I call this review back to the future because it has two results – my teenage daughter gained an incredible historical knowledge for her school project and facts to be remembered for many years to come and I could at times reminisce and see history through my daughter's eyes. The Bridewell Museum is amazing, set in a gorgeous three storey building built around 1325 by a merchant called Geoffrey de Salle .It has been a house, a home of a Mayor and then to a home for vagrants to work for their keep (a 'brydewell to keep and stay ydle persons to somme honest woorke and labour.') then it was a prison until 1828. The initials and dates carved by prisoners can still be seen in the left hand corner of the yard, just past the museum entrance. The building also has been used as different factories throughout the years, tobacco, snuff, leather and shoes. It became the Bridewell Museum in 1925 and displays the incredible history of Norwich and Norfolk. My daughter was enchanted with the displays of childhood throughout the centuries and the trades, industries and childhood labour that built the economic environment. Myths and legends, trends and fashions fill the rooms and interactive games, arts and tasks engage families and install in children the wonders of the past. Rooms are recreated to show different eras, using authentic furnishings and knick knacks, interactive children's toys are placed to entice play and factual signs educate enthusiastic minds. I cannot emphasis enough the hidden treasure that is the Bridewell Museum and hope that anyone visiting Norwich ventures out into Bridewell Alley and visits this wonderful place. There are concessions for visitors with disabilities, over 65's and students at £3.95 which I consider a great price and young Person (4-18) is £2.95 . Family Ticket (2 adults + all children) are £12 and 1 adult + all children is £8 . The standard cost for an adult is £4.95. The opening hours are Tuesday to Saturday 10am to 4.30pm. Bank Holidays – open normal hours Closed: 24 – 26 December 2014 and 1 January 2015. Access is fairly good, There is a platform lift from the main entrance to the ground floor and a second lift within the museum provides access to all levels of the museum. It cannot accommodate motorised scooters but does have wheelchairs for use to transfer to which is handy.
