan Boxes
The museum has created three loan boxes suitable for Key Stage 2 pupils. They feature Malvern’s Water Cure, Prehistoric Malvern and Malvern’s Geology and Fossils. For further information click here
Other sites of interest in the locality
Great Malvern Priory Church
Open during daylight hours with helpful staff and trained guides on request, it is a beautiful monastic church with many original features, including fine misericords, wall and floor tiles and renowned stained glass windows. If you intend to split your time between the museum and the Priory, please be in touch with the Priory to check availability.
Water Cure establishments
Dr Gully’s Tudor and Holyrood treatment centres are some five minutes away on the Wells Road; Dr Wilson’s original Hydropathic Establishment, now Park View, is just 2 minutes away. St Ann’s Well is only 20 minutes walk up the hill on well laid paths. Spring water is available for drinking on Belle Vue Terrace and St Ann’s Well.
Booking
Group visits must be booked in advance. There is a charge of 50 p per child over the age of 7 and accompanying adults will be admitted free of charge. For further information, please contact us.
Activities for Pupils
For suggestions, questions and activities for pupils before, during and following a school visit to Malvern Museum, please click here.