Museum of Norwich at the Bridewell

The Museum of Norwich at the Bridewell opened its doors on Tuesday 3 July after an exciting £1.5m redevelopment project to refurbish the building and refresh the displays.

Over the past 700 years the Bridewell has had a colourful and changing history. It has been a home to powerful merchants, a house of correction, a factory, and a museum.

Now this fascinating building has had a major face-lift – including a new entrance and lift, making it more accessible. Our courtyard has also been refurbished, allowing visitors to enjoy what was once a hidden sun trap in the busy city centre.

New displays tell the story of Norwich and its people. We’ve kept the best exhibits and added exciting objects previously kept under-wraps. Highlights include an incredible snake-proof boot, made for nurses in Burma during WWII; a Norwich Speedway bike from the 1960s and the world’s first wire netting machine.

Come and see the Bridewell History Wall, you can pop into the lobby and have a look at it for free!