Welcome
With a unique mix of fascinating displays, the latest technology and hands-on activities, there is lots for your family to explore and discover across Colchester Museums’ three sites.
- Explore the national story of Roman and Norman conquest, Boudiccan revolt and Civil War at Colchester Castle.
- Enjoy the family friendly displays in Hollytrees Museum, a Beautiful Georgian townhouse set within the stunning Castle Park.
- Find out about wildlife habitats, biodiversity and climate change at the nearby Natural History Museum.
Where will your adventure start?
For the continued safety and comfort of our visitors and staff we request the wearing of face coverings whilst visiting, unless you are exempt.
Please respect others’ personal space whilst visiting our sites, and be mindful when in ‘tighter’ spaces.
Please be mindful that our interactives are for the enjoyment of everyone, so use hand sanitiser before and after use.
Venues
Get Involved
Win a Family Guardian Membership + After Hours Experience
We are looking to redevelop the Natural History Museum and need your help to better understand how the space is currently used and what it might look like in the future.
Our survey takes approximately 5-10 minutes to complete and every response is extremely helpful. Your feedback is anonymous and you will not be asked to provide any further comments.
As a thank you for sharing your thoughts, we’re offering the chance to win a Family Guardian Membership + an After Hours experience at Colchester Castle, worth £120!
Subscribe
Keep up to date with our latest exhibitions, events and projects by subscribing to our museum mailing list. You’ll receive regular emails with the latest news from Colchester Castle, Hollytrees Museum and the Natural History Museum.
Colchester Museums Development Foundation
Colchester Museums look after some of the most important historic buildings and museum collections in the country!
Colchester Museums Development Foundation support us to inspire and enrich our local community, through the preservation, exploration, and sharing of the town’s heritage in its widest sense. Discover how you can get involved…
Museum From Home
Collections Online
We hold over 200,000 records of objects, documents, artefacts and specimens: from Natural Science collections spanning millions of years, to a wide range of Social History objects.
Our online catalogue will allow you to search the collections of Colchester + Ipswich Museums!
Museum From Home
Looking for things to do? We have a wide variety of activities to educate and entertain all ages. Inspired by the collections across Colchester and Ipswich, from art to nature, archaeology to social history, let us bring the museum to you!
You can follow us on social media for new ideas or find our library below.
#MuseumFromHome
Ancient Colchester App
The Ancient Colchester App allows you to wander around Colchester Town Centre on a Heritage Trail and bring historic sites to life.
Allowing you to explore and delve deeper into the rich heritage and historic sights of Colchester, the Colchester Heritage app is a handy guide, companion and fun-filled way to enrich your visit and bring the history to life.
Including a walking trail, augmented reality, 360 degree panoramic reconstructions, a fun based camera feature and a wealth of historical information there’s pretty much something for everyone.
What's On
