Welcome to Ilfracombe Museum, the centre of cultural heritage for this beautiful seaside town. Founded in 1932 by the avid collector and explorer Mervyn Palmer, our museum is eccentric and visceral, with birds and mammals adorning the walls, bats in cupboards and butterflies in drawers.

Our vast collection spans centuries and continents. Discover the maritime history of Ilfracombe via our morse code station and send your own messages, make a brass rubbing, follow a trail or dive into the dressing up box! This museum is for families, history buffs and novices. Follow our social media or look on our website for the latest events and exhibitions. We have been Feeding Curiosity Since 1932.

We move to our Autumn opening hours from the 1st September – 31st October 2026, and we’re excited to welcome visitors from Tuesday to Saturday. Our doors open at 10:00 AM and close at 5:00 PM each day (last admission 4.30pm). With a variety of exhibits and activities, there’s always something new to discover. Whether you’re a history enthusiast, a curious traveler, or a local looking for a delightful day out, Ilfracombe Museum offers a treasure trove of experiences.

CLOSED MONDAYS & SUNDAYS

We want to say a huge Thank You to everyone who has visited us, attended workshops and explored one of our trails over the Summer months. We’ve had an incredible season and we are grateful for all of your enthusiasm and support. As we transition into the cooler months at last, we are excited to offer more events to keep you entertained!

LOST COUNTRY HOUSES OF NORTH DEVON

Date: Thursday 5th November 2026

Time: 7pm

Venue: Ilfracombe Museum

Local historian Lisa Chanter tells the story of some of the great houses in the area now consigned to history.

Explore the fascinating histories of these lost treasures as the evening sheds some light on the heritage that shaped the landscape of North Devon.

Tickets: £5 (members £4) refreshments included

TICKETS MUST BE BOOKED IN ADVANCE

Just pop in during opening hours or email info.ilfracombemuseum@gmail.com

THE HISTORY OF CHOCOLATE – talk & taste!

Date: Thursday 12th November 2026

Time: 5.30pm

Venue: Ilfracombe Museum

Join Jeanette Cann, from our very own local Chocolate Emporium, to explore the History of Chocolate and discover how this beloved treat has evolved over centuries.

As part of the experience you will have the opportunity to try a variety of delicious chocolate samples!

Whether you’re a chocolate connoisseur or simply curious, this event promises to be a tasty and informative evening.

Tickets: £6.50 each and includes chocolate samples

Products will also be available for purchase

TICKETS MUST BE BOOKED IN ADVANCE

Just pop in during opening hours or email info.ilfracombemuseum@gmail.com

THE ILFRACOMBE POOR HOUSE

Date: Thursday 19th November 2026

Time: 7pm

Venue: Ilfracombe Museum

Gudrun Limbrick will be joining us to explore the history and stories of The Ilfracombe Poor House.

This fascinating presentation will delve into the lives of those who once inhabited the Poor House, exploring the social and economic conditions of the time.

Join us for an enlightening evening of historical insights that are sure to enrich your appreciation of Ilfracombe’s heritage.

Tickets £5 (members £4) refreshments included

TICKETS MUST BE BOOKED IN ADVANCE

Just pop in during opening hours or email info.ilfracombemuseum@gmail.com

ILFRACOMBE AT THE EDGES OF MODERNITY:

Turner, the Pavilion & Verity

Date: Thursday 26th November 2026

Time: 7pm

Venue: Ilfracombe Museum

Drawing on museum and exhibition history, local art historian and Ilfracombe Museum Volunteer Laura Elliott will explore how Turner, the Pavilion and Verity reveal Ilfracombe’s place within wider national and international histories.

From Turner’s sketches and engravings, through the rise of Victorian seaside tourism, to the global circulation of images in the digital age, Ilfracombe has repeatedly found itself at the crossroads of changing ways of seeing and experiencing the world.

Inspired by Ilfracombe’s Town of Culture bid, this illustrated talk invites audiences to look afresh at a place many of us think we already know. Through Turner, the Pavilion and Verity, it explores how Ilfracombe’s familiar landscape reveals unexpected connections to wider histories of art, tourism and modernity, inviting us to see one of Britain’s best-loved seaside towns in a new light.

Tickets: £5 (members £4) refreshments included

TICKETS MUST BE BOOKED IN ADVANCE

Just pop in during opening hours or email info.ilfracombemuseum@gmail.com

We’re excited to share that we’re working with North Devon Council and Ilfracombe Town Council on plans to relocate the museum to the Old Post Office on the High Street.

Our current lease is coming to an end and, due to increasing flood risk, we’re no longer able to remain in the existing building.

The good news?

This move gives us a huge opportunity to reimagine the museum for the future — with more space for exhibitions, improved storage and the potential for a café, community space, and better accessibility for everyone.

We’re now preparing a National Lottery grant application to help bring this vision to life. It’s a long-term project, but an exciting one.

Let’s build something brilliant together!

In line with other rising costs we have very reluctantly raised the price of our supporters membership

The raise will take effect from Wednesday 1st July 2026 but if your membership needs renewing between July 1st and Dec 31st this year you can still renew at the old rate if you renew before Tuesday 30th June 2026.

The rise will affect all levels of membership with the new prices for our most popular bronze level being: £12 for a concession, £15 for an adult, £23 for a concession couple and £29 for an adult couple, you can revisit as many times as you want and get discounts on our event tickets, still very good value for money!

CLICK HERE to renew your membership now!