Hertford Museum
Hertfordshire's charming county museum is a treasure trove of weird and wonderful artefacts, from stuffed animals to the world's largest toothbrush collection.
The museum was established in 1903 by two local businessmen, the Andrews brothers. It was their dream to create a 'free public museum for the people of Hertford'. The museum started off as a small room within their offices in the town centre. The modest collection grew rapidly as donations began to flood in from locals, and in 1913 the museum moved to its current location at 18 Bull Plain. Today, the museum's collection numbers more than 60,000 objects.
The museum's £1.2 million refurbishment earned it a place on the long list of the 2011 Art Fund Prize – a major feat for such a small institution.
Look out for The Wild Escape at museums and galleries in the next few months. Many have special events, or you can use our audio introduction to help children get involved at any cultural venue.
Visiting with children?
The more you see, the more we do.
The National Art Pass lets you enjoy free entry to hundreds of museums, galleries and historic places across the UK, while raising money to support them.