Chiltern Open Air Museum
About This Museum
Tucked away in the rolling Chiltern Hills, this isn't your typical museum of hushed galleries and roped-off displays. Instead, you'll find a sprawling 45-acre landscape where history feels genuinely alive, dotted with rescued and meticulously reconstructed buildings that were once part of the local fabric. It's a place where you can wander from a smoky Iron Age roundhouse straight into a bustling Victorian farmyard, hearing the clang of the blacksmith's hammer and the bleat of heritage breed sheep. The real magic is how it stitches together centuries of Buckinghamshire life into one wonderfully immersive patchwork.
Collection Highlights
Highlights include a haunting prefab WWII house, complete with period furnishings, and a majestic 18th-century barn that hosts everything from craft workshops to seasonal festivals. Don't miss the chance to see the heavy horses at work on the traditional farm or to peek inside the quaint Victorian toll house.
Visitor Information
It's very much an outdoor experience, so wear sturdy shoes and check their website before you go—they run a brilliant programme of events, from historical reenactments to summer concerts. You'll find it on Newland Park Drive near Chalfont St Giles, with ample parking and a decent cafe for a well-earned cuppa afterwards.
Architecture & Building
The architecture is a wonderfully eclectic mix, from simple timber-framed medieval houses and rustic agricultural barns to more unusual structures like a tin chapel and that 1940s prefab, all representing vernacular styles that were nearly lost.
Contact & Location
Address: Chiltern Open Air Museum, Old Shire Lane, Chalfont St. Peter, Denham, Gerrards Cross and Chalfonts Community Board, Three Rivers, Buckinghamshire, England, WD3 5BG, United Kingdom
Phone: +44 1494 871117
Website: Visit Website
