Frenchay Village Museum

About

Frenchay Village Museum tells the story of Frenchay and its residents. Mountain explorer, Hollywood film star, chocolate manufacturer, and assistant to Brunel – here are just some of their stories.

A room dedicated to the history of Frenchay Hospital charts the time when it became a U.S. Army Hospital. Leaflets advising Americans how to interact with the locals, a visit by Frank Sinatra and photographs from the time when it was a children’s TB sanatorium can all be seen here.

Another display shows the early development of chocolate by a former resident, Joseph Fry. Gold medals awarded to Fry’s chocolate and what is believed to be the oldest bar of chocolate in the world feature, together with Easter egg catalogues and commemorative tins. The Fry family was just one of the prominent Quaker families of Frenchay and 19th century Quaker wedding certificates are on display. Did you know that at a Quaker wedding all the guests sign the wedding certificate?

The museum publishes books on local history - more than 30 to date – and has a reference section for family history. Do you know about the Minister who murdered his wife and then killed himself, what it was like to travel in the United States in the 19th Century, what you need to know before emigrating or how the residents coped during the First World War? The information can be browsed in the museum and accessed through the extensive website.

Accompanied children are welcome and there are traditional toys to play with and clothes to dress up in.

A visiting exhibition room hosts displays by local groups ranging from bell ringers to paintings by local artists.

An annual vintage vehicle day brings cars, bicycles and motorbikes together in conjunction with the Frenchay Flower Show for a truly traditional English day out.

The museum has a fascinating collection of objects connected with Frenchay. Find out why we have a prototype of the Dyson Vacuum Cleaner, a sword used in the 1831 Bristol Riots, Cookworthy porcelain, ancient Egyptian artefacts and a Victorian ice pick.

The museum is open on Wednesday 1.00-4.00pm, Saturday & Sunday 2.00-5.00pm and at other times by arrangement. We welcome group visits and offer guided walks around Frenchay. Outreach includes talks and activities with local groups and schools.