British Schools Museum, Hitchin: Hours, Address, British Schools Museum Reviews: 4.5/5
British Schools Museum
British Schools Museum
4.5
About
A museum of the history of education set in a complex of historic classrooms and schools buildings. With four historic classrooms, the delightful Headmaster's House, displays, exhibitions, cafe and shop, this really is the place where learning comes to life. Please check website before visiting for up to date visiting times and special events.
Suggested duration
2-3 hours
Suggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listingFull view
Top ways to experience nearby attractions
The area
Address
Best nearby
We rank these restaurants and attractions by balancing reviews from our members with how close they are to this location.
Restaurants
172 within 5 kms
Pitcher & Piano
1,279
0.3 km££ - £££ • Bar • British • Vegetarian Friendly
Chilli B's
499
0.3 km££ - £££ • Cafe • British • Vegetarian Friendly
Los Reyes
676
0.3 km££ - £££ • Mediterranean • European • Spanish
Bar Azita Hitchin
434
0.3 km££ - £££ • Mediterranean • European • Spanish
Lussmanns - Hitchin
583
0.3 km££ - £££ • Seafood • British • Grill
Deroka Mediterranean Restaurant & Steakhouse
537
0.3 km££ - £££ • Mediterranean • Vegetarian Friendly • Vegan Options
Taste Buds
204
0.5 km££ - £££ • Cafe • British • Vegetarian Friendly
Rose Buds Hitchin
234
0.4 km£ • Cafe • British • Vegetarian Friendly
Kite at The Red Hart
265
0.3 km££ - £££ • Bar • British • Contemporary
The Groundworks
520
0.3 km££ - £££ • Cafe • British • Contemporary
Attractions
53 within 10 kms
Windmill Hill Park
2
0.2 kmParks
Market Theatre
41
0.3 kmTheatres
Arkley Fine Art
3
0.5 kmArt Galleries
North Hertfordshire Museum
21
0.5 kmHistory Museums
Hitchin Swimming Centre
98
1 kmSports Complexes
Queen Mother Theatre
12
1 kmTheatres
Hitchin Lavender
812
2.5 kmGardens
The Factory Playhouse Theatre
39
2.4 kmTheatres
Partyman World Of Play
354
Playgrounds
Fairlands Valley Park
305
Bodies of Water • Parks
Contribute
Popular mentions
4.5
146 reviews
Excellent
106
Very good
35
Average
4
Poor
0
Terrible
1
therichastill
Stevenage, UK1,746 contributions
Apr 2022
The British Schools Museum is located in the centre of Hitchin. It is just a short walk from the Market and St Mary's Church.
I visited on a Saturday and at the time of writing it is open on Fridays and Saturdays. You walk into the school playground and go into the main building where I was greeted by a lady who sorted out my admission.
I was offered a guided tour but I prefer to explore at my own pace so declined the offer.
There are classrooms to visit as well as the Headmaster's house to get an insight into what the place was like years ago.
They have QR codes that can be scanned for more information however I did not have that facility on my phone however in some of the rooms they have a screen so you can find out more about people rather than having to scan the codes.
I would imagine it's very interesting for children to see what schools were like compared to their current school life.
They have a small cafe and gift shop as well. Worth checking out if you want to know more about what life was like in previous centuries.
I visited on a Saturday and at the time of writing it is open on Fridays and Saturdays. You walk into the school playground and go into the main building where I was greeted by a lady who sorted out my admission.
I was offered a guided tour but I prefer to explore at my own pace so declined the offer.
There are classrooms to visit as well as the Headmaster's house to get an insight into what the place was like years ago.
They have QR codes that can be scanned for more information however I did not have that facility on my phone however in some of the rooms they have a screen so you can find out more about people rather than having to scan the codes.
I would imagine it's very interesting for children to see what schools were like compared to their current school life.
They have a small cafe and gift shop as well. Worth checking out if you want to know more about what life was like in previous centuries.
Written 17 April 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Sarah Marks
Leigh-on Sea, UK8 contributions
Mar 2022 • Friends
Visited the museum to do research for a degree in Childhood Studies. Amazing place. Staff are incredibly knowledgeable. Spent about 4/5 hours exploring with staff going above and beyond with information. Huge thanks to Max who went above and beyond to help us gather all the information we needed.
Written 28 March 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Rebecca B
Winchester, UK32 contributions
Oct 2021 • Friends
Great history and buildings but lacks interaction. Aimed at children especially during Halloween special. Smaller than inspected. Could be improved with live lessons in the classrooms
Written 30 October 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Brazilianinlondon
London, UK48 contributions
Aug 2021 • Family
This is seriously amazing. Super interesting place with great explanations and knowledgeable and lovely people. Highly recommend even if you need to drive all the way from London!
Written 21 August 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
kchalks
Rustington, UK30 contributions
Jul 2021
We visited here on a Saturday afternoon, we were pleasantly surprised with the visit. There is the headmasters house to look around and then the old school building. It was an interesting visit and took us about 45 minutes to wander around. It is well resourced and we would recommend a wander! There are a number of craft activities for those visiting with children!
Written 11 July 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Hmell
Buckinghamshire, UK29 contributions
Oct 2020
Really interesting for adults and children. The other reviews in Oct 2020 say it all, definitely worth a visit. Could do it in an hour, but 2 hours to take it all in.
Written 2 November 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Ian R
Peterborough, UK7 contributions
Oct 2020
The British Schools Museum is one of those places where you think "I wish I'd known about this before". We saw an item about the museum in the local news and thought why not, it'll be somewhere to go. But it is far more than this, it really is totally fascinating to see not only the headmasters house but also to see the evolution of modern teaching, and the impact one man has had. The school itself is amazing, the monitorial classroon the only one left in the world, and for anyone over the age of 40-50 the Edwardian classrooms will likely bring back memories. What makes the museum even more interesting is the enthusiasm and knowledge of the volunteer guides. For those with imagination and an interest in social history, this is a must go museum.
