Chelmsford Museums

Welcome to Chelmsford Museums Service

The Borough Council runs two museums in Oaklands Park, off Moulsham Street, Chelmsford - the Chelmsford Museum and The Essex Regiment Museum. Access to the museums is free. We also run a science resource centre and open store at Sandford Mill: Science for Schools and Gateway to Chelmsford's Unique Industrial Heritage .

Chelmsford Museum is set in a Victorian House, with permanent displays on the Story of Chelmsford, natural history and geology, coins, art and social history. There is also a temporary exhibition programme, changing five times a year, and a busy special events programme. See the  Museum Exhibition and Events leaflet, March - August 2008 [1.1Mb] or perhaps the  Summer 2008 Children's Events Newsletter [315kb] for more.

The Essex Regiment Museum displays the collections of the Essex Regiment Association in a purpose-built extension opened by Princess Margaret in 1973, and tells the story of the county regiment from its mid 18th century origins up to its incorporation in the Royal Anglian Regiment.

2008 - 2009

Chelmsford Museum will be open as usual, although you may want to phone 01245 605700 before your visit for up to date information on any display closures.

Please note: The Essex Regiment Museum will be closed for redevelopment from April 2008 until November 2009.

Update: The Ceramics room is now closed whilst work on the extension begins. This means that Grayson Perry's "The Chelmsford Sissies" pot is not available for viewing at Chelmsford Museum. However it can be seen at Hylands House and Estate on Sundays and Mondays throughout May and June 2008. Find out about the Sculpture Exhibition here.

We are unable to guarantee full access to Chelmsford Museum during 2008 and 2009. Please see Access Information page.

See Museum Expansion pages for further information.

Facilities

Chelmsford Museums, Oaklands Park also offer the following :

• free on-site parking
• schools can book for talks and hands-on sessions
• evening talks to groups and societies
• identification of objects
• research facilities
• small souvenir shop

Opening times at Chelmsford Museum, Oaklands Park:

Mondays to Saturdays, 10.00am to 5.00pm

Sundays, 1.00pm to 4.00pm (winter) or 2.00pm to 5.00pm (British summer time)

Admission is free

Opening times at Sandford Mill are during special event days. See Events at Sandford Mill.

Museums, Libraries and Archives Council - Registration Number 579