Introduction

Set in beautiful parkland, the Museum in the Park is a two storey Grade II Listed Mansion, dating from 1674 which tells the story of Stroud and the surrounding district. We endeavour to provide the best quality service to all our visitors. This statement describes all the physical aspects of the Museum, with the aim of allowing you to enjoy your visit to the full.  We look forward to welcoming you soon.

Before Arrival

  • Address: Museum in the Park, Stratford Park, Stratford Road, Stroud, Gloucestershire, GL5 4AF.

  • Telephone: 01453 763394 (answer machine out-of-hours)

  • Website: www.museuminthepark.org.uk

  • National Grid Reference: SO 846 057

  • Reference for Satellite Navigation System (SatNav):
    1:44:58N (51.7495) 2:13:24W (-2.2234)

  • Using what3words: ///amounting.embarks.rebounder

  • Information is available in large print.

  • There is a lift to the upper floor.

  • A modern purpose built single story extension contains the foyer, shop, café, toilets, baby care facilities, exhibition space in Gallery 1 & a shared-use space in Gallery 2.

  • Access to exhibition Galleries 1 & 2 is by means of a ramp 10 metres long and 2.6 metres wide. (Slope is 1 in 38 or 2.6%).

  • There is a walled garden which is fully accessible via a ramp. The main ramp: 72.7m long by 1.47m wide, slope is 1 in 20 or 1.28%. Two smaller ramps 10.37m by 1.44m, slope 1.28% and 5.12m by 1.44 m, slope 1.28%. All paths are flat and even apart from a hoggin path which leads to the upper terrace. The hoggin path is 14.18m by 1.42 m and 48.6m by 1.44m. There is a fully accessible Learning Pavilion within the garden.

  • The museum is signposted at key local junctions by brown signs.

  • We are a 10-minute walk from the Bus Station and 20 minutes from Stroud Railway Station.

  • Museum is ¾ mile from National Cycle route 45.

  • Bus services: The following all stop at Tesco, Stratford Road – a 5-minute walk through the park to the museum:

    o   Stagecoach Number 63 Forest Green & Stroud to Gloucester

    o   Stagecoach Number 67 Bussage to Cashes Green

    o   Stagecoach Number 61 Bussage & Stroud to Stonehouse & Dursley

    o   Pulham’s Number 230 Stroud to Randwick and Ruscombe (Tuesday only) 

    o   From the Beeches Green stop on the A46 (only 3 mins extra): Stagecoach Number 66 Cheltenham to Stonehouse

  Arrival & Car Parking Facilities

  • There is a free car and coach park, shared with the leisure centre and South Gloucestershire & Stroud College (SGS), about 400 metres from the Museum.

  • The museum is signposted from the car park.

  • The museum is a 5-minute walk from the car park through Stratford Park along a wide tarmac surface. The route is slightly downhill.

  • Holders of Disabled Badges can gain vehicle access through the barrier at top left corner of the car park. There is an intercom on the driver’s side of the barrier, which connects to the leisure centre. Request access to the museum. By following the road down behind the leisure centre they arrive in front of the museum, where there is free disabled parking available for 2 vehicles.

  • There is also a drop-off point via this route for those non-Disabled Badge holders who have difficulty walking from the main car park.

  • We have one manual wheelchair for use in the museum, which is available from reception. This should be booked in advance when possible.

 Main Entrance & Reception

  • The main entrance is approached over a flagstone courtyard.

  • Approaching the doors, there is first rubber matting, then textile matting.

  • The main entrance doors are automatic sliding doors (1.2 metres wide).

  • Immediately on entering there is door matting flush with floor, beyond which is the carpeted foyer.

  • There are no steps to negotiate.

  • There is a Hearing Loop at the reception desk and also in Gallery 2 and the Pavilion.

  • The reception desk has two heights (1.06 and 0.8 metres).

  • Entry to the museum is free of charge (some exhibitions, events and talks may incur a charge).

  • The doorway between the reception area and the mansion (which houses the collection) is 0.70 metres at its narrowest point.

  • Door from reception to walled garden 1.42m wide. Push-button on door (92cm from the floor). Opens automatically on re-entry. 

 Public Areas - General

  • The flooring throughout the museum is of carpet, wood or vinyl, with ceramic tiles in the toilets.

  • Seating is provided in most galleries.

  • Lighting is mainly by LED spotlights and natural light but at low brightness in some areas to protect the artefacts.

  • The environment is maintained by a zoned environmental system which aims to keep temperature below 23 degrees Celsius and relative humidity below 55%.

  • A recorded closed-circuit television system (CCTV) operates throughout the building.

  • The lift (1.4 x 1.1 metres) is accessed through doors 0.78 metres wide.     

Public Areas - Toilets

These are all on the ground floor

  • Male toilets: 3 urinals, 2 cubicles, 1 hand dryer, 3 basins with lever taps

  • Female toilets: 3 cubicles, 1 hand dryer, 3 basins with lever taps

  • Family toilet with baby changing facilities, 1 hand dryer, 1 basin with lever taps

  • One unisex accessible (disabled) toilet:

    ▪     Width of door is 0.85 metres

    ▪     From a seated position on the toilet, there is a space 1.1 metres to the right, between the side of the toilet and the wall.

    ▪     The height of toilet (floor to seat) is 0.46 metres

    ▪     The height of the wash basin (floor to rim) is 0.70 metres. It has lever taps.

