Can you help us with information about any of these independent museums?
We want to know what happened to the collections after closure, and what the building was subsequently used for, if anything.
If you have any information or tips, please email m.liebenrood@bbk.ac.uk.
This list is organised by subject matter. You can also view the same list grouped by regions and UK nations.
If a museum’s name is struck through then we have gathered information about it since first putting this list online.
Archaeology : Prehistory
Iceni Village, Cockley Clay PE37 8AG. Closed 2014
Mesolithic Museum, nr Dorking RH5 6JD. Closed 2011-2017
Arts : Ceramics
Beswick Museum, Stoke on Trent ST3 2JP. Closed 2000
Arts : Crafts
Norfolk Museum Of Straw Works, Hanworth NR11 7HH. Closed 2017
Arts : Fine and decorative arts
Morita Museum Of Fine Art, Edinburgh EH9 2AX. Closed 2013-2017
Arts : Music
Magnificent Music Machines, Liskeard PL14 4SH. Closed 2012
Mechanical Music Museum, nr. Cheltenham GL54 3ET. Closed 2019
The Harmonium Museum, Shipley BD18 3JS. Closed 2011
Arts : Other
Longdale Craft Centre And Museum, Nottingham NG15 9AH. Closed 2015
Belief and identity : Religious buildings
Priory Visitor Centre, Coventry CV1 5EX. Closed 2019
Buildings : Houses : Large houses
Maxwelton House, Moniavie DG3 4DX. Closed 2000
Newhouse, Salisbury SP5 2NX. Closed 2019
The Hall at Abbey-cwm-Hir, nr Llandrindod Wells LD1 6PH. Closed 2020
Buildings : Houses : Medium houses
Old Buittle Tower, Nr Castle Douglas DG7 1PA. Closed 2016
Buildings : Houses : Small houses
Llanrwst Almshouse Museum, Llanrwst LL26 0LE. Closed 2012
Mullaghbawn Folk Museum, Newry BT35 0AA. Closed 2003-2017
Communications : Other
Goonhilly Satellite Earth Station, Helston TR12 6LQ. Closed 2010
Industry and manufacture : Mining and quarrying
Durham Miners Heritage Centre, Nevilles Cross DH1 4PJ. Closed 2012
Industry and manufacture : Potteries
Wetheriggs Pottery & Museum, Penrith CA10 2DG. Closed 2008
Industry and manufacture : Print
William Clowes Printing Museum, Beccles NR34 9QE. Closed 2004
Industry and manufacture : Textiles
Strutts North Mill, Belper DE56 1YD. Closed 2022
The Old Sunday School, Macclesfield SK11 6UT. Closed 2018
Leisure and sport : Fairgrounds and amusements
Mechanical Memories Museum, Brighton BN2 1TD. Closed 2020-2021
Leisure and sport : Toys and models
Musselburgh Doll Museum, Musselburgh EH21 7DX. Closed 2011
The Cumberland Toy & Model Museum, Cockermouth CA13 9NG. Closed 2005
The Precinct Toy Collection, Sandwich CT13 9ES. Closed 2004-2017
Vinas Dolls Gallery, Newark NG23 6JE. Closed 2015
Wish Tower Puppet Museum, Eastbourne BN21 4BY. Closed 2001
Local Histories
Abbot House Heritage Centre, Dunfermline KY12 7NE. Closed 2015
Abergynolwyn Village Museum, Abergynolwyn LL36 9YB. Closed 2007
Fernhill House: The People’s Museum, Belfast BT13 3PT. Closed 2008
Reigate Priory Museum, Reigate RH2 7RL. Closed 2013
Thorpe Prebend Heritage Centre, Ripon HG4 1QR. Closed 2009-2010
Urbis, Manchester M4 3BG. Closed 2010
Mixed : Bygones
Borreraig Park Museum, Dunvegan IV55 8ZX. Closed 2012-2017
Mixed : Other
Collectors World, Downham Market PE38 0AU. Closed 2009-2010
Longstone Heritage Centre, Isle of Scilly TR21 0NW. Closed 2011
Natural world : Herbaria and gardening
National Museum Of Gardening, Crowntown TR13 0AB. Closed 2011
Natural world : Other
The Woodland Heritage Museum, nr Westbury BA13 4EH. Closed 2007-2017
Other
Bakelite Museum, Williton TA4 4NS. Closed 2018
British Magic Museum, North Walsham NR28 0NB. Closed 2018
Cat Museum, London HA3 5EE. Closed 2007-2015
Ringwood Town And Country Experience, Ringwood BH24 3PA. Closed 2013
Wild Life Museum, Appin PA38 4DF. Closed 2000
Personality : Literary
Soseki Museum, London SW4 0NG. Closed 2016
The Counting House Museum, Malton YO17 7HW. Closed 2017
Personality : Political
Heritage First!, Ulverston LA12 0HA. Closed 2016
Rural Industry : Farming
Haywain Farm Museum, Doncaster DN9 1JZ. Closed 2016-2018
Rural Industry : Other
The Suffolk Punch Trust Heritage Museum, Woodbridge IP12 3JR. Closed 2013
Rural Industry : Rural life
Laundry & Mangle Museum, Coggleshall CO6 1NT. Closed 2001
Rural Industry : Watermills
Haxted Watermill Museum, Haxted TN8 6PU. Closed 2012
Sea and seafaring : Boats and ships
Inveraray Maritime Museum, Inveraray PA32 8UY. Closed 2016
Lancashire Titanic Museum, nr. Chorley PR7 5PB. Closed 2018
Titanic Inverness Maritime Museum, Inverness IV3 8QH. Closed 2018
Services : Police
Keighley Police Museum, Keighley BD21 3SH. Closed 2015
Transport : Cars and motorbikes
Automobilia Transport Museum, Huddersfield HD1 6QA. Closed 2000
Bentley Motor Museum, nr Halland BN8 5AF. Closed 2018
London Motor Museum, Hayes UB3 4SB. Closed 2018
Yorkshire Motor Museum, Batley WF17 6HT. Closed 2010
Transport : Mixed
Welsh Transport Heritage Centre, Swansea SA4 4NY. Closed 2012
Transport : Trains and railways
Griffithstown Railway Museum, Pontypool NP4 5JH. Closed 2011
Vale Of Glamorgan Railway, Barry Island CF62 5TH. Closed 2008
War and conflict : Event or site
Tin Shed Museum, Laugharne SA33 4QG. Closed 2018
War and conflict : Other
Blitz And Pieces, Great Yarmouth NR29 3NS. Closed 2016
The Museum Of Cipher Equipment, Cupar KY15 4NP. Closed 2004-2017
War and conflict : Regiment
50 and 61 Squadron Museum, Lincoln LN6 0JE. Closed 2017
Light Infantry Museum, Winchester SO23 8TS. Closed 2009
Museum of the Royal Irish Regiment, Ballymena BT43 7BH. Closed 2016-2018
Regimental Museum Of 1st The Queens Dragoon Guards, Cardiff CF14 3YE. Closed 2010