60 years of the Cromwell Museum

Look out for the re-enactors in Huntingdon as part of the celebrations

The Cromwell Museum celebrates 60 years of being open to the public with a series of events to entertain the family this month.

The Huntingdon Museum, which tells the story of local resident Oliver Cromwell ‘warts and all’, was first opened to the public on 19 October 1962.

Situated in the heart of Huntingdon the Cromwell Museum holds the best collection of objects relating to the life and times of Oliver Cromwell on public display in the world, housed in the former Grammar School where he went to school.

The Museum was first opened 60 years ago, and since then has gathered more than 1,000 artefacts relating to the tumultuous times in which Cromwell lived and has attracted over 575,000 visitors.

To celebrate during October the Museum has a small display to tell its story, and on Saturday (October 22) members of the Sealed Knot Re-enactment Society will be around the Museum and Town Square from 11am - 4pm to chat to visitors about Cromwell’s life and times.

During half term week the Museum has other activities for all the family, with free Cromwell crafts between 1pm and 3pm on Tuesday (25th) and Thursday (27th), with the chance to make hand puppets with a Cromwellian or Halloween theme.

On the evening of Wednesday, October 26, there’s also a chance to explore the historic 18th century courtrooms across the road from the Cromwell Museum by candlelight, in atmospheric guided tours with the museum’s curator. There visitors can hear about the trials that have taken place over the last 400 years, including those of alleged witches

and gruesome murders.

1958 Cromwell exhibition (Credit Cambridgeshire Archives)

Stuart Orme, Curator of the Cromwell Museum says: “The Museum is delighted to be celebrating 60 years of welcoming visitors, originally opening in the same week as the Beatles first appeared on TV and the world watched the Cuban Missile Crisis in apprehension. We’ve a small display explaining how we’ve changed over the last 60 years and events to entertain all the family over the coming month.”

The display on the Museum’s story can be seen throughout October during normal opening hours

The Courtrooms by Candlelight Tours are at 6pm, 7pm and 8pm. Tickets are £5 for adults, £4 children and can be pre-booked via the Museum’s website at www.cromwellmuseum.org .