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The museum hosts a series of themed displays that explain aspects of the life and times of the people of Wymondham.
Our Agricultural Heritage
There is evidence that much of Norfolk has been intensively farmed from the late Iron Age onwards so it is not surprising that agriculture has always been a major influence on the life and times of the townsfolk of Wymondham.
How hard would life have been if you worked on a farm in the 1940s?
Our display reflects the area’s rich agricultural heritage with artefacts from farming of yesteryear. Some of them have caused scratched heads as visitors work out what they were used for.
Window Shopping in Old Wymondham
Our major display brings to life shopping in Wymondham in Victorian times and the 1930s. Two shops have been built in the main gallery based on original stores in the town.
What would have been in your shopping basket in the 1930s?
Visit the Damgate Stores to find the household products of the day such as Sloan's Liniment, Oxo Cubes and Sharp's Toffees.
Next door is the Little Dustpan a hardware store which once stood on Town Green where you can discover what a Victorian ironmonger sold; mangles to tin baths and lamps to crockery.
The Story of Robert Kett
At the beginning of 1549, Robert Kett was a successful yeoman farmer, active churchman and a popular figure in Wymondham. By the end of the same year, both he and his brother William had been executed for initiating a rebellion that threatened the reign of King Edward VI.
What were the underlying grievances and hardships that caused the common people to rise up against the landowners?
How did Kett and his followers manage to take control of Norwich and how did the king regain control?
Discover the full story of Kett's Rebellion in our display.
Wymondham Bridewell
There has been a prison on the site of the current museum since the 17th century when prisoners were held in the basement of the original medieval house. In the 18th century, the old building was demolished, rebuilt as a 'model' prison and the design used as the blueprint for prisons throughout England and also in the United States.
What was it like to be a prisoner held in the basement 200 years ago?
Who was responsible for the redesign in the 18th century and why is it called a 'model' prison?
The story about one of the most historically important buildings in the town is told in a set of information panels, artefacts and interactive displays.
Brushmaking in Wymondham
In the middle of the 20th century, brushmaking was a major industry in Wymondham with two major factories, The Briton Brush Factory and The Cooperative Brush Company, the main employers in the town.
Both of these factories have now closed and been demolished but where were they?
Why did Wymondham become the major centre for brushmaking and what lead to its decline?
What was it like to work in the factory, surrounded by noisy machinery?
Discover the story of the town's brushmaking industry and the lives of the people who worked there.
