Back to School

Whether good or bad,
fresh or more distant,
almost everyone has memories
of their school days. Now, Museum
Volunteer Isabella investigates
just how much has changed
about schools throughout history
Explore Isabella's online exhibition

Our Latest Exhibition

Explore the work of our MA placement
student, Anita, who has completed
a project about the remarkable history
of our the local emergency services.
Her display is up at
Walton Library and online
Visit the online exhibition

Drawing Esher

Discover the landscapes
and characters of 19th
century Esher through
this array of fantastic
sketches by Victorian
illustrator, Robert Taylor
Pritchett.
Visit the display

Latest news

Our Week with Elmbridge Museum

Work experience students James and Seb share their thoughts on spending a week with the museum team, visiting the collections store, researching local history with museum volunteers and planning an exhibition.

Read the latest blog

How to visit us

Explore our latest exhibitions on display around the borough.

Discover an exhibition near you Use our interactive map to find exhibitions and events Create an account to submit public events and places of interest to our What's On page or create your own personal itinerary

What's On

Cobham Brewery Exploring the borough’s oldest pubs, drinking culture, and the historic former brewery in Cobham with the help of local historian David Taylor.

go to Cobham Brewery

Sickness & Health 2023 saw the 75th anniversary of the NHS – one of the most transformative developments in British social history. To mark this, we’re looking back on local sickness and health.

go to Sickness & Health

Back to School Museum volunteer Isabella's first exhibition on Elmbridge's historic schools, school life and resident recollections of education.

go to Back to School

Write On! From the letter-writing boom of the Victorian era to ambitious attempts to use computers to speed up our writing in the 1980s, this display draws a line from handwriting to computers and back again.

go to Write On!

The Diggers Project

Discover our ongoing work to investigate the historical story and international significance of the 17th century Surrey Diggers, a radical group during the English Civil War.

Follow our redeveloped Surrey Diggers Trail across the local area
Watch our five new Diggers Trail videos
Discover the suite of Diggers learning resources
Learn more by reading the blog series by our Academic in Residence

The Surrey Diggers Trail

Plan your time

See what is happening in and around Elmbridge on our interactive map

Objects in Focus

Elmbridge at Christmas Share your memories of celebrating Christmas in Elmbridge!

go to Elmbridge at Christmas

Elmbridge at the Seaside Learn about seaside holidays of the past in Elmbridge through this Victorian card with a twist!

go to Elmbridge at the Seaside

Ethel Harting's watercolours Discover the vibrant botanical watercolours created by Ethel Harting, inspired by local flora and fauna.

go to Ethel Harting's watercolours

Tudor Ointment Jar Discover Ogilvy's Apothecary and find out how this small jar contained an essential to Tudor sickness and health.

go to Tudor Ointment Jar

Oval Gold Locket What hidden tragedy lies inside this charming gold locket, owned by one of the best-know families in Elmbridge? Click here to discover its story.

go to Oval Gold Locket

Silk Brocade Pompadour Shoes How might a Georgian lady's uncomfortable footwear have made her 'desirable'?

go to Silk Brocade Pompadour Shoes

Discover more objects

Explore the collection of over 43,000 objects at your fingertips

Search the collection

Schools membership

Bring history to life in the classroom with our schools membership programme. We offer a wide range of resources designed to inspire your class to explore their local heritage. Discover our immersive outreach sessions, book a discovery box containing real museum objects, and take advantage of our free assembly service to find out what Elmbridge Museum could offer you today.

Find out more about our learning programme

Explore your local history

Go right back to the beginnings of the borough with our Brief History of Elmbridge timeline. Here you can discover about early settlers and the development of the local area to to the place we know and love today.

For those who want to delve deeper, check out our Local Studies research service.

Learn more