List of museums in Devon


This list of museums in Devon, England, contains museums which are defined for this context as institutions that collect and care for objects of cultural, artistic, scientific, or historical interest and make their collections or related exhibits available for public viewing. Also included are non-profit art galleries and university art galleries. Museums that exist only in cyberspace are not included.

Museums

NameImageTown/CityRegionTypeSummary
A La RondeExmouthEast DevonHistoric houseOperated by the National Trust, late 18th century sixteen-sided house with unusual decorations and collections
Allhallows MuseumHonitonEast DevonLocallocal history, Honiton lace collection, Honiton pottery, palaeontology, toys, war memorabilia
Ariel CentreTotnesSouth HamsArtart centre with gallery and theatre, part of King Edward VI Community College
Arlington CourtArlingtonNorth DevonHistoric houseOperated by the National Trust, early 19th-century country house with collection of antique furniture and an eclectic collection of family memorabilia, National Trust Carriage Museum, gardens
Ashburton MuseumAshburtonTeignbridgeLocallocal history, culture, collection of Native American artifacts
Axminster MuseumAxminsterEast DevonLocalLocal history, culture, industry, agriculture
Barnstaple and North Devon MuseumBarnstapleTorridgeLocal historyDevon County Council
Barometer WorldMertonTorridgeScience & TechnologyShop and Museum collection which houses the famous Tempest Prognosticator.
Berry Pomeroy CastleTotnesSouth HamsHistoric houseOperated by English Heritage, ruins of a large late-medieval fortified house and castle
Bicclescombe WatermillIlfracombeNorth DevonMill, late 18th century mill
Bideford Railway Heritage CentreBidefordTorridgeRailway
Bill Douglas Cinema MuseumExeterExeterMediaHistory of film and visual media, media memorabilia, part of the University of Exeter
Bishopsteignton Museum of Rural LifeBishopsteigntonTeignbridgeLocal, local history, agriculture, geology
Bomb ShelterBeerEast DevonLocal HistorySmall museum showing the story of a large bomb that didn't destroy the village.
Bovey Tracey Heritage CentreBovey TraceyTeignbridgeLocal, local history, culture, located in the Bovey railway station
BradleyNewton AbbotTeignbridgeHistoric houseOperated by the National Trust, medieval manor house, riverside meadows and woodland
Braunton and District MuseumBrauntonNorth DevonLocal, local history, agriculture, maritime heritage, industry, railway
Braunton Countryside CentreBrauntonNorth DevonNatural historyenvironment of the coastal and farmed landscapes surrounding Braunton, farming and Braunton Marshes
Bridge MillBridgeruleTorridgeMillrestored 19th century watermill
Britannia MuseumDartmouthSouth HamsMaritimehistory of the Britannia Royal Naval College, open by pre-booked tour
Brixham Battery Heritage CentreBrixhamTorbayMilitaryLocal World War II military history, gun battery, pill box, tours of battery garden
Brixham Heritage MuseumBrixhamTorbayLocallocal history, fishing and ship building industries
Buckland AbbeyBuckland MonachorumWest DevonHistoric houseOperated by the National Trust, abbey estate and grounds with exhibits about explorers Sir Richard Grenville and Sir Francis Drake
Budlake Old Post OfficeBroadclystEast DevonHistoric houseOperated by the National Trust, 1950s period cottage post office, near Killerton
Burton Art Gallery and MuseumBidefordTorridgeArtwatercolours, oil paintings, prints and drawings, decorative arts, contemporary crafts, Napoleonic ship models, also local history
Bygones MuseumTorquayTorbayMultipleVictorian period shop and room displays, model railway and memorabilia, military displays, 1940s and 50s shopping arcade, amusement machines, model buildings, P&O memorabilia
CadhayOttery St MaryEast DevonHistoric houseElizabethan manor house and gardens
Castle DrogoDrewsteigntonWest DevonHistoric houseOperated by the National Trust, early 20th-century castle house designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens, gardens
Chambercombe ManorIlfracombeNorth DevonHistoric houseNorman manor house with period furniture ranging from Elizabethan to Victorian times
ClovellyClovellyNorth DevonHistoric houseHistoric fishing village that includes the childhood home of the Victorian author and social reformer Charles Kingsley, 1930s fisherman's cottage
Clyston MillBroadclystEast DevonMillOperated by the National Trust, water-powered corn mill, near Killerton
Cobbaton Combat CollectionChittlehamptonNorth DevonMilitarymilitary artifacts, most from World War II
Coldharbour MillUffculmeMid DevonIndustryWorking spinning mill textile museum, historic steam engines gauge passenger railway, narrow gauge collection, miniature railway, model railway layouts