Written 18 October 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Toni M
3 contributions
Oct 2020 • Family
I visited this small museum today with my 5 and 8 year old. You feel Covid safe and follow a route around the head masters house, then old school rooms and play ground. There is a great team of volunteers who make you feel incredibly welcome and introduce you to the areas which have been reconstructed with huge attention to detail. The children loved the school rooms and house and were allowed to engage with the spaces. The volunteers have lots of time for you and are happy to answer all your questions. There is lots to see and no pressure to rush. If you bring you smart phone with you the kids can also listen to some of the pupils of the school telling their stories. A great place for young and old if you have 1-2 hours spare in Hitchin.
Written 17 October 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
klocky2014
Cambridge, UK20 contributions
Sep 2020 • Family
Website not clear about accessibility just says ring for accessibility policy. Phone not answered, calls not returned when messages left.
On arrival we went along to entrance of museum, there was a male who welcomed us. He called 'Mark' who would apparently take us up to the classrooms and show us the access etc, a man came down, pointed up the steps and disappeared into a doorway.
We went up the slope/steps/ramps to the classrooms. We entered via the monitorial classroom first. It was a large room with a video running showing the workings of the classroom. It was totally impossible to hear this as there was someone sweeping the floor and constantly moving chairs and tables around unnecessarily. Even when we moved through to the other classrooms the banging continued. WW1 classroom was partially accessible but the WW2 one is not. No activities to do anywhere.
We headed down to the playground. We then went to a door which said Entrance, initially we were told not to go that way, then saw my scooter so then said OK. We were then sent through the middle of a large room, which had bags of stuff everywhere, also in the room were a group of volunteers having a meeting so they all had to get up and move out the way. They had to do the same on our way out.
On the map it showed the toilet there, so followed that and it was just a storage area.
There was a disabled toilet on the playground. The toilet was in a very strange position, if like me you can't bend your legs to a 90 degrees then you have to sit at an angle. The floor of the toilet had soap and water on the floor also.
Head teacher room was not accessible. There had been talk about a dvd when we first went in but that's where it stopped!!!
We were there no more than 50 minutes.
To charge full price for disabled and carers is extortionate as there's so much thats not acceptable
Such a disappointment, for somewhere that could have such a lot to offer
On arrival we went along to entrance of museum, there was a male who welcomed us. He called 'Mark' who would apparently take us up to the classrooms and show us the access etc, a man came down, pointed up the steps and disappeared into a doorway.
We went up the slope/steps/ramps to the classrooms. We entered via the monitorial classroom first. It was a large room with a video running showing the workings of the classroom. It was totally impossible to hear this as there was someone sweeping the floor and constantly moving chairs and tables around unnecessarily. Even when we moved through to the other classrooms the banging continued. WW1 classroom was partially accessible but the WW2 one is not. No activities to do anywhere.
We headed down to the playground. We then went to a door which said Entrance, initially we were told not to go that way, then saw my scooter so then said OK. We were then sent through the middle of a large room, which had bags of stuff everywhere, also in the room were a group of volunteers having a meeting so they all had to get up and move out the way. They had to do the same on our way out.
On the map it showed the toilet there, so followed that and it was just a storage area.
There was a disabled toilet on the playground. The toilet was in a very strange position, if like me you can't bend your legs to a 90 degrees then you have to sit at an angle. The floor of the toilet had soap and water on the floor also.
Head teacher room was not accessible. There had been talk about a dvd when we first went in but that's where it stopped!!!
We were there no more than 50 minutes.
To charge full price for disabled and carers is extortionate as there's so much thats not acceptable
Such a disappointment, for somewhere that could have such a lot to offer
Written 4 September 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
libero7
London571 contributions
Sep 2020 • Family
Great to see old Victorian buildings including the headmasters house and interesting to see the classrooms. Lesson was very different, ‘teacher’ very enthusiastic and the kids enjoyed it. Whole thing doesn’t last that long but it’s a really fun experience in the lovely town of Hitchin.
Written 4 September 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Linda C
Hatfield, UK2 contributions
when is the museum open
Bazwell1924
Hitchin, UK3 contributions
We are usually open from the February Half-Term week to the end of November at the following times:
Fridays from 10am to 4pm
Saturdays from 10am to 1pm
Sundays from 2pm to 5pm
There are also extended opening times and lots of family activities in the summer and in school holidays. Please check the Museum's website before visiting or call 01462-420144
Linda C
Hatfield, UK2 contributions
opening hours
Bazwell1924
Hitchin, UK3 contributions
We are usually open from the February Half-Term week to the end of November at the following times:
Fridays from 10am to 4pm
Saturdays from 10am to 1pm
Sundays from 2pm to 5pm
There are also extended opening times and lots of family activities in the summer and in school holidays. Please check the Museum's website before visiting or call 01462-420144
Frequently Asked Questions about British Schools Museum
- British Schools Museum is open:
- Sun - Sun 14:00 - 17:00
- Fri - Sat 10:00 - 16:00
- Hotels near British Schools Museum:
- (0.13 km) Lord Lister Hotel
- (0.23 km) The Sun Hotel
- (0.38 km) Premier Inn Hitchin Town Centre hotel
- (0.24 km) La Bella Vita
- (0.30 km) Hitchin Priory
- Restaurants near British Schools Museum:
- (0.15 km) Bridge Street Bistro
- (0.11 km) The Half Moon
- (0.16 km) Murphys
- (0.27 km) Lussmanns - Hitchin
- (0.23 km) Sun Hotel Restaurant and Bar