Tudor World

What to see at Tudor World

The museum is housed inside a Tudor-era Grade II*-listed building that is reputed to be Stratford’s oldest lived-in house. It appeals mostly to people who like their history to be presented in an entertaining manner but it won’t appeal to those who prefer a more traditional museum.

The exhibits at Tudor World are mostly in the form of a series of life-size dioramas with mannequins in period dress with information boards that put the displays into historical context.

Although the museum’s exhibits briefly touch on important figures of English history during this period (such as Henry VIII, Elizabeth I and William Shakespeare), the museum’s main focus is on daily life during this period.

There is a display about Elizabethan era sailing ships, the Tudor-era fear of witchcraft and there is also an exhibit about the plague, even though the Black Death spread through England more than 100 years before the Tudor period started.

Like many small privately-run museums, it is a somewhat tacky experience although it is more family-friendly than a larger more professionally-operated museum.

Ghost tours at Tudor World

The museum operates guided ghost tours in the evening that focus on ghostly occurrences that have been reported in the building and elsewhere in Stratford-upon-Avon.

Tours are not suitable for children aged under 14.

Visiting Tudor World

Tudor World is on Sheep Street in the centre of Stratford-upon-Avon. Most points of interest (except Anne Hathaway’s Cottage) are no more than a 5–10-minute walk from the museum.

Although it is more museum than a haunted house-style attraction (like the London or York Dungeon), it appeals to the same relatively narrow demographic. In other words, children aged 12–17 will love it but children younger than this may find it too scary and anyone older than this will find it just a bit too tacky.

It is a relatively small museum that many people are able to visit in around half an hour. Allow 50–60 minutes if you’re visiting for the evening ghost tour.