Tucked down the side streets of Eton, nestled amongst the college buildings, you will find the Eton College Natural History Museum.
This museum is only open to the public on a Sunday afternoon from 2.30-5pm and it is free to visit. We visited on Sunday afternoon in January and it was a great way to spend a cold winter afternoon.
The Museum’s Collections
Set over two floors the Natural History Museum at Eton College is packed full of curiosities. Its collections include examples of wildlife local to Berkshire, a British Bird collection and an extensive range of fossils.
There is even a section dedicated to the famous British fossil hunter Mary Anning complete with part of a fossilized Ichthyosaur.
There is so much to explore in the museum, from the pull-out draws filled with butterfly specimens to the vast collection of bird eggs, there are over 1,400 of them in the museum’s collection!
Child Friendly Activities
On arrival at the museum, we were offered some trail sheets by a member of staff. My seven-year-old loved the challenge of tracking down a range of different birds around the museum. It definitely helped him to focus and look carefully at the different cases and specimens.
There were a number of different trails available, including a dinosaur trail (this is looking for toy dinos around the museum) so you could try a different one on each visit.
We also loved the crafts that were provided. We visited during January where the museum staff had set out winter themed crafts. My son made a snowflake to take home which he really enjoyed. There are different crafts available each week in January so something new to try each time you visit.
The staff were very friendly and answered any questions we had as we walked around. One staff member even pulled out a draw below the Mary Anning collection to share some books about her life with us. There are interesting things hidden everywhere in this museum!
Practicalities
We arrived with our buggy which we stowed near the entrance to the museum. The museum is over two levels with the top level being accessed by stairs, so we needed to carry our little one around for that part.
Our toddler was interested in looking at some of the animals on display, but this museum is ideal for slightly older children. There were lots of primary age children running around having a fantastic time! With my big kid our visit took just over an hour in total.
After your visit to the museum there are lots of lovely cafes and restaurants available in Eton along the High Street. You could also pop across the bridge to Windsor where there are lots of food options available.igh StreetSt
Eton College Natural History Museum Directions
We parked in Windsor and walked over the bridge to access the museum which took around 15 minutes. There are several car parks in Eton near the museum, the Meadow Lane Car Park would be one of the closest options.
If you are coming by public transport, then the museum is easily walkable from both Windsor and Eton Riverside and Windsor and Eton Central Train Stations.
We would definitely recommend a visit to Eton College Natural History Museum. There was lots to explore and it’s a must visit if your kids love fossils and the natural world.
Overall, this is a great free afternoon of fun to be had in Berkshire!
