Grosvenor Museum
Vicky Andrews
The Grosvenor Museum is a treasure trove of amazing artefacts and exhibitions which tell the epic story of Chester through the ages. Inside this impressive Grade II-listed building you’ll find exhibits that cover an enormous variety of subjects including archaeology, fine art, music, fashion, social history, science, religion, weapons, coins and commerce.
The museum dates back to 1886, designed by the Chester-trained architect Thomas Meakin Lockwood, who gained a national reputation for his designs in the city, including the black and white mock Tudor revival at 1 Bridge Street in The Rows.
At the back of the museum at 20 Castle Street is the Period House which depicts the way in which domestic interiors have changed through the centuries including an Edwardian bathroom, Georgian dining room and Victorian parlour.
There are, of course, plenty of Roman exhibits, including the skeleton of a Roman man that was found in the well of a mansio (a sort of Roman travel inn) just behind the museum. There are also carved tombstones and memorials of Roman people which are used with other media to paint an intricate picture of what life was really like for this ancient civilisation which had such a significant influence on the modern world.
Other highlights include a dazzling collection of Chester silver with trophy cups from Chester Racecourse, and a geology collection with over 4,000 specimens, notably Chirotherium footprints and tail marks (not a dinosaur, but one of their ancestors) which are the only remains that we have of this animal.
Grosvenor Museum offers hours of fun for all ages, with interactive exhibitions and super-friendly staff. It’s a brilliant way to piece together the history of Chester and is well worth visiting for the art collection alone, which spans more than 500 years via paintings, drawings and sculptures in the main gallery and period rooms. Admission to the museum is free but it easily deserves the recommended donation of £3 per person.
