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Whether you are looking for a fun family day out, a chance to learn about everything from Romans to Regency, a peaceful stroll through nature or just a nice cup of tea and a cake Worcestershire County Museum, housed in historic Hartlebury Castle, has it all.

Last year Worcestershire County Museum completed a number of improvements to the visitor facilities at the site. The introduction of a new visitor welcome area and a café in the historic Castle Kitchen have proven very popular as has a glass lift which gives all visitors access to every floor of the museum and offers great views across towards Hartlebury Common. The new visitor reception area also included a video presentation and shop, incorporating a permanent display by the Worcestershire Guild of Designer Craftsman.

Hartlebury Castle, near Stourport, was home to the Bishops of Worcester for over 1000 years and visitors to Hartlebury can still see the Bishop’s State Rooms, the historic 14th century Great Hall and the Saloon.

Exploring the servant’s wing of the Castle you will find the fascinating and varied collections of the Worcestershire County Museum including toys, domestic items, beautiful costume, craftwork by the Bromsgrove Guild and ancient archaeological finds. A selection of themed rooms are based on the Victorian, Georgian and Civil War periods to give visitors an idea of how their ancestors lived in the past. The castle also features some original rooms such as the scullery and housekeeper’s room and room sets like the schoolroom and nursery. Within the grounds of the Castle you will find a 300 year old Cider Mill, a nature reserve, picnic areas and the Transport Gallery which houses a large collection of horse-drawn vehicles, cars and bicycles and a fabulous display of Gypsy caravans.

Hartlebury Castle also offers a varied events programme, providing fun and informative days out for all the family, including historical re-enactments, arts & crafts workshops, Christmas weekends and many more.

The County Museum is open Tuesday to Friday from 10am till 5pm and from 11am til 5pm at weekends and bank holidays (the museum is closed on Mondays except for Bank Holidays). For further information please contact the museum on 01299 250416 or by e-mail to museum@worcestershire.gov.uk. You can also visit the website at www.worcestershire.gov.uk/museum.