Luton Museum And Art Gallery In Bedford

Opening Times:
Tuesday to Saturday 10am–5pm
Sunday 1pm-5pm

Address:
Wardown Park
Luton LU2 7HA
Bedfordshire

Phone: +44 (0) 1582 546-722

URL: http://www.luton.gov.uk/museums.htm/

Type of Museum: Archaeological, Millinery, Fine and Applied Arts, Toy

An estimated 34 minutes away from the Bedford Museum, you will get to see another museum, which will make a fine addition to the list of attractions in your itinerary. This is the Luton Museum and Art Gallery. Set on the 40-acre Wardown Park that can be found just on the outskirts of the town centre of Luton, the museum is housed inside a beautiful and enormous Victorian mansion where some of the finest collections can be seen.

The Luton Museum and Art Gallery may appear to be just another art museum but it is actually centered on the crafts of hat and lace making that are traditionally created in Bedfordshire. As such, you can expect more than 600 hats in the Women’s Hat Industry collection of the museum, which you can view by appointment only. Some fine samples of 17th century lace made locally can also be seen here.

Aside from these collections of lace and hats, there are also other collections that are featured in the museum and these include extensive ones of decorative arts like some Saxon jewelry. There are also costumes, a number of fine arts, some straw-plaiting, medieval guild books and some great Victorian settings that are on display in the museum.