Museum

Step Into History at the Wookey Hole Museum

Discover the rich and fascinating history of Wookey Hole in our three museum exhibitions, each dedicated to a different era of our past. From prehistoric discoveries to cave diving milestones and the legacy of paper-making, there’s so much to uncover!

Explore Our Exhibitions

🕵️‍♂️ The History of Wookey Hole Caves

Learn how the caves were formed and the many civilisations that have lived here over thousands of years—including the famous Witch of Wookey Hole.

DID YOU KNOW?

The Romans used the River Axe to transport lead from Mendip Hills to the sea. A hoard of Roman coins and pieces of Saxon and Roman pottery have been discovered inside the caves!

Photo courtesy of Joy Bailey

Cave Diving Exhibit

Wookey Hole was home to Britain’s first successful cave dive in 1935, where Graham Balcombe and Penelope (Mossy) Powell reached Chamber 7 at a depth of 52m (170ft).

The exhibition features a film by the British diving team that led the 2018 Thailand cave rescue about the history of cave diving. The video will give you an insight into what it is like to explore into the depths of Wookey Hole.

DID YOU KNOW?

Wookey Hole was the site of one of the deepest cave dives in history, reaching an incredible 90 metres deep!

The Paper-Making Exhibit

There has been a Paper Mill at Wookey Hole since the 1600s.
The Mill you visit today was built in the 1850's and was once the largest in Europe.
You can see how old fabric rags were transformed into high-quality paper when you visit and even try your hand at making paper yourself!
Look up! The large chimney-like vents on the mill once directed valley breezes into drying lofts, where paper was hung for up to 7 days.