A Beautiful Rural Museum in Buckinghamshire
-ABOUT US
Chiltern Open Air Museum in Buckinghamshire was founded by volunteers from the Chiltern Society in 1976, and opened to the public in 1981. The Museum is a charity that rescues threatened historic buildings, which would otherwise be demolished, and rebuilds and preserves them in a traditional Chilterns landscape.
About the Charity
The Museum is an independent charity and receives no government funding. All operating costs are funded via admission charges, memberships, private hire, filming, school visits, catering and shop sales, and donations. The Museum is run by a small team and an amazing team of volunteers who are fuelled by cake and a passion for the Museum.
Mission and Values
‘We welcome everyone to Explore, Discover, Experience and enjoy this special place, rich in Chiltern heritage and accessible to all’
We want people to explore and make memories, in their own way, at their own pace.
We help people discover the nature, history, and culture of the Chilterns, using all COAM has to offer: landscape, buildings and collections, interpretation, lifelong learning and special events.
We encourage people to enjoy our beautiful, sustainable site, for their physical, mental and social wellbeing.
We welcome everyone and strive to be inclusive, socially responsible and environmentally sustainable.
Our Vision
Our vision is to:
Foster inclusivity, diversity, and relevance for all visitors, volunteers, and staff.
Cultivate a thriving COAM community while expanding our visitor base.
Deliver consistently high-quality experiences for all visitors.
Provide enriching experiences for children, families, and schools through on-site activities and events.
Enhance interpretation and activities for adults and enthusiasts to delve into the site's buildings and stories.
Collaborate with film and television projects to showcase the site's offerings.
Maintain a positive work environment.
Ensure financial robustness for the long-term existence of COAM, preserving it for future generations.
Environment & Conservation
The Museum has an environmentally friendly ethos. The 45-acre site, which includes woodland and arable fields, is maintained using traditional skills and machinery. We are self-sufficient where possible, we use vegetables grown on the allotment in our catering facilities, we use timber coppiced in our woodland as fuel and building material and repair metalwork in the Forge. Our mid-site toilets have an eco-friendly reed bed drainage system. Our gardens, orchards and allotment feed pollinators and we are home to 7 beehives. We collect rainwater to help water our gardens. Our annual Green Festival raises awareness about environmental issues and sustainable practices. We believe that by educating and inspiring the community, we can create a more sustainable future.
We tell the Story of the Chilterns
The Museum has 37 rescued historic buildings on display that were the workplaces or homes of ordinary people. Every building on site was once somewhere else and either lived in or used by our Chilterns ancestors. By bringing the buildings together at the Museum we have built a timeline that helps to tell the story of the Chilterns – a special landscape of rolling chalk hills, traditional crafts, and time honoured ways of life that continue to inspire today.
As an independent charity, our Museum relies on the generosity of individuals like you. Our buildings need continually looking after and all funds raised are invested back into the Museum. Your contribution, whether big or small, ensures the continuous enjoyment of this unique space for everyone. If you're a UK taxpayer, please choose to Gift Aid at the checkout, this will amplify your admission, membership or donation by an additional 25% and will give us us a vital bit of additional income at no extra cost to you.
Thank you for being a vital part of our mission to maintain the Museum's special place in history and community.
Finding Us
You can find us just a short drive from Junction 17, M25.
Newland Park, Gorelands Lane
Chalfont St Peter, HP8 4AB