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Avoncroft Museum – REVIEW

Avoncroft Museum – REVIEW

AD – We have become day out connoisseurs at the moment. It all changes when you have little tiddlers. We love National Trust too. My Sundays which consisted of the gym and watching box sets all afternoon with copious cups of tea have been replaced by the great outdoors and dare I say it…museum trips! I was offered the chance to review Avoncroft museum in Bromsgrove (about 30 minutes from us) I leapt at the chance.

More About Avoncroft Museum

Avoncroft is a “living” museum and showcases historic rescued buildings that have been relocated to the site. It spans 700 years of history. We went on a fairly standard quiet day but there are tonnes of events on if you check the timetable. Things like jousting and archery.

The day did not start out too well as the gremlin had napped on the way over; woke in a foul mood and wanted to be held. She did not want to look at the steam engine. She did not want to walk and she did not want to go near “the man”. Fortunately she calmed down as we wondered around the buildings.

In true Sarah form I will review this in pictures and tell you about my favourite bits.

The gremlin was hilarious in this pop up church. She seemed to think the cloth on the alter was a tent and was really bossy when she had enough and wanted to leave!

 

Mum and daughter Avoncroft Museum
We went and had a look at a privy and it was funny watching her look down the hole for some poo!
looking at a toilet - Avoncroft Museum
Looking down the loo!

We loved the windmill. The gremlin was a bit obsessed with this as she loves the story of the Little Red Hen who grows the wheat and makes some bread.

windmill at Avoncroft

My favourite bits were an old town house. They had a fire lit inside and a lady in costume was doing some weaving inside. Both hubby and I felt like you really stepped back in time.

Hubby was really keen on the blacksmith’s working area and apparently you can go over and learn how to be one as a present. He may need to put this on his Santa list.

I really liked going inside an old Anderson shelter and listening to the air raid sounds as well. Could really imagine how scary it must have been. Obviously Birmingham was a target area and people could spend night after night sat in their shelter.

We also went inside a toll house where a lovely volunteer chatted to us for ages and entertained the gremlin with some old toys.

 

My absolute best bit was a history of the telephone. There were all the old phone boxes and phones and we could call each other from the boxes. The gremlin sounded so cute when I rang her having a little chat. We then went into an old exchange and a volunteer told us how the whole phone system worked before the digital age. Yep I felt like the biggest geek but it was fascinating watching the mechanics of it all as you dialed someone. We were so fascinated we got no pictures!

telephone boxes Avoncroft

It started to rain and I was starving so we decided to treat ourselves to lunch in the Edwardian tea house. My cup of tea tasted so lush in a real china cup. The gremlin scoffed beans on toast and as usual had the milk from my tea. Hubby and I both had jacket potatoes and it was yummy.

Lovely china crockery
Avoncroft was just brilliant. I didn’t really expect to be so taken with it as I not really a museum person at all. However, the buildings and the fantastic volunteers just brought the place to life and it felt so authentic. I think we will come back, even if just for a wander and a picnic.
Disclosure – we were provided with a year’s pass in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

23 Comments

  1. Danielle Bayes
    September 9, 2015 / 6:17 am

    Gosh, I think I went here as a child! It looks like a fun day out and is within reach of us so one to pop on the list for the future I think! #BestAndWorst

  2. September 9, 2015 / 5:45 am

    Aw bless her, always the same when they wake up from a nap and you're out somewhere! Glad she brightened up a bit! Looks like you had a lovely day #bestandworst

  3. Wander Mum
    September 9, 2015 / 7:04 am

    Glad Gremilin got into it – they are always so grumpy after waking up, understandably. This looks like a fantastic place…with all the buildings hardly looks like a museum. My daughter would love the windmill and the telephone exchange… My goodness how interesting! My mother in law used to work in one and it's crazy how she used to have to 'connect' people. Thanks for sharing and hosting #bestandworst x

