Business Details
Discover the South's Working Past at Amberley Museum
Amberley Museum is a unique heritage attraction located in the heart of the South Downs National Park. Our 41-acre site, once a working quarry and limeworks, now houses over 40 exhibit areas showcasing the South's industrial and rural history. Visitors can explore historic transport systems, vintage machinery, and communications displays brought to life by our team of knowledgeable volunteers. The museum offers immersive educational experiences for schools and groups, complemented by craft courses and self-led resources. We provide accessible facilities for all visitors, including free parking and electric vehicle charging.Our venue hire services offer distinctive spaces for corporate events, private celebrations, and creative projects. With regular special events and seasonal activities, we ensure a dynamic visitor experience. Our dedicated volunteers and supporters help preserve and share this important industrial heritage. We welcome feedback to continually improve our services. As a registered charity, we rely on donations and memberships to maintain and develop our collections.
Services
Narrow-gauge railway rides
School visit programs
Venue hire services
Craft courses
Volunteer opportunities
Group visits
Accessibility services
Event hosting
Heritage education
Highlights and features
- We offer free parking with electric vehicle charging facilities
- Our 41-acre site combines industrial heritage with natural landscapes
- We provide hands-on educational experiences for school groups
- Our venue hire spaces offer unique historic backdrops for events
- We maintain extensive collections of working vintage machinery
Services
Narrow-gauge railway rides
Experience our working narrow-gauge railway with regular passenger services operating during museum hours. Our volunteer staff maintain and operate historic locomotives and carriages, providing visitors with an authentic transport experience from the industrial era. The railway forms part of our broader transport collection that includes vintage buses and vehicles.
School visit programs
We offer curriculum-linked educational experiences for schools with hands-on activities and guided tours. Our learning team provides resources for Key Stages 1-4, focusing on industrial heritage, technology, and local history. The programs combine practical experiences with historical context to enhance classroom learning through immersive environments.
Venue hire services
Our unique industrial heritage setting provides distinctive venues for corporate events, private celebrations, and film productions. With multiple historic buildings and 41 acres of grounds, we offer flexible spaces that combine vintage machinery with natural landscapes. Our dedicated events team supports planning and logistics for functions of various sizes and requirements.
Craft courses
We run practical craft courses teaching traditional skills in blacksmithing, woodworking, and other heritage trades. These hands-on sessions are led by experienced practitioners using period-appropriate tools and techniques. The courses cater to different skill levels and provide opportunities to engage directly with our living history collections.
Volunteer opportunities
We offer diverse volunteering roles supporting museum operations, from exhibit maintenance to visitor engagement. Volunteers receive training in heritage conservation, interpretation, and operational skills. Our volunteer program contributes significantly to preserving industrial heritage while providing personal development opportunities through practical experience with historic collections.
Questions
What are the museum's opening hours?
We are open Wednesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 16:30 during the main season (15 February to 2 November), plus Bank Holidays.
How do I reach the museum by public transport?
Amberley Station is on the Arun Valley line with connections to London Victoria, Bognor Regis, and Portsmouth. Check train schedules carefully as not all services stop here.
Can I bring my dog to the museum?
Yes, we are dog-friendly but require dogs to be kept on leads and under control at all times within the museum grounds.
Are there educational resources for school visits?
We provide curriculum-linked resources and guided tours for schools, including self-led activity sheets and structured learning programs for different age groups.
What accessibility features are available?
We offer accessible parking, wheelchair access to key areas, and accessible toilets. Some historic buildings may have limited access due to original construction features.
Can I host events at the museum?
We offer venue hire for corporate events, private parties, and film productions with various historic buildings and spaces available across our 41-acre site.
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Reviews (7)
Matt
Dec 24, 2021
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Fantastic day out! Loved this place.. was so refreshing not having to pay extra for the vintage bus ride or the mini train!
Paul Longden
Oct 26, 2021
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36 acres of amazing and fascinating exhibits and friendly volunteers / staff make this a must see museum. Allow - 1 day to visit. Good facilities: plenty of car parking, a yummy cafe, toilets and a historic train or bus to help you get around the site. Excellent value for money compared with other large / outdoor museums.
David Ware
Oct 25, 2021
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Lovely day out in the autumn sunshine. It was like stepping back in time viewing some of the exhibits. Several were interactive with push buttons to operate. In the absence of any children the adults were busy playing. The staff and volunteers were brought the visit to life with their enthusiasm and knowledge.
Derek Lyons
Sep 20, 2021
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An amazing place with great staff, vintage buses,working train. Barns which have ZORIN's carriages used in James Bond's A VIEW TO A KILL . Nice cafe and bar too. Highly recommended. I was invited as a special guest along with Terence Mountain from OHMSS . This was for a celebration of James Bond and A VIEW TO A KILL.
Valerie ,Graham and Peter really looked after us very well.
Derek
Valerie ,Graham and Peter really looked after us very well.
Derek
John Carey
Sep 13, 2021
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A fantastic working museum. On first look it seems like a couple of hours walking around some buildings etc, it's not, it's bigger and much better than that! It's a whole day off exploring! It has a narrow gauge railway to jump on and off as you please through 3 stations. OK the middle station doesn't offer much but it does have an old waiting room that's been moved from an old station and rebuilt on the platform, it looks like it has been there all along, beautifully restored to its former glory! The site is history of many forms of history, industrial, electrical, communication, transport and
Trevor Weeks
Aug 31, 2021
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Great place, you can certainly spent a long time here. Lots to see and do. Amazing place. Great staff and volunteers who were really helpful and polite.
Lee Murray
Aug 10, 2021
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A friend and I attended Amberley Museum for a classic car show they were holding. We started that day with a very nice breakfast in the restaurant before going around the grounds. The very nice added bonus was being able to also see the museum as we went. On the grounds, there is a Classic bus to take you up to the top of the grounds. This meant that we were able to walk back towards the entrance/exit. The grounds and attractions were well maintained and presented in a great manner. At times you could be forgiven for forgetting what period you were in. Our interactions with the staff were great
