Journey through the lives of Suffolk’s ancestors and learn about extinct civilizations as you tour the Ipswich Museum. Find family-friendly exhibits of artifacts that date back to the Iron Age, Ancient Egypt, the Roman Empire and Saxon times. Ipswich Museum opened in 1846 with a mission to teach the townspeople about natural history. In 1881 it moved to its present location, a purpose-built Victorian building.
Study a vast collection of wildlife from around the world displayed in Victorian cabinets. Major highlights are a giraffe, a lion and a rhinoceros. Standing alongside the animals are examples of hunting trophies. There’s also a diorama made in 1906 that presents an overview of African wildlife.
Look up at the life-size woolly mammoth in the Suffolk Wildlife Gallery. Here you’ll discover what life was like in Britain during the Ice Age and see typical animals of the time, such as the bear, boar and wolf. Bird enthusiasts will particularly enjoy the Ogilvie British Bird Gallery. It honors ornithologist Fergus Menteith Ogilvie and features taxidermy displays of various types of British birds.
Another interesting exhibit is dedicated to geology and has objects dating back 70 million years. See the teeth of the extinct Megalodon shark in addition to marine life from the Pliocene and Pleistocene periods. Get an overview of Ancient Egypt via a pharaoh’s burial casket, ceramics and jewelry pieces. See replicas of a Saxon workshop and burial chamber and a Roman kitchen.
The museum is at the northern edge of Ipswich’s town center. Get here on foot easily from other major city attractions, including the Ancient House and Christchurch Mansion. Parking is possible, for a fee, at nearby Claude Street. Adjoining the museum is Ipswich Art Gallery, where you can browse rotating exhibitions by local artists.
Ipswich Museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday and admission is free. Visit the museum’s official website for information about traveling exhibitions and special events such as children’s workshops.
