Meet Elaine - Lacemaking
In the lead up to our Heritage Crafts Weekend on 26 & 27 July, we take a moment to meet some of the traditional craftspeople that will be at the event. This time, we’re looking at the craft of lacemaking with expert reenactor Elaine who can often be seen at the Museum bringing history to life for many different time periods.
Free WW2 Themed Workshop for 5 Schools
As part of the VE80 celebrations grant from the UK Government through Arts Council England we are offering 5 schools a FREE trip to COAM to experience a WW2 themed workshop on a strictly first-come, first-served basis providing the trips occur before January 2026. As well as offering the sessions totally free, we can also contribute a bursary of up to £500 to pay for travel.
Meet the Middlesex Woodturners
In the lead up to our Heritage Crafts Weekend on 26 & 27 July, we take a moment to meet some of the traditional craftspeople that will be at the event. Next up, it’s the Middlesex Woodturners.
Meet Judith - 18th Century Spinning
In the lead up to our Heritage Crafts Weekend on 26 & 27 July, we take a moment to meet some of the traditional craftspeople that will be at the event. This time it’s the turn of a familiar face at the Museum - Judith, our 18th Century Spinning expert.
Meet Alan Paulus - Wheelwright and Traditional Bucket Maker
In the lead up to our Heritage Crafts Weekend on 26 & 27 July, we take a moment to meet some of the traditional craftspeople that will be at the event. Our first maker is Alan Paulus - wheelwright and traditional bucket maker.
The History of Lacemaking in the Chilterns
Lacemaking is one of the heritage crafts showcased at the Museum but when and where did lace originate and why was it so important to Buckinghamshire?
Charcoal Burning
Charcoal burning has been done in the Chilterns woodlands for centuries. Find out how we make charcoal at the Museum.
Take Pride in Your Heritage
June is Pride month - celebrating the contributions of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer culture and communities. COAM champions inclusivity through our Heritage Stories project, collecting stories from members of the Chilterns community; often a reminiscence sparked by one of our rescued buildings or an object from the Museum's collection.
COAM Highly Commended at Museums + Heritage Awards
Chiltern Open Air Museum scooped second place in the Visitor Accessibility Award category and were awarded Highly Commended at the Museums + Heritage Awards.
What was it like living in a 1940s Prefab?
Visiting the 1940s prefab at Chiltern Open Air Museum is like stepping back in time. Why were the prefabs built, what was it like to live in them, and why were their gardens cherished by those who moved into a prefab in the 1940s?
Commemorating VE Day 80
As we mark the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe the Museum remembers World War 2 and the impact on the people of the Chilterns with a series of events and exhibitions throughout the year.
Buildings in Storage: Watford High Street 177-9 & 193-5
Explore the remarkable rescue of 177–179 and 193–195 High Street, Watford — two fifteenth-century timber-framed commercial buildings saved from demolition in the 1970s. Now preserved in store at Chiltern Open Air Museum, these medieval structures reveal layers of urban life, from warehouses and wagon ways to bakeries and twentieth-century shops.
Shrapnel Boys: Life on the Home Front Museum Trail
This May half term, embark on a fun spotter trail at Chiltern Open Air Museum as part of the Shrapnel Boys: Life on the Home Front Museum Trail, organised by Kids in Museums and Usborne. This national family trail is inspired by Shrapnel Boys, a forthcoming novel by award-winning children’s author Jenny Pearson, publishing to coincide with the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War.
Gorelands Lane Finger Post Sign
Finger post signs, also known as guideposts or directional signs, are freestanding structures with a vertical post and multiple arms, each pointing in a different direction and displaying text or symbols to guide pedestrians and motorists.
The sign that originally pointed out the routes on Gorelands Lane was donated to the Museum and had been in our collections storage until early this year. Now its had a new lease of life.
More to Discover This April: Hops, Bluebells and a New Nature Trail
Learn about heritage hops growing. Discover the new willow sculpture nature trail and explore our woodland as we enter bluebell season.
Chiltern Open Air Museum Awarded Grant by the National Lottery Heritage Fund to Enhance Accessibility to Heritage
Chiltern Open Air Museum is delighted to announce that it has been awarded a grant of £239,949 from The National Lottery Heritage Fund to support its Pathways to Heritage project. This four-year initiative is designed to improve accessibility, enhance interpretation, and provide valuable training opportunities in the heritage sector.
The Traditional Skill of Hedge-laying
Discover the traditional skill of hedge-laying with Museum volunteer Paula Lacey.
Women’s History Month: Women’s Work
For many years, women were not allowed into the professions and yet they performed a key role in the running of a household and a family. Their craft skills often provided much needed income for the family and women also worked alongside their husbands in small family businesses.
Women’s History Month: Land Girls - the Women Who Fed the Nation
Every March Women's History Month raises awareness of the contributions women have made to events through history and society. This week two of our volunteers look at the impact the Land Girls had during WW2.
Buildings in Storage: Aylesbury Saddler’s Workshop
Built around 1773 and hidden behind a shop in Kingsbury Square, Aylesbury, this timber-framed saddlery served local farmers for nearly two centuries. Saved from demolition and now in store at Chiltern Open Air Museum, it represents the skilled craftsmanship and rural trades that shaped Buckinghamshire’s market towns.
Finding Us
Newland Park, Gorelands Lane
Chalfont St Peter HP8 4AB