Ely Museum

Ely Museum Ely Museum is now open following a £2.2m National Lottery Heritage Fund Redevelopment.

Enjoy history and the arts? Maybe you are passionate about Ely and would like to help preserve its history and collecti...
04/06/2026

Enjoy history and the arts? Maybe you are passionate about Ely and would like to help preserve its history and collections for generations to come? Then join as a Friend of Ely Museum today or buy the perfect gift for the history lover in your life with an annual membership.

An annual membership is just £15 or £25 for two people and with that you get free entry to the museum, discount in our lovely museum shop as well as previews to our special exhibitions. We will also keep in touch with you with a newsletter twice a year to let you know what’s happening at the museum and how your support is contributing towards our work and new acquisitions.

Ely Museum is an independent museum and registered charity so your support is crucial in helping us to secure Ely Museum’s future and enable us to continue to offer: inspiring exhibitions, high quality care of our collections, engaging services for schools, and exciting events for all.

Ely Museum tells the stories of the people and landscape of Ely and its surrounding area from prehistory to the present day.

Volunteers’ Week is back. It’s time to celebrate all things volunteering!Our volunteers give so much to Ely Museum, wit...
01/06/2026

Volunteers’ Week is back. It’s time to celebrate all things volunteering!

Our volunteers give so much to Ely Museum, without them we wouldn’t be able to do what we do. Thank you to each and every one of you.

We have a wide range of roles at Ely Museum from Welcome volunteers and Learning volunteers to our volunteers who help with our museum garden and holiday crafts. And of course our Trustees are all volunteers too.

If you are interested in volunteering with Ely Museum then check out our website for our volunteering opportunities.

Thank you to all those who joined us at our History Heroes event yesterday and a special thank you to those who particip...
28/05/2026

Thank you to all those who joined us at our History Heroes event yesterday and a special thank you to those who participated in our history-themed fancy dress contest!

We are pleased to announce two of our winners!

Telvi won the Most Historically Accurate category with her Emily Williamson costume. Emily Williamson, Telvi's history hero, co-founded the RSPB and Telvi's costume included a robin!

Edmund won the Best Homemade Costume category dressing up as a Roman legionary. He even decorated his own shield!

Many congratulations to all our prize winners and thank you again to all our participants.

Some of our history heroes activities throughout the museum will stay up through May half-term, so make sure you come check them out!

At our History Heroes day today, you can create your own time capsule! Decorate your time capsule (a box which is prov...
27/05/2026

At our History Heroes day today, you can create your own time capsule!

Decorate your time capsule (a box which is provided) using our craft materials and then take it home to fill it with your keepsakes or a drawing or self-portrait, a small toy, tickets from somewhere you've visited or maybe a note that lists your favourite food, TV shows or hobbies now. Take an official Time Capsule Seal to close your box and then remember to open it in 10 years time!

If you can wait that long of course!😊

Today, Wednesday 27th May, join us at Ely Museum for our History Heroes activity day! Dress up as someone from History ...
27/05/2026

Today, Wednesday 27th May, join us at Ely Museum for our History Heroes activity day! Dress up as someone from History and enter our fancy dress competition or just join in the fun with a range of activities in the galleries including: Roman noughts and crosses, Norse Runes name spelling, Victorian marbles, historical charades and more!

Children dressed in history-themed fancy dress get free admission and can be entered into the competition to win a City Cycle Toy Department gift card.

You can join in the fun anytime from 10.30am until 4pm but the fancy dress judging takes place at 2pm so if you’d like to enter make sure you visit before that time.

For more information check out our website 'What's On'.

All activities are included with standard admission or with a valid annual pass.

Visit Ely Museum today, Tuesday 26th May, for Dig It! our archaeology discovery day. Starting from 10.30am until 4pm, p...
26/05/2026

Visit Ely Museum today, Tuesday 26th May, for Dig It! our archaeology discovery day. Starting from 10.30am until 4pm, pop in any time and meet the archaeologists from Oxford Archaeology and try out a range of hands-on activities: look at archaeological finds and discover the stories behind them and have a go at excavating and crafts.

There will be a finds identification team here too who might be able to help you discover more about an item you’ve found on a walk, in your garden or maybe at the beach.

For Scouts and Brownies wanting to do their archaeology badges, the Cambridgeshire Scouts Archaeology Squad will also be here to support the event.

Included with your standard admission ticket or valid annual pass.

We look forward to seeing you!

Visiting Ely over half-term? Then pop into our lovely Museum shop, which is free to visit, for a peruse. There’s delici...
25/05/2026

Visiting Ely over half-term? Then pop into our lovely Museum shop, which is free to visit, for a peruse. There’s delicious local honey, a fantastic range of history books, cute Robin Valley earrings, artist designed cards and homeware as well as children’s toys and even a range of fossils.

As a registered charity, each purchase helps support Ely Museum’s work in caring for our collection for future generations so we hope to see you soon!

Half-term is upon us and we have two fun events taking place here at Ely Museum during the week so we hope to see you!Th...
24/05/2026

Half-term is upon us and we have two fun events taking place here at Ely Museum during the week so we hope to see you!

There’s Dig It! Archaeology Discovery Day on Tuesday 26th May from 10.30am-4pm with Oxford Archaeology and Cambridgeshire Scouts Archaeology Squad supporting the event.

And

History Heroes on Wednesday 27th May from 10.30am-4pm. Who will you be? Dress up as someone from history, famous or not and join for a fun day of games and activities. Great fancy dress prizes up for grabs but all welcome whether dressed up or not! Children in history-themed fancy dress get free admission.

Come and join the fun!

For more details about the events please check out our website ‘What’s On'.

Both events are included with a standard museum admission or with a valid annual pass.

It was wonderful to meet the High Sheriff of Cambridgeshire yesterday and a real pleasure to show him around our lovely ...
23/05/2026

It was wonderful to meet the High Sheriff of Cambridgeshire yesterday and a real pleasure to show him around our lovely museum, and learn a little about his role in our county.

A reminder for those planning to participate in our History-Themed Fancy Dress Contest during our History Heroes Day on ...
22/05/2026

A reminder for those planning to participate in our History-Themed Fancy Dress Contest during our History Heroes Day on 27 May what the categories are!

Remember, children in history-themed fancy dress go FREE!

Prizes for the children's categories are a £15 gift card to City Cycles toy shop. The prize for the 'Best Adult Costume' category is a £15 gift card to Tom's Cakes.

Want to join in on the fun but can’t come at 2pm? Come in any time before that and have your picture taken at the front desk to be included in the contest.

During our opening hours from 10.30am-4pm, we will be celebrating throughout the museum galleries with a range of fun games and activities.

All welcome, whether you’re in fancy dress or not!

Find out more about our History Heroes Day on our website: https://www.elymuseum.org.uk/whats-on-elymuseum/history-heroes/

Address

The Old Gaol, Market Street
Ely
CB74LS

Opening Hours

Tuesday 10:30am - 5pm
Wednesday 10:30am - 5pm
Thursday 10:30am - 5pm
Friday 10:30am - 5pm
Saturday 10:30am - 5pm
Sunday 12pm - 5pm

Telephone

+441353666655

Website

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