Opening Hours

Changes to Opening Days from April 2024

April to October

Tuesday and Thursday – Saturday 10:00am – 5:00pm and Sundays & Bank Holidays 2:00pm – 5:00pm.

Wednesdays are now reserved for pre-booked group visits by schools and other parties

From November-February we close earlier at 4.30pm during these winter months.

Closed Mondays

Please pay by cash or card at our welcome desk on arrival at the museum.

Free or discounted entry is also available to holders of the following memberships or passes:

• Saffron Walden Museum Society (free entry)
• Museums Association (free entry)
• The Essex Pass (2 for 1 entry)
• National Art Pass (free entry)
• Young Archaeologists’ Club (free entry)

Museum Website Address —  saffronwaldenmuseum.org

Map and directions

Please note that car parking at the Museum is very limited and intended principally for people with disabilities, staff and those on museum business. Public car parking is available at Pay and Display bays on-street and in the main car parks, further details can be seen on the Uttlesford Council website which lists the car parks, their charges, and offers a map that you can download.

The address of the museum is Saffron Walden Museum, Museum Street, Saffron Walden, CB10 1BN.

For Car Parking information click here

View Larger Map

Get directions to the museum

For tourist information click here

The Museum is very dependent upon volunteers to continue its daily work and to be open to the public.

We need new recruits to our teams of Desk Volunteers and Learning & Activity Volunteers. If you are already a volunteer, or are unable to – you might just know or meet someone who could be interested. So here are at-a-glance descriptions of the volunteering roles, and the staff to contact for more information or an informal chat.

Desk Volunteers

Our dedicated team of desk volunteers work a shift of between 2 and 3 hours on a regular basis, Tuesday-Friday and Sunday and Bank Holiday afternoons. Main duties are to welcome visitors, sell admission tickets and souvenirs, answer the telephone and relay enquiries to the appropriate member of staff.

Contact : Wendy-Jo Atter,

Museum Admin Officer, 01799 510644.

Email: WAtter@uttlesford.gov.uk

Learning Activity Volunteers

For those who like working with families and children, an opportunity to help with preparing and running our popular holiday and half-term activities. Because this role involves direct contact with children, a DBS check (formerly known as a CRB check) is essential; this is arranged and paid for by Uttlesford District Council. This role would particularly suit anyone with experience of teaching and helping out at schools or running clubs and activities with young people.

Contact : Jenny Oxley, Acting Curator,

01799 510640. Email: joxley@uttlesford.gov.uk

National Lottery Heritage Fund grant to boost museum’s plans for future.

Saffron Walden Museum is delighted to have been awarded a grant of £51,200 by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, under its ‘Resilient Heritage’ programme. The museum has used the grant to undertake studies and commission work to determine the best way of improving the museum, and to attract more people to the site, which it shares with the ruins of Walden Castle.

The museum, which serves the whole of Uttlesford district, is housed in its original purpose-built building, opened in 1835. While it is wonderful to work in such an historic Museum, with fantastic collections, there are many challenges in such an old building, and also opportunities to explore with the National Lottery funding. We need to make some major changes and attract more visitors. The Heritage Fund grant is a terrific boost and means we can start planning significant developments with the expert help we will need.

Saffron Walden Museum Society Ltd, which is a charity, is a partner in the project and contributed £10,000 as matching funding. Museum Society President, Tony Watson, said: “This demonstrates the strong partnership between the council and museum society in providing the museum. We are very grateful to the National Lottery and can now look forward to planning the museum’s long-term future and financial resilience.”

NOTES About The National Lottery Heritage Fund

Using money raised by the National Lottery, we Inspire, lead and resource the UK’s heritage to create positive and lasting change for people and communities, now and in the future. www.heritagefund.org.uk Follow @HeritageFundUK on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and use #NationalLotteryHeritageFund

For more details on this media release please contact Jenny Oxley, Acting Curator, Saffron Walden Museum, joxley@uttlesford.gov.uk or ring 01799 510333