  4. Mary Smith
    September 9, 2015 / 7:15 am

    Looks fab Sarah and some great pictures too. It made me laugh how you view museums… and I find it fascinating how different people are! I am a huge lover of museums…would and do go to them on dates without the kids as well as adventures as a family. This place looks like it is very child friendly and filled with adventure x #bestandworst

  5. September 9, 2015 / 7:26 am

    What a lovely place. I'm usually not a fan of museums, in particular ones in doors. But loving the old buildings. I now want a green pop up church in my garden. Do you think they will lend me it? lol #bestandworst. Renee @Peonieandme x

  6. Mama, My Kid Doesn't Poop Rainbows
    September 9, 2015 / 8:42 am

    Looks really fun. I get bored wandering around reading loads of plaques but getting to see things in the flesh must be really interesting.

    #bestandworst

  7. September 9, 2015 / 8:41 am

    Sounds like a great day. My two are like that after a nap – they should realise how lucky they are to nap haha! #bestandworst xx

  8. September 9, 2015 / 9:50 am

    This looks like such a great day out, and fun for all ages! I bet you will enjoy going back and visiting again when she's a bit older, as she will be interesting in different things. Becky x #bestandworst

  9. Emmas Mamma
    September 9, 2015 / 11:07 am

    Sounds like a great day out! Great pictures, I would love to go if I'm ever up that way 🙂 #bestandworst

  10. September 9, 2015 / 12:11 pm

    Looks fab!I remember going to places like this as a teen and thinking "boring" you definitely appreciate it more as you get older! #bestandworst

  11. September 9, 2015 / 12:16 pm

    I love places like this, where it feels more interactive rather than just looking at stuff. Glad the Gremlin perked up a bit! Thanks for hosting #bestandworst
    Debbie

  12. September 9, 2015 / 12:36 pm

    Looks like a cool place. I love the face in your first pic.

  13. Silly Mummy
    September 9, 2015 / 1:39 pm

    How unusual – this looks awesome! I want to go! #bestandworst

  14. Natalie Brown
    September 9, 2015 / 1:51 pm

    This looks fascinating – I love places like this! Will definitely add it to the list of days out x #bestandworst

  15. September 9, 2015 / 1:35 pm

    What a beautiful place. I could spend all day at places like this Glad your little 'gremlin' perked up for you 🙂 #bestandworst xx

  16. September 9, 2015 / 2:46 pm

    This looks fab and alot of fun, not sure whether Alfie would behave throughout but we do try and take him out for day trips! Lovely piccies. #bestandworst

  17. Domesticated Momster
    September 9, 2015 / 4:33 pm

    What a beautiful place to visit. As a photographer I would go crazy there as I love everything old and having a history. Thank you for hostessing the #bestandworst!

  18. Becky H
    September 9, 2015 / 8:05 pm

    Wow this looks fascinating! May have to pay it a visit – What an interesting idea to maintain old buildings as a museum! Thanks for hosting #bestandworst

  19. Janine Woods - Unhinged Mummy
    September 10, 2015 / 1:22 pm

    Looks like a great day out. Those phone boxes bring back memories. You don't see many of those around any more. I'm glad your day got better but I hope your Gremlin didn't find any poo 😉

    (Stopping by from #bestandworst linky. Thanks for hosting).

  20. September 11, 2015 / 7:13 pm

    Beautiful photos. We went here a couple of weeks ago and had a lovely time. Phone boxes were fab!! #bestandworst xx

  21. Lisa Graham
    September 11, 2015 / 8:24 pm

    Looks like a fantastic day out. Love the fact all you can see all the different building and learn about such a wide time period of history #bestandworst

  22. Nigel Higgins
    September 12, 2015 / 8:07 am

    Looks a brilliant place to visit looks like you all had a great time thanks for hosting :)x

  23. September 16, 2015 / 12:42 pm

    I'm so glad you had such a great time. We all love the telephones too-great fun aren't they. I did laugh at the first photo-we've just started to move out of that phase eventually but I do recognise it so much 🙂