What’s here
There’s so much to see when you visit the Food Museum it can be hard to know where to go first!
The museum is large – it takes most people all day to visit! There are 84 acres, 17 historic buildings and thousands of objects to see. View our site map
Daily Talks, Tours and Events
Why not start by picking up one of our daily menus from the museum shop, which lists all the talks, tours and demonstrations that will be happening during your visit. These change daily – visit the What’s On calendar for more details. Every day, you can meet our horses, have a go at hands-on farming or foraging activities and watch the animal feeding.
Autumn/Winter 2024 Programme
Click here to discover our Autumn/Winter programme for 2024, with everything from apple juice pressing to Christmas treats.
Buildings, farm and trails
The first thing you’ll see is Abbot’s Hall, a Queen Anne house, which is original to the site. The land that the museum now stands on used to be part of the Abbot’s Hall farm. The Hall has our community exhibition galleries. Don’t miss the picturesque Walled Garden next to the house, which grows a range of fresh produce used in our cafe.
Further through our site you’ll find the Boby Building, housing crafts and tools used in the production of food, a blacksmith’s forge, and our Farm Barn which explores who grows our food. The Bone Building is a real highlight and houses our programme of changing annual exhibitions and demonstration kitchen.
Just beyond these buildings you’ll find our farm area, with rare breeds, growing crops and an orchard and the Mortlock Building, housing our steam engines. Further along is Alton Watermill, which was recently refurbished to working order and can be seen in action on Fridays. Stop off at Great Moulton Chapel and Eastbridge Windpump and discover a mile of beautiful river trails.
A highlight is a guided tour of the Dairy Cottages, which take place twice a week.
Animals
In our farm area, we’ve got a wide variety of animals for you to visit, all key to the story of food and farming in East Anglia. From the Suffolk animal trinity of Suffolk Sheep, Red Poll cattle and rare Suffolk Punch horses, to hens, turkeys and pigs, there’s so much to see!
Exhibitions
Check out our annual exhibition Forty Farms in the Bone Building until Feb 2025, presenting. the captivating photography of British Life Photographer of the Year, and Cumbrian farmer Amy Bateman. Forty Farms offers a unique insight into the everyday lives, fears and hopes of 40 extraordinary farmers through photography, products, film and words to create an immersive experience.
Cafe
You’re sure to work up a thirst touring the museum so stop off for a cup of tea and a homemade meal at Feast Cafe. Whilst you’re nearby make sure to visit Abbot’s Hall Barn, a 13th century tithe barn original to the site.