Devonport Naval Heritage CentrePlymouthPlymouthMaritimeArtifacts from the Royal Navy, open by appointment
Dingles Fairground Heritage CentreLiftonWest DevonAmusementfairground art and memorabilia, vintage rides, stalls and shows, industrial and road steam engines, vintage vehicles, roadsigns, vintage machinery
Elizabethan HousePlymouth PlymouthHistoric House
Dunkeswell Airfield Heritage CentreDunkeswellEast DevonMilitaryhistory of RAF Dunkeswell in World War II,
Exeter's Underground PassagesExeterExeterHistorymedieval underground passages built for supplying drinking water
Exmouth MuseumExmouthEast DevonLocallocal history, culture
Fairlynch MuseumBudleigh SaltertonEast DevonMultiplehoused in an early 19th-century house with a thatched roof, local history, costumes and lace collection, archeology, geology
Finch FoundrySticklepathWest DevonTechnologyOperated by the National Trust, water-powered forge
FursdonCadburyMid DevonHistoric housefarming estate dating back over 700 years, costume collection, garden
Golden Hind Museum, BrixhamBrixhamTorbayMaritimemuseum ship replica of Sir Francis Drake's ship Golden Hind
Great Torrington Heritage MuseumGreat TorringtonTorridgeLocallocal history
Greenway EstateGalmptonTorbayHistoric houseOperated by the National Trust, Georgian house owned by author Agatha Christie, 1950s decor with collections of archaeology, Tunbridgeware, silver, botanical china and books, gardens
Hartland AbbeyHartlandTorridgeHistoric houseFormer medieval monastery, country home with collections of pictures, furniture and porcelain, gardens
Hartland Quay MuseumHartlandTorridgeMaritimeshipwrecks, natural history, coastal trades, geology and history of Hartland Quay, located in the Hartland Quay Hotel
Hele Corn MillHeleNorth DevonMill16th century working watermill, tea room and shop
Hemyock CastleHemyockMid DevonHistoric houseOpen on Bank Holidays, medieval manor house ruins
Holsworthy MuseumHolsworthyTorridgeLocallocal history, period rooms
House of MarblesBovey TraceyTeignbridgeArtworking glass and games factory set in an historic pottery, exhibits of glass, games, marbles, and Bovey Pottery
Ilfracombe MuseumIlfracombeNorth DevonMultiplelocal history, natural history, Victoriana, maritime artifacts, minerals, archaeology, maps, paintings, photos, military items and costumes
Kelly HouseKellyWest DevonHistoric houseGeorgian country house & Bed & Breakfast currently under restoration
Kelly MineLustleighTeignbridgeMiningFormer iron mine with equipment and mill with Californian stamps
KillertonBroadclystEast DevonHistoric houseOperated by the National Trust, 18th century estate and garden, costume collection
Kingsbridge Cookworthy MuseumKingsbridgeSouth HamsLocallocal history, social history, trades and crafts, William Cookworthy porcelain, Victorian kitchen, costumes, agriculture
Kirkham HousePaigntonTorbayHistoric houseOperated by English Heritage, late medieval stone house
Knightshayes CourtTivertonMid DevonHistoric houseOperated by the National Trust, Victorian country house designed by William Burges, garden
Lyn and Exmoor MuseumLyntonNorth DevonLocalLocal history, natural history, culture
Marker's CottageBroadclystEast DevonHistoric houseOperated by the National Trust, medieval cob cottage with a thatched roof, near Killerton
Merchant's House, PlymouthPlymouthPlymouthHistoric house17th-century house, home to three Plymouth mayors, includes antique artifacts, prison equipment, Victorian school room, an entire chemist's shop
Mortehoe MuseumMortehoeNorth DevonLocallocal history, maritime heritage, agriculture
Morwellham QuayTavistockWest DevonOpen airRestored 19th century village, docks and quays, a restored ship, copper mine tour by train, Victorian farm, nature reserve
Museum of Barnstaple & North DevonBarnstapleNorth DevonMultiplelocal history, natural history, culture, Royal Devon Yeomanry and Devonshire Regiment, archaeology, decorative arts; also known as Barnstaple Museum
Museum of British SurfingBrauntonNorth DevonSportssurfing in the UK, surfboard collection
Museum of Dartmoor LifeOkehamptonNorth DevonMultipleLocal history, culture, industry, trades, period rooms, art
Newcomen Engine HouseDartmouthSouth HamsTechnologyNewcomen steam engine and history of Thomas Newcomen
Newton Abbot Town & GWR MuseumNewton AbbotTeignbridgeMultiplelocal history, Great Western Railway, art
North Devon Maritime MuseumAppledoreNorth DevonMaritimeHistory of shipbuilding and seafaring in the village
Old Bakery, Manor Mill & ForgeBranscombeEast DevonHistoric siteOperated by the National Trust, restored bakery, water-powered forge and forge
