The Bridewell, Norwich

Bridewell Alley
Norwich
Norfolk
NR2 1AQ
England

Website

www.museums.norfolk.gov.uk/

E-mail

museums@norfolk.gov.uk

Telephone

Shop & Tickets

01603 629127

Museum Curator

01603 614018

Museum Admin

01603 493625

Fax

01603 498662

All information is supplied by the venues or providers themselves and every effort is made to ensure it is correct. Please remember to double check opening hours with the venue concerned before making a special visit.
Exterior of the Bridewell
baby changing facilities icon Shop icon Library icon Study area icon Hearing disability facilities icon Visual disability facilities icon

The Bridewell started life as a rich merchant's house in 1325. It became a prison for women and beggars (a ‘Bridewell’) in 1585 and in the mid 18th century became a conventional prison. From 1828 it earned its keep as a factory and warehouse for tobacco, leather, boots and shoes. It became a museum in 1925 and now houses a wonderful collection of historic objects and machinery revealing how Norwich people earned their living.

Venue Type:

Historic house or home

 Opening hours

Closed for redevelopment until summer 2011.

 Admission charges

Discounts

  • Museums Association
 General services and facilities
  • Brochure or leaflet available with directions to museum
  • Information point provided
  • Pre-booking service for groups
  • Shop
 Children and families
  • Activities for pre-school children
  • Events and resources for children and families
  • Baby changing facilities
  • Children's play area
  • Indoor soft play area
 Disability access
  • Events/teaching/resources for people with disabilities
  • Large print information and/or interpretation
  • Sign language interpretation available
  • Touch exhibits
 Schools services and facilities
  • Direct teaching services for schools
  • Member of staff available with responsibility for education
  • Primary school education service available
  • Printed/audio-visual information available for schools
  • Secondary school education service available
  • Education facilities available
  • Reception and lunch facilities for educational groups
 Research and adult learning
  • Academic publications and resources available
  • Adult lectures and courses held
  • Loan service
  • Teaching/resources available for HE/FE students
  • Library
  • Research facilities for academics
  • Study facilities
 Commercial and hire services
  • Meeting room available

Additional info

The Bridewell is a Grade I listed building and presents many obstacles for those with mobility problems. The building is inaccessible to wheelchair users and has many steps. However, work is currently underway to improve access to all.
The Curator is happy to arrange talks/collections access off site for those unable to visit the museum.
Assistance dogs are welcome and there are many handling collections available for all.
There is an induction loop at the entrance and portable loops for other areas.
Those with concerns should call our shop on 01603 629127 for friendly advice.
The Undercroft is currently inacessible - a photopack is available to view.
Our library is open by appointment only.

Bridewell Alley
Norwich
Norfolk
NR2 1AQ
England

Website

www.museums.norfolk.gov.uk/

E-mail

museums@norfolk.gov.uk

Telephone

Shop & Tickets

01603 629127

Museum Curator

01603 614018

Museum Admin

01603 493625

Fax

01603 498662

All information is supplied by the venues or providers themselves and every effort is made to ensure it is correct. Please remember to double check opening hours with the venue concerned before making a special visit.

The Bridewell is packed full of collections, telling the story of Norwich's rich history and it's people. Highlights include an original Jacquard loom, Norwich shawls, shoes, the first wire netting machine, Shand Mason fire engine, printing presses, chemist shop, recreated pawnbrokers shop and Norwich City Football Club display. The collection is housed in a fascinating building, with the finest flint wall in Britain and largest medieval undercroft in Norwich.

Collection details

Architecture, Archives, Aviation, Costume and Textiles, Design, Fine Art, Industry, Land Transport, Law and Order, Medicine, Photography, Science and Technology, Social History, Sport, Toys and Hobbies, Trade and Commerce, Weapons and War

Key artists and exhibits

  • Norwich, textile industry, Norwich shawls, shoes, Norwich industries, shoe industry, brewing, printing,iron founding, flint wall, medieval undercroft,clocks,

Collections services

  • Object identification and/or written enquiry service
  • Public access available to collections information
  • Specialist publications on collections available
  • Object study facilities available (enquire in advance)

Bridewell Alley
Norwich
Norfolk
NR2 1AQ
England

Website

www.museums.norfolk.gov.uk/

E-mail

museums@norfolk.gov.uk

Telephone

Shop & Tickets

01603 629127

Museum Curator

01603 614018

Museum Admin

01603 493625

Fax

01603 498662

All information is supplied by the venues or providers themselves and every effort is made to ensure it is correct. Please remember to double check opening hours with the venue concerned before making a special visit.
Resources listed here may include websites, bookable tours and workshops, books, loan boxes and more. You may need to scroll down or click on headers to see them all.
 Paper-based and downloads

Victorian Norwich

http://www.museums.norfolk.gov.uk/default.asp?Document=500.10.40.30

Five downloadable files on Victorian Norwich. Three for use in the classroom and two for use in the Bridewell Museum.

Creator

  • Norfolk Museums and Archaeology Service

Publisher

  • Norfolk Museums and Archaeology Service

Bridewell Alley
Norwich
Norfolk
NR2 1AQ
England

Website

www.museums.norfolk.gov.uk/

E-mail

museums@norfolk.gov.uk

Telephone

Shop & Tickets

01603 629127

Museum Curator

01603 614018

Museum Admin

01603 493625

Fax

01603 498662

All information is supplied by the venues or providers themselves and every effort is made to ensure it is correct. Please remember to double check opening hours with the venue concerned before making a special visit.
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