What is Shrove Tuesday? The History of Pancake Day in Britain
Uncover the history behind Shrove Tuesday and the enduring traditions of Pancake Day. From medieval confession and fasting to the rise of lemon and sugar pancakes, this blog explores the religious roots, historic recipes and Buckinghamshire’s famous Olney Pancake Race, revealing how a simple pancake connects us to centuries of faith, thrift and community celebration.
Buildings in Storage: St Julians Barn
Discover St Albans Abbey Barn, also known as St Julian’s Barn, a vast medieval monastic barn now in storage at the Chiltern Open Air Museum. Built in the fourteenth century to store grain for the abbey, this impressive structure reveals the scale of monastic farming and medieval craftsmanship.
Snowdrops: The First Signs of Spring
At the Museum the short days of winter are brightened by the appearance of snowdrops around the site. Bursting into bloom around our historic buildings, these early-flowering beauties carpet our gardens and wild spaces.
King Cullimore Charitable Trust Funding
Chiltern Open Air Museum would like to thank the King Cullimore Charitable Trust for their generous grant of £25,000 towards the Museum’s 2025 operating costs.
Buildings in Storage: Dunstable Shop
Discover the story of the Dunstable Shop, a medieval timber-framed building now in storage at the Chiltern Open Air Museum. From Roman roads and royal planning to inns, shops and centuries of changing use, this building reveals how travel and trade shaped the historic market town of Dunstable.
Chiltern Open Air Museum Turns 50
We’re turning 50, but the story didn’t start in 1976… discover the early beginnings of the Museum.
Chiltern Open Air Museum Says Farewell to 2025
Epic re-enactments and colourful community events, launching the Bandstand and a new app, welcoming new arrivals, receiving awards and celebrating our volunteers. Discover why 2025 was an exciting year at the Museum.
Boxing Day in the Chilterns: A Tradition Rooted in History and Community
Boxing Day, celebrated on 26 December, is a much-loved part of the British festive season. Today it’s associated with brisk countryside walks, leftover turkey, sport on the television and a spot of shopping. But the history of Boxing Day goes back centuries and is deeply rooted in ideas of charity, community and rural life - values that mean a lot to us here at Chiltern Open Air Museum.
Stallholders at Festive Weekend 2025
The Chiltern Open Air Museum Festive Weekend is back on 6 & 7 December with fabulous artisan stalls for perfect gifts and treats this Christmas. Here’s our complete guide to where you can find each stall.
Restored Tortoise Stove in Thame Vicarage Room
Discover the story of the restored 19th-century Tortoise Stove now reinstalled in the Thame Vicarage Room at Chiltern Open Air Museum. First designed in 1830 by Charles Portway in Essex, the Tortoise Stove became famous for its slow-burning efficiency and motto “Slow but sure.” Visit the Museum to see this beautifully restored example of Victorian heating history brought back to life.
Diwali 2025: the Festival of Light at the Museum
In October 2025, Chiltern Open Air Museum once again welcomed visitors from across the local community to its Diwali Celebration. After the success of last year’s event, the museum was thrilled to host the Festival of Light for the second year running – and this one was even bigger, brighter, and more joyful.
Living Conditions Through the Years
Step back in time at Chiltern Open Air Museum and explore how home life and comfort have evolved through history. From the smoky Iron Age roundhouse and simple timber cottages to the Victorian wychert home and modern 1940s prefab, discover how living conditions changed over the centuries and what “comfort” once meant.
The Gunpowder Plot & Bonfire Night: The Story Behind the Sparks
Discover the fascinating story behind Bonfire Night. Learn how the failed Gunpowder Plot of 1605 inspired centuries of fireworks, bonfires, and community celebrations across Britain. Explore the history of Guy Fawkes and the traditions that light up Buckinghamshire each November.
The Other Jekyll: Walter, Robert Louis Stevenson’s Friend and Gertrude’s Brother
Explore the story of Walter Jekyll — brother of famed Arts and Crafts garden designer Gertrude Jekyll and friend of Robert Louis Stevenson. His name inspired Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde and connects to the Jekyll garden design tribute at Astleham Garden, Chiltern Open Air Museum, where her naturalistic planting style lives on.
The Historic Origins of Halloween
Discover the ancient roots of Halloween at Chiltern Open Air Museum. Learn how the Celtic festival of Samhain evolved into today’s celebration of pumpkins, lanterns, and trick-or-treating. Explore centuries of autumn traditions that honour harvest, remembrance, and community as the year turns from light to dark.
Halloween Spectacular: Costume Competition
Coming to our Halloween Spectacular on 31 October? Dress in costume when you visit and you could win a family annual membership to the Museum. Find out how…
LGBTQ+ Campfire Heritage Stories
In front of a warm and welcoming crowd, representatives from the local LGBTQ+ community shared their stories of challenges and triumphs at the Campfire Heritage Stories event at the Museum last Sunday.
Inspired by a basket of Museum objects and facilitated by the Museum’s Outreach Programmer Jacqui Gellman, our storytellers shared their memories along with members of the audience. The event was recorded by oral historian Jonathan Kempster and will form part of the Museum archives, making their heritage stories accessible to Museum visitors for years to come.
Barnett Waddingham Donate to Museum Tree Planting Project
Chiltern Open Air Museum recently welcomed a donation from leading UK professional services consultancy Barnett Waddingham towards our new tree planting project.
Now you can help the Museum revitalise its woodland by donating to the tree planting project.
A Visit From the High Sheriff of Buckinghamshire
Yesterday Chiltern Open Air Museum welcomed Pippa Kirkbride, the High Sheriff of Buckinghamshire, to meet its volunteers.
Diwali Celebration Awarded National Lottery Funding
Chiltern Open Air Museum is delighted to announce that we have received funding from The National Lottery Community Fund to support Diwali celebrations at the Museum in both 2025 and 2026.
Finding Us
Newland Park, Gorelands Lane
Chalfont St Peter HP8 4AB