Glastonbury Museums and Art Galleries

(Glastonbury, Somerset, England, UK)



Picture of the town's historical Tribunal buildingMany visitors to Glastonbury are pleasantly surprised to find such a good selection of museums and local art galleries present both in and around the town. The Somerset Rural Life Museum is amongst Glastonbury's most popular attractions of its kind and provide a taster of the past.

Remembering and documenting the prehistoric village that once thrived close to Glastonbury and was excavated at the end of the 19th century, the Lake Village Museum may be relatively small in size, but is packed with exhibits and well worth making the time to investigate.


Somerset Rural Life Museum

Address: Abbey Farm, Chilkwell Street, Glastonbury, England, UK
Tel: +44 01458 831 197
An interesting attraction housing a number of artefacts and relics relating to the history of Somerset farming and agriculture, the Somerset Rural Life Museum is a part of Abbey Farm. Visitors will be able to learn more about the farming practices of Victorian times, while exploring the grand 14th-century tithe barn. A number of farm buildings surround a central courtyard and accommodate everything from antique cider and cheese making equipment, to a rather unexpected three-seater Victorian family toilet.
Open hours: April to October, Tuesday to Friday - 10:00 to 17:00, Saturday and Sunday - 14:00 to 18:00; November to March, Tuesday to Saturday - 10:00 to 17:00
Admission: free

Lake Village Museum

Address: The Tribunal, 9 High Street, Glastonbury, England, UK
Tel: +44 01458 832 954
Sited directly above the Glastonbury Tourist Information Centre (TIC) in the 15th-century Tribunal building (a medieval courthouse), the Lake Village Museum boasts many well-preserved exhibits from this past Iron-Age settlement, dating back some 2,000 years and including pottery, iron tools, and a dugout canoe. The exhibits are in a remarkable condition considering their age, since they were well preserved within the boggy wetlands of the former Lake Village. This attraction is now owned and managed by the English Heritage, and so members of the association will enjoy free admission.
Open hours: April to September, Monday to Thursday, Sunday - 10:00 to 17:00, Friday and Saturday - 10:00 to 17:30; October to March, Monday to Thursday - 10:00 to 16:00, Friday and Saturday - 10:00 to 16:30
Admission: charge, discounts for seniors and children (free to members of the English Heritage)

Museum of Pagan Heritage

Address: St. John's Square, Glastonbury, England, UK
Tel: +44 01458 831 666
Celebrating the rich history of paganism, the town's very own Museum of Pagan Heritage is easy to find and stands on St. John's Square, where various different cults are explored, from ancient Egypt right up to the present day. Additional sections add further interest, being devoted to horror films, such as Dracula, and the New Age world.
Open hours: daily - 10:30 to 17:00
Admission: charge, discounts for children

Haynes Motor Museum photograph

Haynes Motor Museum

Address: Sparkford, Yeovil, England, UK
Tel: +44 01963 440 804
The Haynes Motor Museum is located outside of Glastonbury and in nearby Sparkford, being easily reached in around 30 minutes and well worth the journey time. Housing a collection of more than 400 cars, ranging from vintage automobiles to stylish Ferraris, Rolls Royces and Aston Martins, this attraction will interest a wide range of ages. This truly is a global exhibition of cars and is the largest of its kind in the whole of the United Kingdom, with a total of 11 enormous display halls, together with an adventure playground, soft play area and activity room for the younger visitors. The is also a motoring shop and restaurant on hand, where traditional West Country cream teas can be enjoyed.
Open hours: daily, November to February - 10:00 to 16:30; March to October - 09:30 to 17:30
Admission: charge, discounts for children

Glastonbury Galleries

Address: 10A High Street, Glastonbury, England, UK
Tel: +44 01458 837 888
Situated on the High Street, in the town centre, the Glastonbury Galleries is a small and interesting art gallery and framer, which was established as recently as 2004. Step inside to find a fascinating collection of antique maps, prints, old paintings and numerous watercolours, many of which have been created by local artists from all over Somerset. Numerous traditional landscape paintings illustrate scenes from around the town, such as its world-famous Glastonbury Tor, nearby Wells Cathedral, and the various marshes, woodlands and waterways of the surrounding countryside.
Open hours: Tuesday to Saturday - 09:00 to 17:00
Admission: free