Visit Hollytrees Museum and see toys, such as dolls houses, train sets and wooden animals, that date back over a century. In the costume section of the museum, dress up as a servant or simply view the different clothes worn by various members of the household over the ages. Make sure you visit the museum’s clock gallery as well, as it has displays of clocks from the 17th to 19th centuries.
Hollytrees Museum is situated in a former Georgian residence that dates back to 1718. It became a museum in 1929 and contains domestic artifacts from the local area that date back over the last three centuries.
Make your way through the house and admire the decorative arts that would have adorned the rooms of Colchester residents in bygone eras. Statues, ornate mirrors and a range of tapestries are arranged in an authentic display. Visit the nursery with its collection of handmade toys and antique dolls.
You’ll also find a range of costumes on display throughout the museum, with everything from the lavish dresses of the lady of the house to the servants’ attire on show. You can even dress up as a servant and try your hand at using a dolly peg, an early Victorian washing machine.
Also pay a visit to the clock gallery, which contains a number of different clock designs from the last 200 years. A range of long case clocks is set alongside several other styles. Listen carefully and you’ll hear some of the clocks still ticking. You’ll hear significantly more noise from one of the chiming clocks that has six bells that ring every quarter hour.
On a nice day, take some time to stroll around the grounds, which contain a sensory garden and children’s play area.
Hollytrees Museum is located in Castle Park in central Colchester. The museum is free to enter. Note that it is closed on Mondays, December 24 to December 27 and January 1. There is pay-and-display parking nearby.
