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Opening Times

Mon Closed
Tue 10.30am - 5pm
Wed 10.30am - 5pm
Thur 10.30am - 5pm
Fri 10.30am - 5pm
Sat 10.30am - 5pm
Sun 12:00pm - 5pm

Open Bank Holiday Mondays

Closed December 24, 25 & 26

We suggest you allow at least 1.5 hours for your visit.

Admission Charges

Free to all

Facilities

  • Free parking for cars and coaches
  • Light refreshments available
  • Gift Shop
  • Limited access for disabled users
  • Visitors with guide dogs welcome
  • Family events and activities
  • Baby changing facilities

Enjoy England.com Quality Assured Visitor Attraction

Contact the museum

Museum of Lancashire
Stanley Street, Preston, PR1 4YP.
Tel: (+44) 01772 534075
Fax: (+44) 01772 534079

Our venues

Museum of Lancashire

Love Lancashire!

MOL exterior MOL Small Visitor Attraction Award

On the outskirts of Preston's bustling city centre the Museum of Lancashire is your perfect introduction to all things Lancashire!

From entertainers and seaside holidays, to archaeology and industry, wildlife and the war years, our range of family friendly displays and activities means that there really is something for everyone. Uncover fabulous stories and the hidden histories of local Lancashire folk past and present as well as celebrating some of the more well known characters from Lancashire's past.  
Housed in the former Quarter Sessions House, one of Preston's oldest buildings, the Museum of Lancashire is your gateway to more than 2000 years of Lancashire's history.  
 
Enjoy a relaxing lunch in our Gateway café or browse the gifts in our shop.
 
Admission is guaranteed to stay free for the next few years, so come along and start your journey!
 
If we've inspired you to explore Lancashire's heritage further then why not combine your visit with one of the other many attractions on our doorstep.  
 

Best Small Visitor Attraction of the Year 2012/13

As a testament to the two year £1.7 million redevelopment project carried out during 2010/11, we were awarded "Best Small Visitor Attraction of the Year" at the prestigious Marketing Lancashire Tourism Awards in September 2012 . We thank everyone who has supported us and helped us to achieve this.
 

News

 
Events and Activities
Visit our Events and Activities page to find out what's coming up at the museum.  
 
Preston People Panorama  

An unique exhibition which has captured 80 groups from across Preston in panoramic photographs, marking the fabulous sense of community during Preston's Guild year. Photography by Jan Chlebik in a project co-ordinated by Dovetail, Manchester. Use the link below to download the exhibition flyer.
Exhibition runs until 19 May 2013.

Planning your visit

Access

We make every effort to enable access to the museum, however as the museum is a historic building we regret that some visitors may not be able to experience the whole museum. 

- The ground floor of the museum is fully accessible.

- There is a platform lift to first floor, please note this is not suitable for use by large motorised scooters.

- There are chair lifts on the staircases to the upper floor.

- We welcome assistance dogs.

If you have any questions about access to the site please contact us for details, we'll be happy to help.

Explore the museum

MOL Victorian schoolroom

Events and Activities

Events and activities for all ages.

Mobile Museum

Community Outreach

Find out how you can get involved in the museum.

Youth Voice

Youth Voice

If you're aged between 16-21 and interested in museums, history and meeting new people then click here.

Groups

Group Visits

Information for group organisers

MOL Iguanodon

Family Friendly Galleries

Explore our interactive galleries.

Friends of the Museum of Lancashire

Become a Friend of the Museum

Support the museum by becoming a Friend.

Play Gallery MOL

Collections

Discover some of the objects on display.

MOL Law and Order

Activities for schools

A new programme of exciting school sessions is now available.

How to Find Us

Directions:

Using the M6
Exit the M6 at Junction 31 and follow the signs to Preston City Centre up the hill (A59). Continue straight ahead at the small roundabout onto New Hall Lane until you reach a T junction, get into the right hand lane and turn right at the t junction. Stay to the right and you will see the banners for the Museum on your right. Access to our car park is just before the next major junction.
Should you miss this turning onto our car park, turn right at the junction, go straight ahead past the side of the prison and then take the first right onto St Mary's street. This brings you to the back of our car park – the entrance is between the high prison wall and St Mary's church. If entering this way, follow the car park around to the front of the Museum. 
 
Using the M61
Join the M6 at junction 30 and follow M6 instructions.
 
Using the M65
Continue to the end of the motorway (Junction 1) onto the dual carriageway and follow the signs for Preston. After 3 roundabouts you will cross the river onto London Road. 6th set of traffic lights (including pedestrian crossing) will bring you to the junction of Stanley Street A6 and New Hall Lane A59. Keep right, pass over the pedestrian crossing and turn right onto the museum drive. 
OR come off at Junction 2 linking onto the M61 and then the M6 follow the instructions as above.
 
A6 From North
Follow the A6 (Garstang Road/North Road) towards the city centre and bear left onto Ringway and past the Rock FM building. As you drive through the traffic lights near Preston prison you will see the entrance to the museum car park on your left.  
 
 
Public Transport:
 
Rail: To Preston Station. The museum is a 5 minute taxi ride or 20 minute walk. On foot - leave the station and head right, onto the high street which runs through the City Centre (Fishergate, leading onto Church Street). At the end of Church Street are the traffic lights crossing the ringway, with the prison and museum ahead. Cross here and enter the museum car park, walking around the building to the entrance on the right hand side.
 
Bus: The museum is a 10 minute walk from Preston bus station. Leave the station and head onto the high street, bearing left out of town onto Church Street. At the end of Church Street are the traffic lights crossing the ringway, with the prison and museum ahead. Cross here and enter the museum car park, walking around the building to the entrance on the right hand side.
 
 
 

Acknowledgements:

HLF

The Museum would like to thank the following organisations for their generous support of the redevelopment project:

Heritage Lottery Fund
The Friends of the Museum of Lancashire
Bury Fusiliers
The Queen's Lancashire Regiment Museum


The Museum would also like to thank Irene Newton for providing mentoring support through the Business in the Arts North West mentoring scheme.