Otterton MillOttertonEast DevonMill19th century water mill, bakery, shop
Overbeck'sSalcombeSouth HamsHistoric houseOperated by the National Trust, Edwardian house with collections of stuffed animals, model ships, nautical tools and photos, doll houses
Plough Arts CentreGreat TorringtonTorridgeArtIncludes visual art gallery, theatre and cinema
Plymouth City Museum and Art GalleryPlymouthPlymouthMultipleLocal history, natural history, art, archaeology, decorative arts
Powderham CastlePowderhamExeterHistoric houseMedieval castle, home of the Earl of Devon, Victorian kitchen, deer park, gardens
Royal Albert Memorial Museum & Art GalleryExeterExeterMultipleArt, natural history, local history, decorative arts, archaeology, coins, costumes, world culture
Salcombe Lifeboat StationSalcombeSouth HamsMaritimeHistory of the RNLI lifeboat station in Salcombe
Salcombe Maritime MuseumSalcombeSouth HamsMaritimeship portraits, shipwreck and rescue, shipbuilding, local history
Saltram HousePlymptonPlymouthHistoric houseOperated by the National Trust, Robert Adam-designed Georgian house with original decor, plasterwork and furnishings
Sand, DevonSidburyEast DevonHistoric houseElizabethan manor house, garden
Seaton MuseumSeatonEast DevonLocalalso known as Axe Valley Heritage Museum, local history, archaeology, natural history, geology
Sidmouth MuseumSidmouthEast DevonLocallocal history, natural history of the Jurassic Coast
Smeaton's TowerPlymouthPlymouthMaritime18th century former lighthouse
South Devon Railway: BuckfastleighBuckfastleighTeignbridgeRailwayHeadquarters and museum for the South Devon Railway, steam locomotive depot and workshops
South Molton MuseumSouth MoltonNorth DevonMultiplelocal history, trades, agriculture, culture, archaeology, toys, household items, railway
St Nicholas PrioryExeterExeterHistoric houseFurnished as an Elizabethan town house in 1602
Start Point LighthouseStart PointSouth HamsMaritimeLighthouse open for tours
Tamar Belle Visitor CentreBere FerrersWest DevonRailwayVictorian railway station with equipment, rolling stock and memorabilia
Tavistock MuseumTavistockWest DevonLocallocal history
Teignmouth & Shaldon MuseumTeignmouthTeignbridgeMultiplemaritime and local history, art, area railway and air transport
Tiverton CastleTivertonMid DevonHistoric houseMedieval castle manor house, garden
Tiverton Museum of Mid Devon LifeTivertonMid DevonMultipleLocal history, railroads, transport, social history, agriculture
Topsham MuseumTopshamExeterMultiplemaritime and local history, 17th century period rooms, natural history, local trades, memorabilia of film star Vivien Leigh
Torquay MuseumTorquayTorbayMultiplelocal history, Agatha Christie, artifacts from Kents Cavern, archaeology, replica farmhouse interior, Ancient Egypt, and world jewellery
Torre AbbeyTorquayTorbayMultipleFormer abbey and country house, art gallery, collections of fine and decorative art, gardens
Totnes CastleTotnesSouth HamsMilitaryOperated by English Heritage, preserved Norman motte-and-bailey castle
Totnes Elizabethan House MuseumTotnesSouth Ham]Historic house1575 Tudor house with period rooms, local history including computer inventor Charles Babbage, Saxon coins
Totnes Fashion and Textiles MuseumTotnesSouth HamsFashionLocated in Bogan House, clothing and accessories from the 18th to 20th centuries from the Devonshire Collection of Period Costume
Totnes GuildhallTotnesSouth HamsHistoric site16th century Tudor guild hall, magistrate's court and prison
Totnes Image Bank and Rural ArchiveTotnesSouth HamsPhotographychanging exhibits of historic area photographs from its collections, cameras and photography equipment, located in the town watermill
UgbrookeChudleighTeignbridgeHistoric houseEstate dating to the 12th century, house and grounds remodeled in the 18th century by Robert Adam and Capability Brown
University of Exeter GalleriesExeterExeterArtpart of the University of Exeter, galleries in Northcote House and Queen's Building
Upottery Heritage CentreUpotteryEast DevonMilitaryoperated by the South West Airfields Heritage Trust, history of RAF Upottery in World War II
Valiant SoldierBuckfastleighTeignbridgeHistoric house, 1960s period pub and home
Watermouth CastleWatermouthNorth DevonAmusementTheme park with collection of Victorian antiques, domestic tools, amusement machines, mechanical instruments, toys, model trains
West of England Transport CollectionWinkleighTorridgeTransportationprivate collection of transport vehicles open to the public once a year
William Pengelly Cave Studies Trust MuseumBuckfastleighTeignbridgeNatural historycaves, geology, fossils, conservation

Defunct museums