About Us
The museum
Exciting displays tell the stories of local people and the local area, whilst also incorporating ideas from the community into the galleries.
With over 17,000 objects within the museum collection, we have many interesting and unusual objects for you to come and see. Find out what a Thwirting Iron does, what was lost on the bank of the River Teign 3,500 years ago and about Newton Abbot’s ‘Little Poland’.
Popular favourites within the displays are the Railway area with working signals and the Early History area. The impressive 16th century Sandford Orleigh carvings and Lethbridge’s extraordinary diving machine take centre stage.
Fun activities
Hands-on activities for all ages bring the stories to life. Have a go at designing an Aller Vale pot, sending a code on the signal bells, creating your own rope or feeling the difference between rich and poor Victorian fabrics. We have over 20 fun activities to try.
Interactive screens show how the town has developed since the 1700s through a series of old maps. Scroll through some photographic highlights or search the museum’s collection of 5,000 images. View our film archives or listen to the tales of a railway age gone-by.
Newton’s Place
The museum is part of Newton’s Place: an accessible community building, celebrating the heritage of the local area and its people. This £2.2m project began in 2016 to provide a new home for Newton Abbot Town Council and Museum, alongside community rooms for exciting events, workshops and exhibitions. A ‘Your Space’ area within the Museum enables local people to display their personal collections and community artwork weaves through the fabric of the building.
This project would have been impossible without the support of the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the donations and enthusiasm of the people of Newton Abbot and the many other businesses and heritage organisations that contributed to Newton’s Place.
Find a list of all our sponsors here
Newton’s Place is located in a former church built in 1835. After falling into disrepair, the rich architecture and features of this beautiful, Grade II listed building were restored as part of the project. Come and find out how we brought the building back to life!
Visit our History page to find out more about the history of the museum along with our oral archive, our online town trail, our blog, the Community Heritage Register and more!
To plan your visit, see our visiting page.