Banbury Museum
About Banbury Museum
Bambury Museum is a family-friendly museum located in Banbury’s town centre, next to the idyllic canal-side, and opposite Tooley’s historic boatyard.
The Civil War, plush manufacturing, the Victorian market town, costume from the 17th century to the present day and the Oxford Canal: these are just some of the stories illustrated in the museum’s galleries. There are also regularly changing exhibitions and activities to ensure that there is always something new to see and do.
Although the Banbury Museum opened in 2002, the Museum’s origin stretches back to the 1940s when a collection of historic exhibits were displayed in the town’s library in Marlborough Road. In 1980, the collection was moved to 8 Horsefair, overlooking Banbury Cross. This historic building, originally built for Banbury’s Poor Law Guardians, provided a home for the Museum until 1999.
A town centre redevelopment at Castle Quay provided the opportunity to build a new museum, purposed designed, with more space for displays and activities, in a great canal-side location. Funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund and the community, the new Museum, designed by ECD Architects of London, opened in September 2002.
From the 1940s until 2013, the museums in Banbury have been provided by the Local Authority. An exciting new chapter opened in November 2013, when a new charity, The Banbury Museum Trust, took full responsibility for the Museum, ushering in a new period of development.
Opening hours
The museum’s galleries are open on Monday to Saturday from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm and Sunday from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm.
The museum is open on Bank Holidays from 10:30 am to 4:30 pm. It is closed on Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Years Day, and Easter Sunday.
Getting there
Banbury Museum’s main entrance is in the Castle Quay Shopping Centre and is fully accessible to all. Follow the signs to Castle Quay.
By car
From junction 11 of the M40. There is public car parking just a short walk from the museum, including disabled parking.
By public transport
By bus, Banbury Bus Station is adjacent to Castle Quay.
By train
Banbury is served by Chiltern, Cross Country and First Great Western rail networks, with direct services to London Marylebone and London Paddington, Oxford, Birmingham New Street and Snowshill, Stratford-upon-Avon and Kidderminster. The station is just a short walk from the Museum.
By boat
Banbury Museum is on the Oxford Canal. It is 12 cruising hours north of Oxford and 23 hours south of Coventry.
Accessibility
The museum is committed to providing full access to all areas of its building and facilities and currently has:
- Lift access from the museum shop on to museum floor
- Lift access to all floors of the museum
- Accessible toilet on the ground floor
- Baby change facilities on all floors
- Various parking options surrounding the museum
- Dogs are welcome in the outside seating area at the café and water bowls are available
Venue hire
Banbury Museum is located in an iconic modern building in the centre of Banbury next to the beautiful canal-side and has several spaces available for venue hire, accommodating a range of layouts and also providing AV equipment. Through the fantastic Café Red, bespoke catering menus are available and freshly prepared on-site.
