Memberships and admissions to start from 2 April
From 2 April 2025, we’ll be launching a brand-new membership scheme and introducing a small admission fee for adults.
Memberships starting at £20 per year will provide free entry year-round and additional discounts and benefits. Entry to the museum will continue to be free for children and young people under the age of 18, while adults without a membership will pay a £4 entry fee. Children under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult.
You can read all about our plans on the City Life website.
Find out more about how our memberships and admissions will operate in our FAQs below.
Membership
Memberships are £20 per year for individuals and £30 for a joint membership, which allows the named card holder to share the benefits of membership with a guest.
Guests don’t have to be named on the membership, allowing the named card holder to bring along a different person each time they visit, or attend a tour or event.
Individual membership to the museum will provide for the named member:
- Free entry to Museum (every visit)
- Access to a member welcome tour
- Access to one tour of the museum’s collections store per year
- Invitation to exhibition member only events, including previews and talks (free and charged events)
- 10% discount on exhibition/non-exhibition events
- 10% discount on adult workshops and clubs
- 10% discount on up to four children booked into children’s workshops and clubs
- 10% discount in the museum gift shop
- 10% discount in The Hive café
- Ad hoc member discounts throughout the year
- Member exclusive quarterly email newsletter
Joint membership to the museum will provide all individual benefits listed above for the named card holder plus an additional adult who does not need to be named on the membership.
Memberships will be available to purchase online, via the museum’s website, from March 2025. The online form is simple to complete, but those who are unable to book online can request in-person assistance from our friendly front of house team next time they visit.
Yes. You can collect your membership card on your first visit to the museum after purchasing your membership online.
If you lose or misplace your card, please report this to the front desk on your next visit to the museum.
You don’t need to pre-book but will need to show your membership card and get a free member ticket from the front desk on entry.
We’ll email our members regularly to inform them of the latest member events and special discounts and how to take advantage of these benefits.
Your annual membership must be paid in full at the time of signing up. This gives you a full year of membership benefits listed above. We’re not currently offering the option to pay for your membership in monthly instalments.
Yes. Carers can access the museum for free when attending with the named member.
Admissions
From 2 April 2025, adults aged 18 and over will pay a £4 fee each time they visit us. Children and young people under the age of 18 will continue to receive free entry. Children under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult.
Museum members receive unlimited free entry throughout the year as part of their membership (see above).
We believe this fee is very modest, simple and offers excellent value for money to all visitors, which is why we are charging a flat rate for all adults aged 18 and over, regardless of their status. Carers and children/young people under the age of 18 will receive free entry.
The modest £4 admissions fee provides entry to the entire museum which traces the story of Chelmsford from the Ice Age to the modern day. Visitors will be able to explore the permanent galleries containing highlights including an interactive display depicting the princely Anglo-Saxon Broomfield Burial, the natural world gallery featuring a living beehive, artefacts exploring Chelmsford’s significant role in the birth of radio, and a range of artworks by Turner Prize-winning Chelmsford-born artist Sir Grayson Perry.
In addition, your ticket will include entry to:
- The temporary exhibition gallery, where our curatorial team explore varied topics such as the nature writer JA Baker and LGBTQ+ communities in Chelmsford through changing exhibitions.
- A changing display of work by local artists and community groups in the Chelmsford Room.
- The Essex Regiment Museum, housed inside the wider museum, which tells the story of the county infantry regiment. Artefacts include uniform, medals and weaponry.
- Free children’s trails available from the front desk.
- Access to free talks and tours from our volunteers, exhibition curators, and object handling
No, you are still able to access The Hive via their entrance around the side of Oaklands House. You will only need to pay an admission to visit the museum.
Membership holders receive a 10% discount when making a purchase at The Hive.
Yes, as the gift shop is part of the overall museum experience, we recommend visiting the gift shop once you have explored our displays in full.
No, you can visit Oaklands Park for free
Free parking is available for a maximum stay of two hours in the museum car park. Blue Badge parking is also available. If you require more time, additional car parking options are listed on our visit us page.
There is no need to pay for your admission to the museum in advance, you will be able to pay on the day any time during opening hours. Last admission to the museum is advised as one hour before closing time.
Most tickets to paid events will also include entry to the museum. More guidance will be found under individual events at the time of going on sale.
No, prearranged visits with our staff will not require you to pay an admission.
No, you do not need to pay admission to do these, but we ask that you plan with the museum team to arrange a time and date, so we know to expect you.