Chelmsford Museum

 

February 2026

Somehow it’s 15 years since we last visited Chelmsford Museum – how is that even possible? On that last visit the Museum, sitting in the grounds of Oaklands Park ten minutes walk up Moulsham Street, it had recently had a new extension that had doubled the size of the museum.

The Museum hasn’t changed that much in the last 15 years, although sadly, just last month the Essex Regiment Museum collection has moved on, leaving the two soldiers guarding a shut door. The much smaller Essex Yeomanry collection remains.

The new entrance has a lot of glass fronting it, and the ‘Bright Sparks Exhbition’ highlights how modern industries such as Marconi, Hoffmann and Marriages transformed the market town of Chelmsford. Throughout the museum there are links to the town, whether from archeological evidence from millenia past, through to the history of Chelmsford F.C., and the infamous and ill-fated punk festival of 1977. And more recently, a Suzi Quatro cat suit and bass guitar have been added.

The rooms are all well presented, with high quality information boards, and lots of TV screens with audiovisual presentations. The museum goes as far back as prehistoric times, when, and this was news to me, the River Thames ran through Colchester and Chelmsford, before the Ice Age shifted the river down to it’s current position. There is Roman History, Witchfinder General material (Chelmsford Assizes tried a lot of the ‘witches’ from North Essex). Medieval and 18th/19th century are well presented.

The 20th century was well presented, as was the current century with a lot of modern art, including a vase and large tapestries from our favourite Essex-based cross-dressing ceramacist, Grayson Perry. Just £4 entry for adults, and there is a cafe next door, and the park to give your children a chance to run off some of their energy. What’s not to like?