Guildford Museum
What's on at Guildford Museum
Explore our local history from the age of prehistoric man to modern life and times. Discover more about famous people connected with Guildford and Surrey. Including garden designer Gertrude Jekyll and author Lewis Carroll. Enjoy our unique collection of needlework and toys. As well as free displays and exhibitions, we have a programme of events and activities for all ages.
We are open Wednesday to Saturdays 12noon to 4.30pm (last entry 4pm).
There are times when we're working hard to changeover our exhibitions, and this might mean that some spaces or displays may be closed. If you're visiting to see a specific display, you can call us on 01483 444751 to check that it's open.
Playtime!
Date: Saturday 29 March to 11 April 2026
It's Playtime! at Guildford Museum! Enjoy our fun learning exhibition for all the family.
Explore our display of vintage toys and games from our museum collection and try out Playtime! for yourself and get hands-on with a selection of toys and games available during your visit.
Alongside our Playtime! exhibition, we'll have lots of family fun activities too. We'll also be making regular changes to the displays, so that they'll be something new for you to see!
Giant Games Family Fun!
Date: Saturday 14 and Wednesday 18 to Saturday 21 February.
12pm to 4.30pm (last entry 4pm).
Suitable for ages 5+. All children should be accompanied by an adult.
Have fun with Giant Games including skittles, hoop-la, and Connect Four as part of our Playtime! exhibition of old toys and games.
Free, drop-in, no need to book.
Look out for another family session Historic Lotions and Potions at Guildford House Gallery.
Kolourful Kaleidoscopes Family Fun!
Date: Thursday 19 February.
12pm to 2pm.
Suitable for ages 6+. All children should be accompanied by an adult.
Join the fun to make a multi-coloured kaleidoscope in our family craft activity. You'll also be able to visit our Playtime! exhibition full of old toys and games, as well as some newer ones to play with!
Free, drop-in, no need to book.
Look out for another family session Historic Lotions and Potions at Guildford House Gallery.
Family Fun! Wheels of Time
Date: Ongoing
Join Roamin' Rex as he travels through time (and around Surrey)! Collect a badge from each participating museum, including ours. For more details, visit Surrey wheels of time. (opens new window)
The Longworth Discovery Lounge
Date: second Friday of the month from 12pm until 4pm (last entry 3.30pm)
Our Discovery Lounge is the place for history enthusiasts to explore our local history resources. We have books, maps, records, and digital files to use for research and history enquiries. A digital compendium, Guildford Inhabitants, is available to search and provides a snapshot of town centre inhabitants from the 1800s to present day. The compendium has been compiled by a local historian using census returns, trade directories, electoral registers, and newspapers. Our knowledgeable volunteers, coordinated by the Friends of Guildford Museum, are on hand to help with your queries.
The Longworth Discovery Lounge is a partnership between the Friends of Guildford Museum and Guildford Museum.
Named in memory of Andrew Longworth, former employee of Guildford Museum.
Soldiers of Surrey: A display from the Surrey Infantry Collection
Dates: available during opening hours
Free entry
June 6, 2024, is the 80th anniversary of the Normandy landings. It was the largest seaborne invasion in history. Surrey Infantry Collection display D-Day +80 commemorates this anniversary of the Normandy landings. Explore the role of Surrey men in the Allied D-Day landings through personal artifacts and technical objects.
Image courtesy of the Surrey Infantry Collection.
On the Trail of Guildford's History
Be a history detective! Search Guildford Museum, Quarry Street and Guildford Castle Grounds to find clues which tell us about the past.
Download the trail. (PDF, 1 MB) or pick up a copy from Guildford Museum.