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History Museum

Athelstan Museum

Town Hall, Cross Hayes

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Photo: MaryJo Burchard

About Athelstan Museum

Located in the historic Town Hall at Cross Hayes, this welcoming museum offers accessible facilities for all visitors including families with young children and wheelchair users.

What's nearby

  • Malmesbury Town Council next door
  • Malmesbury Library next door
  • St Aldhelm's Roman Catholic Church next door
  • Malmesbury Abbey 150m away
  • The Old Bell Hotel 200m away

Distances as the crow flies, via Google

Good to know

Parking

  • ✓Free car park

Accessibility

  • ✓Accessible parking
  • ✓Accessible entrance
  • ✓Accessible toilet

Details via Google — worth confirming with the attraction before you travel, especially for access needs.

Photos

Photos via Google

Opening hours

Monday
Closed
Tuesday
10:30 AM – 4:30 PM
Wednesday
10:30 AM – 4:30 PM
Thursday
10:30 AM – 4:30 PM
Friday
10:30 AM – 4:30 PM
Saturday
10:30 AM – 4:00 PM
Sunday
11:30 AM – 3:30 PM

Current hours may differ from the usual schedule above (e.g. holidays) — check Google Maps for today's hours.

What visitors say

Tone

Small museum packed with interesting history. Well worth a visit, free to enter and the staff were so friendly like we were old friends having a great chat. Thanks to the guys there for really making our visit special.

· via Google

Cindy

This town is so much more than expected. Giant beautiful Abbey full of history. The king in this town was the first to unite the kingdoms, mint coinage with his name and exchange to a common currency and name the county England. He is the ancestor of the monarchy of The UK. Ancient village, tons of unexpected history all stemming from this lovely little museum. Which did a very good job of explaining the historical significance. Many little independent shops to explore.

· via Google

Sean Wright

What a great little museum. Some real gems here. I'm a huge history fan and so anything on Athelstan is enough for me but this place surprised me with other quirky and interesting stories from the past. From Eimar the flying Monk, a Charles I letter asking for protection during the Civil War through to a local who came a cropper at the hands of a touring tiger - its just a really interesting place. It's also free and has a great car park outside from which to explore the rest of Malmesbury. Be sure to check out the grave of the poor tiger victim in the Abbey!

· via Google

amanda tarren

Lovely little museum with some interesting displays featuring local history including the wool industry and lace making. We enjoyed seeing the various ladies bonnets and hats. Also a lovely art gallery at the back with a cafe.

· via Google

See all reviews on Google →

Visitors say this museum offers fascinating insights into Malmesbury's history, featuring digitized manuscripts, Roman coins, and a JMW Turner watercolor. They also highlight the enthusiastic and knowledgeable staff, who provide enriching conversation and local knowledge. Others mention the convenient parking and the museum's free entry.

Summary via Google

At a glance

Address
Town Hall, Cross Hayes Lane, Malmesbury, SN16 9BZ Get directions
Category
Museums & Galleries
Guest rating
4.7 / 5 (97 reviews)
Suitable for
Ages 4+
Setting
Indoor
Good for children
Yes
Toilets on site
Yes
Destination
Malmesbury