Buxton Museum & Art Gallery

Step into the Past at Buxton Museum & Art Gallery

The interesting Buxton Museum & Art Gallery on Terrace Road in Buxton has over 1,200 objects on display. These include exhibits of the archaeology, art, geology, and history of the Peak District.

Sir John Franklin set out with HMS Erebus and HMS Terror in 1845. — Photographs from the search for HMS Erebus and HMS Terror

History

The museum occupies part of the Victorian era Peak Hydropathic and Thermal Establishment which offered guests accommodation, water treatments and excursions.

Buxton Museum & Art Gallery, Buxton. — Sir John Franklin set out with HMS Erebus and HMS Terror in 1845 on a voyage to find the North-West Passage. The ships disappeared into the Arctic, never to be seen again until their wrecks were discovered in 2014 and 2016

Exhibits

The museum focuses on the archaeology, geology, and history of the nearby Peak District. The collections cover a wide range of topics, including prehistoric artifacts, Roman and Anglo-Saxon finds, medieval objects, and more recent local history items.

One of the highlights of the museum is its extensive collection of fossils, minerals, and rocks, which showcase the geological diversity of the Peak District National Park.

Visitors can learn about the formation of the landscape, the geological processes that shaped the region, and the rich fossil record found in the area.

In addition to its geological and archaeological exhibits, the Buxton Museum & Art Gallery also has a dedicated art gallery space. The gallery hosts a variety of temporary exhibitions throughout the year, showcasing contemporary art, historical artworks, and local artistic talent.

The museum also offers a range of educational programs, events, and activities for visitors of all ages. There are interactive displays, hands-on exhibits, and special workshops. There is also has a shop where visitors can purchase books, gifts, and souvenirs related to the museum's collections and the Peak District.

The elegant stairway to the first floor. — The elegant stairway to the first floor

Goods From Japan delivered to your home or business. — Goods From Japan delivered to your home or business

Safety in Industry. — Safety in Industry

Access - Getting There

Buxton Museum & Art Gallery
Terrace Road
Buxton
Derbyshire
SK17 6DA
Tel: 01629 533540

The museum is free to enter and is open to the public.

Tuesday to Saturday: 10 am to 5 pm, last admission 4 pm.
Sundays (Easter to end of September): 12 pm to 4 pm, last admission 3.30 pm.
Bank holidays: 12 pm to 4 pm, last admission 3.30 pm

Admission

Free.

* Since June 2023 the museum has been temporarily closed for investigations after dry rot was discovered in the building including in the Wonders of the Peak exhibition and the Boyd Dawkins Study room.

The spa town of Buxton is south of both Stockport and Manchester on the A6.

Buxton Station has trains to Piccadilly Station, Stockport Station, Whaley Bridge, Disley, Hazel Grove, Woodsmoor and Davenport.

The 199 bus service connects Buxton with Manchester Airport and the wider world.

There are also buses to Chesterfield, Derby via Matlock Bath, Leek, Macclesfield, Sheffield, and Manchester.

By car nearby places of interest include historic Peveril Castle, Edale, the Derwent Dam Museum and the picturesque village of Eyam with its beautiful Parish Church of St Lawrence.

Hire a car at Manchester Airport. Compare the biggest brands in UK car hire to get the cheapest deal on a variety of vehicles from compact cars to estates to SUVs.

Bottles for Buxton mineral water through the ages. — Bottles for Buxton mineral water through the ages

Buxton was once a Roman town. — Buxton was once a Roman town

Nearby

Within easy walking distance of the museum is the Pavilion Gardens that date from 1871, when the 7th Duke of Devonshire suggested the idea of a "pleasure garden" to boost the amenities of the growing and increasingly prosperous town. Other attractions include The Pump Room, St Ann’s Well and the Old Hall Hotel where Mary Queen of Scots was a famous guest. The Buxton Opera House on Water Street hosts the annual Buxton Festival. A recommended local pub is the Miltons Head.