Shere Museum

Shere Museum is a small volunteer-run local history museum in Shere, a village in the Surrey Hills near Guildford, England. It is the kind of place that rewards a slow visit: a modest building packed with everyday objects, photographs and stories that explain how this well-known village lived, worked and, later, became a film location.

What is Shere Museum?

The museum tells the story of Shere and its surroundings through objects of daily life. Its displays include tools, toys, domestic items and clothing, mostly from Victorian times to the 1950s. Instead of grand masterpieces, you see the ordinary things that filled local homes, workshops and farms, which makes the past easy to picture.

Alongside the household collection, the museum has displays on the village's connection with film and photography, and on the life and work of the architect Edwin Lutyens, who left his mark on the area. There is also a collection of archival and reference material that family historians and local-history researchers can use.

How did the museum begin?

According to local sources, the museum started in 1984 as a one-day event in the Old Malt House, held as part of Shere's annual "Fair in the Square". The idea proved popular enough to continue. The collection spent some time in a private house, and volunteers later began converting a dedicated building to hold it. It moved there in 2009.

The building itself has a story: it was put up to commemorate Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee in 1898. So the museum is housed in a piece of local history as well as displaying it.

What can you see inside?

• Daily life of the past - tools, toys, household objects and clothing that show how villagers lived from the Victorian era to the mid-twentieth century.
• Film and photography - material on Shere's role as a backdrop for film and its photographic history.
• Edwin Lutyens - displays on the architect's life and works.
• Archives - reference material for tracing family and village history.

Temporary exhibitions appear from time to time. Past Heritage Open Days events, held in September, have featured themes such as the water-driven mills of the Tillingbourne Valley and the village's film history.

Is it worth a visit?

If you are walking in the Surrey Hills or exploring the village, the museum is a short, rewarding stop. It suits families, history enthusiasts and anyone curious about English village life. Because it is run by volunteers, visits are usually centred on weekend afternoons, so check current opening times before you travel, for example on the Surrey museums directory.

Frequently asked questions

Where is Shere Museum? In the village of Shere, in Surrey, near Guildford, England.

What is the museum about? Local history: village life from Victorian times to the 1950s, Shere's links with film and photography, and the architect Edwin Lutyens.

When was it founded? Local sources date its beginnings to 1984, when it first appeared as a one-day event. It moved into its current building in 2009.

Can I research my family history there? The museum holds archival and reference material intended for family and local-history research.

Is it open every day? It is a volunteer-run museum with limited hours, generally weekend afternoons. Confirm opening times before visiting.