Ipswich Museum

Visiting Ipswich Museum

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For further details about what to expect when you visit, follow the link below:

Welcome

Enjoy a fun-filled day out and make lasting memories with us at Ipswich Museum. Come and meet animals from around the world in the Victorian Natural History Gallery, from gorillas to lions and even a rare sub-species of giraffe.

Why not travel the globe, step back 70 million years in the Geology Gallery or follow The Ipswich Story to see how the area has changed since the Stone Age.

History

What You Can See

A map of Ipswich with several stared pins dotted around

Local History

Ever wondered about the history of a particular part of Ipswich? Or what sorts of things have been collected to show the town’s evolution?

Why not explore our interactive map and find out!

Interactive Map

The Collections

The Museum is home to a wide range of collections, from natural science to Egyptology, social history to world cultures. Highlights include:

The Ogilvie Bird collection
Rendlesham archaeology collections
Death mask of Titos Flavious Demetrios

The Ipswich Story

Step back in time to when Ipswich was a vast area of grassland and our ancestors used stone tools.

Continue on and discover how we learnt how to use bronze and iron and became a medieval town.

Then explore Cardinal Wolsey’s birthplace and see how it survived through Civil war, World wars and into a modern era.

Victorian Natural History Gallery

See the world through Victorian eyes and take a trip around a global zoo.

Meet gorillas, lions and wild animals from around the globe in our historic natural history gallery.

Ipswich Museum Re-development Project

Ipswich Borough Council, in partnership with The Friends of the Ipswich Museums and the National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF) are embarking on an ambitious project that aims to breathe new life into the museum, transforming it into an exciting cultural hub filled with energy, activity and debate.

Find Out More

Travelers Choice Award 2020 from Tripadvisor

Plan Your Visit

Opening Times

Tuesday – Saturday
10.00am – 5.00pm

Sunday
11.00am – 5.00pm

Mondays closed

Free admission

More Information + Booking

Directions

Shop

Our museum shop offers a wide range of products, from activity books for children to Egyptian figures, cuddly woolly mammoths to beautiful homeware. Whether you’re looking for a memento or the perfect gift, we have something for all tastes and budgets.

Please note, we are only able to accept card and contactless payments at present.

Access

Every effort has been made to make Ipswich Museum a great place to visit for everybody.

If you have any access queries please contact us and we will be happy to help.

The Museum is typically busy between 10am – 12noon. If you are looking for a quieter time to visit, we recommend the afternoon.

Our regular facilities are listed below. Please note, following our closure due to Covid-19, some things may be temporarily unavailable. For further details, please click here.

All areas of the ground floor, including the entrance, are either level or have ramped access.
A manual wheelchair available for use. Please ask at reception.
All galleries are accessible via a lift or stairs.
Ear defenders available on request.
Twiddlemuffs (sensory aids) available on request.
Guide and helping dogs are welcome.
An accessible toilet is located on the ground floor.

There are hands-on and sensory experiences at various points throughout the museum.
We provide British Sign Language interpretation at selected events – please see our events section for more details.
Vending facilities for drinks.
Free drinking water available on request.
For information on nearby Blue badge parking, visit the Ipswich Borough Council website.

Resources

Ipswich Museum Access Guide

Ipswich Museum Map

Ipswich Museum Sensory Map

Ipswich Museum Visual Story

Ipswich Museum Sensory Map

Ipswich Museum Autism-Friendly Tour

This short film will highlight some of the key sensory features of your visit to Ipswich Museum. We recommend visitors with particular sensory needs, such as people with ASD or dementia, watch this film before they come. It is also useful for anyone who could benefit seeing what the venue is like before making a visit.

For subtitles, click the link in the bottom left corner that says Watch on YouTube. Once loaded, you will need to click the icon in the bottom right corner of the video to enable Subtitles/closed captions.