Museums

Visit our history galleries to discover the unique story of Northampton from its origins as an important medieval town to a centre of high-end bespoke manufacture today. The History Galleries are housed on the second floor of the museum and display the archaeology and history of Northampton and the wider county from prehistoric times up until the present day. Come and find out about our town and the people who have created it.

Themes

The gallery tells the story of Northampton from the Great Fire of Northampton and the rebuilding of the town, as well as identifying key trades and businesses. These include shoemaking, lacemaking and brewing. As the gallery moves through time, the displays illustrate that as transport links developed in the town, trades and engineering increased. The story continues with objects relating to modern day manufacture, revealing that still today, the idea of creating high-end, bespoke items has never ceased within Northampton.

View key objects from the gallery

There will be associated activities and events. For more information view our events programme.

We want to be open and accessible to all visitors to ensure the widest number of people can enjoy our buildings, collections, exhibitions and events.

Accessing the galleries