Museums and Galleries in Cumbria
Below is our first listing of museums and galleries in the Lake District and also in the wider county of Cumbria. Some are owned and operated by public bodies; others are private. Some are commercial; some are not. Some focus on fine art; others address the region’s history, including community and industrial history. We trust that this mix of indoor options for your time in this beautiful part of the country will complement the beauty of the outdoor natural surroundings. We’ll add others from time to time as we come across (or realise that we’ve accidentally missed) them.
Lake District Directory
Where to Go and What to Do
Lake District: South and Central
Lake District: North West
Lake District: North and East
The West Cumbrian Coast
Lake District Towns
Cockermouth
Keswick
Themes
Nature in the North
Museums and Galleries in Cumbria
Historic Houses and Castles in Cumbria
The Around-England Blog
Lake District on our blog
Our Lake District Directory contains mostly (but not exclusively) indoor locations as these are less easily seen on a Lake District map than are mountains, rivers and lakes.
No-one has paid to have an attraction listed here. Items are included only because we consider them worth bringing to your attention, although of course we can’t guarantee that everything will interest everyone.
Lake District Directory Front Page
We’re steadily adding more.
About Around-England
SOUTH CUMBRIA & FURNESS
- Abbot Hall, Kendal
- Brewery Arts Centre, Kendal
- Dock Museum, Barrow
- Fairfield Mill, Sedbergh
- Kendal Museum
- Laurel and Hardy Museum. Ulverston
- Lakeland Motor Museum, Backbarrow
- Museum of Lakeland Life & Industry, Kendal
SOUTH/CENTRAL LAKE DISTRICT
- Armitt Museum, Ambleside
- Blackwell, The Arts & Crafts House, Windermere
- Brantwood, Coniston
- Heaton Cooper Studio, Grasmere
- Lake Artists (Summer Exhibition), Grasmere
- National Park Visitor Centre, Brockhole
- Ruskin Museum, Coniston
- Wordsworth Museum, Grasmere
WEST CUMBRIA
- Castlegate House, Cockermouth
- Harbour Gallery, The Beacon, Whitehaven
- Haig Colliery Mining Museum, Whitehaven
- Helena Thompson Museum, Workington
- Millom Heritage Museum
- Maryport Maritime Museum
- Percy House Gallery, Cockermouth
- Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway Museum
- Senhouse Roman Museum, Maryport
NORTHERN LAKES
- Keswick Museum & Art Gallery
- The Keswick Mining Museum
- Pencil Museum, Keswick
- Thornthwaite Galleries, nr Keswick
EDEN VALLEY & NORTH PENNINES
- Beckstones Art Gallery, nr Penrith
- High Cup Winery, nr Dufton
- Nenthead Mines Heritage Centre, Alston
- Penrith and Eden Museum, Penrith
- Railway Heritage Centre, Kirkby Stephen
- Threlkeld Quarry & Mining Museums
CARLISLE & HADRIAN’S WALL
- Birdoswald Roman Fort
- Carlisle Castle
- Solway Aviation Museum, Carlisle Airport
- Tullie House, Carlisle