Alton Towers is a park steeped in heritage and history, and for a limited time only (between July 18th and August 28th), the archive doors have creaked just slightly open to reveal some wonderful artefacts from Alton Towers’ history.
This Alton Towers museum offers a fascinating look into the history of the Alton Towers estate and has been laid out rather wonderfully inside the Chapel within the Alton Towers ruins themselves.
Over 200 artefacts are currently on display, and entry is included free of charge with all standard general admission tickets.
Spanning two centuries of history, there’s really something for everyone here, from concept art to old ticket stubs and even props and miniatures, from ride theming to architecture at the Alton Towers Hotel, and even a diorama of the Chinese Pagoda located within the historic gardens.
This exhibition does feel very temporary, but at the same time it feels like the park is testing the waters for something much more permanent, as was rumoured for many years, with the cottage located within the gardens being the perfect location for a year-round Alton Towers museum that could have seasonal exhibits.
What is also curious is that within the exhibition itself, there’s an option for guests to vote on what other items they would like to see from the archives featured within this temporary space. They’re certainly testing the waters with something here, and I’m all for it.
Throughout the exhibition, what did stand out to me was how heavily the display leaned on merchandise. There was certainly a strong emphasis on ticket stubs, old maps, and merchandise from years gone by that, whilst great to see, certainly dominated the collection on offer. So, if merchandise isn’t your thing, you might be a little disappointed in terms of the variety on offer here.
What I will say is that the miniatures, the props, the physical items linked to attractions, and the design elements were certainly the strongest aspects of the exhibition for me because I guarantee that many diehard Alton Towers fans will already have the maps or some of the things on display within the cabinets in their own homes.
I’m not even a huge diehard theme park memorabilia collector, and even I have a few of these things at home in a box, so I’d certainly be voting for more unique pieces to come out on display, with the merchandise taking a rightful (albeit somewhat watered-down) place within the collection.
The Alton Towers museum is certainly something I feel could be an all-round attraction within the park. It’s just as interesting for fans as it is for newcomers to the park, and it’s a place that celebrates the park’s history.
It also serves as a reminder to diehard fans of perhaps the better days of Alton Towers Resort, who can feel perhaps some optimism for a much brighter future after what has been a rough couple of seasons heading into an uncertain future for the Staffordshire theme park.
It’s a reminder of the magic the park used to have in abundance and, for myself personally, those cherished childhood memories that come rushing to the fore. Whether that’s the yearly fireworks trip with my older brother or the first ride on the wooden log flume with my mum and dad, it all comes flooding back when looking at the items on display, and those memories are priceless.
Would I suggest visiting? Yes!
Would I suggest paying entry price just to see it? Absolutely not.
It’s a shame they couldn’t put this somewhere more accessible to people who may not want to visit the theme park or pay the expensive prices to check it out.
If you have a Merlin pass it’s perfect but testing the waters at a neutral location would have made more sense to me before installing it permanently in the park just to gauge more of an interest or have it housed within the hotel or somewhere that’s free to access.
Regardless of how I feel about that it’s still in such a wonderful location now and I very much do hope that it’s the stepping stone towards a permanent museum housed within the theme park all year round.
ALTON TOWERS MUSEUM GALLERY
(Click to enlarge image)
Dates: 18 July to 28 August 2026
Location: The Chapel, located inside the historic Towers
Opening Hours: From 11:00 am daily
Price: Included free of charge with all standard general admission tickets
