East Surrey Museum

The museum covers Tandridge together with parts of Reigate and Banstead and the London Borough of Croydon.

We currently have special displays on WW1, local Stone Age flint axes and tools, radios from 1932 to 1958 and metal toys from the 1920s.

Our permanent displays, in the East Surrey Room, explain the geology, archaeology and history of the area with many local fossils and artefacts including Medieval pottery, and implements from the Palaeolithic to the Bronze Age.

The Children’s Room is loved by children (and adults!) of all ages. It contains toys and artefacts (such as fossils, typewriters and microscopes), that may be handled and “experienced”. The room has two huge wallcharts which track the history of toys and the important inventions of the 20th Century.

We have a very extensive and important collection of postcards of scenes from local villages, and a collection of local maps going back to the 18th century.

The museum shop carries local history books, museum memorabilia and gifts and all profits are used to support the museum. It is one of the few places where you can buy the Bourne Society’s “Village History” publications.

Importantly, the museum provides a number of services to the community. Group visits to the museum by local organisations, schools, U3A, scouting groups, etc. are very welcome; accompanying talks about the displays can be provided on request. These visits can be arranged outside usual opening times. We also visit schools, care homes and hospitals to give talks (e.g., on National Curriculum subjects) or show artefacts (e.g., from WW2). “Loan boxes”, tailored to the National Curriculum, are available on request. Please contact us about these services via email.

All museum rooms are accessible via a ramp; unfortunately we don't have disabled parking or a disabled accessible toilet.

The museum is wholly run by volunteers and donations are welcome. We also have a Facebook group for friends of the museum https://www.facebook.com/groups/ESMfriends.

Free parking is available at Church Walk Shopping Centre, which is 5 minutes walk from the museum www.churchwalkcaterham.com We are in the centre of Caterham, only about 60 yards from the station, local bus services and taxi rank, and we are in Transport for London zone 6.