Pendon Museum, Long Wittenham open days
High Street, Long Wittenham, Abingdon, Oxfordshire, OX14 4QD
Open for FREE on 7th and 11th September 2024 from 11am.
At Pendon Museum explore three exquisite miniature scenes depicting English rural life and transport in the 1930s.
The Vale Scene: Renown for its detail and craftmanship, the main Vale scene reproduces in miniature the beauty of the English countryside around 1930. Exquisitely modelled cottages, farms, fields and chalky lanes plied by horse-drawn transport recall the quiet charm of the Vale of White Horse nearly a century ago. The occasional car or lorry kicks up dust in the summer heat and miniature trains thread through the golden fields, creating movement in an otherwise peaceful landscape.
The Dartmoor Scene: This model illustrates typical railway operations in the 1920s and 1930s, set in a rural Devon landscape and featuring a long timber viaduct which carries trains across wild moorland scenery.
Madder Valley: A historical model railway built entirely by John Ahern in the 1930s, Madder Valley is an early example of scenic railway modelling and pioneered the idea of scenic craftsmanship by showing others what could be achieved. Due to its age, the trains on Madder Valley only run a few times a year, and unfortunately will not be operating on this open day. Please check our website for running days and plan your return visit!
Pendon Museum also has audio guides, a tea room serving refreshments and small snacks, and family trails for eager eyes – simply ask at reception for your pack.
Timings & Tours
- Saturday 07 September:
- 11am to 4pm (Last entry at 3.15)
- Wednesday 11 September:
- 11am to 4pm (Last entry at 3.15)
Location & directions
High Street, Long Wittenham, Abingdon, Oxfordshire, OX14 4QD
- Contact on day:
- Emma Midgley
- Telephone number:
- +441865407365
Booking information
- Pre-booking requirement:
- Pre-booking not required
Accessibility details
Most of our exhibits are at a height of 1.4 metres (4ft 6in) above floor level. The view for young people and wheelchair users is restricted however periscopes and Hop On stools are available at Reception to assist with viewing, please just ask. The museum is on two floors. The first floor with the Madder Valley Railway and Dartmoor Gallery is fully accessible with an allocated parking space for people with mobility issues and accessible toilet facilities. The Vale Gallery and the small temporary exhibition space are located on the 2nd floor which is accessible by stair lift.
Additional information
- Est. tour duration:
- 2 hour(s)
