Land of Lost Content Museum, Craven Arms, Shropshire. Permanently closed

Details

Accessibility 

2-steps access from the Museum's forecourt off the street pavement, leading to the Museum's entrance and exit doors. There is no separate ramped access for wheelchairs or mobility scooters.

The 'Land of Lost Content' Museum is situated over 4 floors ( Ground, First, Second and Mezzanine floors).  Due to quite narrow walkways and the layout of some exhibits within the Museum, access may be limited in places for wheelchairs. There is staircase-access only to all floors above ground level. No Lifts available for wheelchairs but the museum has installed seat-stairlifts to most upper floor areas. 

Evacuation Chair installed at upper floor level for evacuation of mobility-impaired visitors in an emergency.

Nearest public parking area for visitors signposted by brown Visitor street signs from the A49 is 100 yards ( 0.9 metres) from the Museum.  A marked disabled parking space is also located on-street adjacent.  Other on-street parking can be found nearby to the Museum, but with some restricted parking areas.

Brief Description.

A small, privately-owned and funded Heritage Museum, in a former Market Hall building.  The 'Land of Lost Content' Museum houses the 'Stella Mitchell Collection' comprising of 1,000s of lovingly collected and curated artefacts and memorabilia showcasing Britain's social history and 'British Popular Culture'  over the last 200-300 years. Rather than the Museum's Collection being displayed strictly chronologically over the 4 floors of the Museum, the 'Land of Lost Content's'  Collection is sub-divided into over 37 themed displays, many of which each encompass exhibits across a number of time eras.

Owing to their wide variety, the following is an illustration of the themed displays situated currently (March 2021)* at  Ground Floor level: 'The Victorians'; ' The GPO ( Mail Service); 'Schooldays'; 'Healthcare'; 'Domestic Life'; 'Office Equipment'; 'Wartime' life; 'Technology'.

(* See the 'Land of Lost Content'  Museum website's virtual tour links for more details of the Museum's themed displays located on its upper floor levels.) .

The Museum website recommends visitors allow at least 1 - 2 hours to  tour the Museum. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Land_of_Lost_Content_(museum)

2025: "The Land of Lost Content was a museum in Craven Arms, Shropshire, that collected everyday objects such as toys, magazines and packaging.[1][2]

The museum's name was taken from Poem XL in A. E. Housman's collection A Shropshire Lad. 

The museum was founded by Stella Mitchell, who had begun collecting everyday objects while studying art in Birmingham in the 1970s.[3][4] She opened her first museum in 1991 with her husband Dave in West Sussex, before moving to Craven Arms in 2003.[3] Its final premises occupied the town's former market hall, constructed in 1888, which the couple bought for £165,000.[5] It contained 37 separate displays spread out over four floors.[6]

In 2018, the museum was threatened with closure because it did not meet modern safety standards. The owners retrofitted the premises with additional fire doors and extinguishers.[7]

In 2023, the premises closed following legal problems over co-ownership with Wayne Hemingway.[8] Two years later, the property was put up for sale.[9]

Objects in the museum included a variety of Chad Valley toys, bluebirds taken from the gates of the Blue Bird Toffee factory,[3][10] tickets from the first National Lottery in 1994 and a Sinclair C5.[5]

The museum was run without any funding or sponsorship and relied on word of mouth to build a reputation for its collections and displays.[7] All of the museum's objects were popular and in everyday use at some point since the late Victorian era.[10] Though many items were mass-produced with no perceived value when collected by the museum, they have since acquired significance as they are attached to visitors' personal memories and a view to how people used to live.[3]

The Land of Lost Content has donated objects in its collections to various other museums and exhibitions. These include a 50th anniversary commemoration of the Festival of Britain in 2011, supplying 1930s posters to the Black Country Living Museum and furnishing a flat with contemporary objects in Balfron Tower as part of a National Trust display of Brutalist architecture in 2014.[3][11]"

Address

'Land of Lost Content', National Museum of British Popular Culture Museum, Old Market Hall, Market Street, Craven Arms,

Shropshire SY7 9NW

Email

info.lolcmuseum@gmail.com

Phone

01588 676176/672419

Website

http://www.lolcmuseumofpopculture.co.uk/museum.html

Welcome PAGE (lolcmuseumofpopculture.co.uk)

https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g504098-d1467595-Reviews-Land_of_Lost_Content_Museum-Craven_Arms_Shropshire_England.html

https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/whats-on/family-kids-news/gallery/land-lost-content-museum-shropshire-16712534

https://www.shropshirestar.com/news/2025/01/09/historic-south-shropshire-market-hall-that-once-housed-quirky-museum-goes-on-the-market/

Directions

SAT NAV: SY7 9NW

Craven Arms is a small town on the A49 road between Shrewsbury (approx 21.4 miles) and Ludlow (approx 7.8 miles).  Follow traffic direction signage from  A49 eastwards for Craven Arms town centre  where the 'Land of Lost Content' Museum is located.

Opening Times

Always check with the venue directly for up-to-date information including opening times and admission charges as they may be subject to change.

Usual opening times:  11 am - 5pm : Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and also on Sundays in July and August. Closed  on Wednesdays. Bookings currently being taken (as at March 2021 for when museum re-opens) on-line only for pre-booked half-hour time slots - last time slot of day for bookings is 4pm. 

( Note: As at March 2021: the Museum is currently shut due to nationwide UK Government COVID-19 Lockdown Restrictions: the Museum is planning to re-open from 12 April 2021 subject to the lifting of Government Restrictions.)

Visitor prices: Adults/Seniors - £8 ,Students - £6, Children - £4.  

Transport

By Train: Nearest Railway Station: Craven Arms Station  operated by Transport for Wales ( TFW) on the Chester - Cardiff Central Line , via Shrewsbury, Whitchurch, Nantwich and Crewe . The station is approximately   0.4 miles from 'Land of Lost Content Museum' . Craven Arms Station is not staffed and does not have a ticket office, toilets or refreshment facilities.  Step free access to Platform 1 (to Shrewsbury) is available via a ramp from Ash Close.  Step free access to Platform 2 (to Hereford) is available from the car park. Both platforms are connected via a footbridge only.

(Nearest Railway Station which is staffed, with step-free access to all platforms, toilets and refreshment facilities is: Shrewsbury Station ( 21.4 miles) (then complete journey by taxi or  by bus) . 

By Bus: Bus Service no. 435 (operated by Minsterley Motors) between Ludlow - Shrewsbury via Craven Arms town centre. Mon - Sat only excluding bank holidays. As at March 2021: Buses approx 1 x per hour Mon - Fri  daytime only; approx every 2 hours on Sat ( daytime only). 

Amenities

• Museum cafe offering light refreshments 
• Visitors toilet