    ▪     There is a vertical and a horizontal wall rail to the left (when seated on the toilet and opposite the side to transfer)

    ▪     There is 1 hand dryer

    ▪     There is a vertical wall rail to the right rear of the toilet

    ▪     A drop-down grab rail can be lowered from a vertical to horizontal position to the right of the toilet

    ▪     There is an alarm call cord (red) which alerts the museum reception.
     

Other Public Areas

Courtyard

  • Used for some activities

  • Outdoor and undercover seating

  • Wooden tables and chairs with seasonal sun umbrellas for the café

  • Separate waste and recycling bins.

 Walled Garden

  • Used for some activities

  • Outdoor seating – along path and near volunteer sheds

  • Pavilion – used for schools and some events

  • Display of flowers and shrubs, an orchard and meadow area, a dipping pond and bee hive.

 Main Car Park

  • There are male, female, baby changing and accessible (disabled) toilets by the main car park.  

Café

  • Hot and cold beverages, light snacks (crisps, cakes) and ice creams are available for sale in the foyer – payment at reception.

  • Tables and chairs are situated in the café area.

  • Nearest café serving hot food is the leisure centre (3 minute walk). 

 Nearby Restaurants and Accommodation

  • Nearest restaurant is at the Old Nelson Brewers Fayre - 0870 990 6378 (5-minute walk). In the same building is -

  • Nearest accommodation at the Stratford Lodge Premier Inn - 0870 990 6378 (5-minute walk).

 Shop

  • Area in foyer selling souvenirs, toys, books, postcards and prints – payment at reception.

  • We accept cash, cheques, credit & debit cards (Maestro, VISA, MasterCard) incl. Contactless.

 Attraction Highlights

  • Mansion is set in a beautiful parkland setting.

  • The world’s first lawnmower invented by Edwin Budding in 1830.

  • A Pedersen bicycle –  produced in the 1890s in Dursley.

  • Historic paintings of Wallbridge and views from Rodborough Fort.

  • Artefacts are mainly exhibited in floor to ceiling glass cabinets, some are on open display.

  • Two videos playing continuously:

    o   One shows the making of a flint arrow by Phil Harding of Time Team (with audio)

    o   The other shows life at a farm today and yesterday (no audio)

    o   There is a looped slideshow of minerals that runs in Geology (no audio)

  • Sound recording of local author Laurie Lee reading an extract from Cider with Rosie (hearing-loop facility).

  • Sound recording about memories of wash-day in 1930s.

  • Special exhibitions and events.

  • Family friendly displays.

  • Children’s school holiday activities and family learning events throughout the year.

  • Guided tours of the museum available if booked in advance.

  • Resources for schools:

    o   Curriculum-linked programme of workshops available

    o   Loans boxes linked to some topics as part of our Remote Learning Programme.

  • To find out about events and exhibitions, see the museum website from where you can also sign up to our free-to-join museum membership.

  • Identification service available.

 Grounds and Gardens

  • The museum stands in Stratford Park, a 56-acre country park, awarded a ‘Green Flag’ for high standards.  Mature woodland with many magnificent trees such as oak, beech, maple, horse chestnut, together with more exotic species and a lake, make it the ideal location for a family picnic.

  • The museum courtyard is used occasionally for events and exhibitions and provides outdoor and covered seating. The covered seating is only accessible via a set of steps.

  • The walled garden features flower borders, raised beds, orchard, meadow, performance space and the Learning Pavilion (used for schools and workshops).

  • There is a children’s play area in the park in the field above the main car park, and a sensory garden by the tennis courts.

  • A model railway located in the woodland area provides rides on the last Sunday of the month, from April through to October.

  • The leisure centre with pools (indoor and outdoor), gymnasium and sports activities, is situated in the park. This is run on behalf of Stroud District Council by Everyone Active.

 Additional Information

  • Assistance dogs welcome – water bowl located in courtyard.

  • Smoking (or ‘Vaping’) is not permitted in the main building, the courtyard area, the walled garden, or the pavilion.

  • No general background music. There are sound recordings, including one with music, associated with some displays and sometimes exhibitions in the Galleries include music and other audio-visual content.

  • The museum occasionally uses a public address system for general announcements.

  • All staff, including volunteers, undertake equality, diversity and access awareness training.

  • The daily duty manager is the Appointed Person for incidents.

  • Objects not on display are held in stores which are not on the museum site. For health, safety and security reasons the stores are not open to the public. Most objects in store can be made available for research by prior appointment. The stores are not wheelchair accessible, but most objects can be brought from store to the museum as required.

 Contact Information

 Address: The Museum in the Park, Stratford Park, Stratford Road, STROUD, Gloucestershire, GL5 4AF.

 Telephone: +44 (0)1453 763394

 Email: museum@stroud.gov.uk

 Website: www.museuminthepark.org.uk

 Minicom:   Not available

 Grid references: National Grid Reference is SO 846 057
Reference for Satellite Navigation is 51:44:58N (51.7495) 2:13:24W (-2.2234)

Using what3words: ///amounting.embarks.rebounder

Hours of opening

We are open as follows:

  • Tuesday to Friday: 10am-4.30pm

  • Saturday, Sunday (and Bank Holidays): 11am-4.30pm

  • We are closed on Mondays (except Bank Holidays).

  • Please note that we close for deep cleaning during most of January; please check our website for details.

 Local public transport information

 Future Plans

We welcome your feedback to help us continuously to improve. If you have any comments, suggestions or complaints, please speak to a member of staff, or contact us by email, through our website or by phone.