Mansfield Museum

Mansfield Museum sits on Leeming Street in the centre of the Nottinghamshire market town, next door to the Old Town Hall and a short walk from the Market Place. Established in 1904 from the natural history collection of local resident William Edward Baily, the museum has grown into a friendly community attraction that tells the story of Mansfield, its people and its place at the edge of Sherwood Forest.

Permanent displays cover the area's social and industrial history, from the framework knitters and textile mills that shaped the town to coal mining in the surrounding villages. Galleries feature local watercolours, including works by 19th-century Mansfield artist Albert Sorby Buxton, alongside ceramics produced at the once renowned Pinxton porcelain works. Natural history cases show wildlife and geology from the Sherwood area, and a hands-on family gallery gives younger visitors plenty to explore.

The museum also runs a busy programme of temporary exhibitions, craft events and school holiday activities, and admission is free. With Mansfield railway station, the bus station and the town's shopping streets all within easy walking distance, it makes a relaxed stop on a visit to north Nottinghamshire.