Museum Locations

The Guildhall

The Museum is housed in the iconic Windsor Guildhall, a Grade 1 listed landmark just steps from Windsor Castle. Dating back to 1689, this historic gem boasts royal connections that have spanned the centuries, making it a truly unique venue.

View of the Windsor Guildhall, a historic building with a combination of red brick and stone architecture, featuring tall columns and flower beds in the foreground.
The exterior view of Windsor Guildhall, showcasing its iconic architecture with a central statue and large windows.
Display case containing various archaeological artifacts, including flint tools and pottery fragments, arranged with labels.

The history of the Guildhall is available on the Museum’s website and also on the Royal Windsor Website. In late 2010, the ground floor of the Guildhall was refurbished to become the permanent home of the Windsor & Royal Borough Museum Collection. It was opened in Spring 2011.

There are hundreds of objects on display within the gallery space. These range from Stone Age flints to Roman tiles, to First World War letters, and so much more. Objects are periodically rotated, so no two visits to the Museum will be the same.

Interior view of the Windsor Guildhall Museum, featuring display cases with historical artifacts and informational panels on the walls.
Display case showcasing various historical artifacts, including bones, flints, and tools, with several items labeled for identification.
Interior view of the Windsor Museum featuring displays, information boards, and a staff member at the reception desk.

Whilst the main Museum is on the ground floor, the rooms above can be toured as part of our guided tour. They are hidden gems with wonderful stained glass windows, paintings of royalty, and excellent furniture.

Stained glass window featuring royal symbols and landscape imagery, accompanied by decorative floral arrangements in vases.
Stained glass window depicting Princess Beatrice and royal emblems, located in Windsor Guildhall.
A stained glass window featuring decorative elements and royal symbols, alongside a floral arrangement in a vase.
Portrait of Queen Elizabeth II in a white gown, adorned with a necklace and tiara, framed in an ornate golden frame.
Interior of the Windsor Guildhall featuring ornate portraits on the walls, a chandelier, and wooden seating arranged for an event.
A framed portrait of a man in regal attire, adorned with medals and decorations, standing next to a table with a crown on it, displayed in an elegant interior.

A range of plaques and boards record the history of the Borough. Names of the Honorary Freemen include the remarkable Sir Nicholas Winton, MBE and the 2003 England rugby coach, Sir Clive Woodward, OBE.

A wooden plaque displaying the names of past Bailiffs and Mayors of Windsor, adorned with a floral arrangement in the foreground.
A wooden plaque displaying the names of honorary freemen of the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, featuring a coat of arms at the top.

The Archive Store

The Museum also has a storeroom within the Borough. The Archive Store as it is called, is used to house most of the Collection. Unfortunately, at the moment, general access is not possible. It has specialised roller racking that houses over 400 boxes of items. It also has a specialised fire and security system to protect the Collection to prevent any issues.

Interior of the Archive Store showcasing stacks of framed artworks and manuscripts, with a large painting of Windsor in the background.
Interior view of the Archive Store, showcasing shelves filled with framed items and archival boxes.
A view of the Archive Store, featuring shelves filled with various books, boxes, and artifacts covered in protective materials.
Interior view of the Archive Store, featuring metal shelving stocked with boxes and archival materials.
Interior view of the Archive Store, featuring shelves filled with boxes and items for storage.

As an example of articles held here, there are 21 volumes of work by the famous local authoress Margaret Oliphant, including Salem Chapel (1863), Miss Marjoriebanks (1866) and The Curate in Charge (1876).

Online

The Museum’s Online Catalogue offers a unique way to see many of the items held within the Collection, should they not be on display or if the Museum is closed. It is a fantastic online resource. With so many items in the Collection, it takes Staff and Volunteers a lot of effort to digitise it all and load it onto the website. We have selected just a few of our favourites and presented them on this dedicated page to show what is on offer.

Location Windsor & Royal Borough Museum, The Guildhall, High Street, Windsor, SL4 1LR Phone 01628 685686 Email wrbmfriends@gmail.com Hours Tues & Wed 10am - 4pm
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