Bolton Museum, Aquarium and Archive

Positive experience: Visited here with my 2 young nephews, who also enjoyed it. The Egyptian Hall is very well laid out and really fired our imagination. The History of Bolton Hall was good and I was pleased to see good old Fred Dibnah represented there. Just a shame that not all the screens were on. The aquarium was interesting and although small, had enough to keep my nephews fascinated for half an hour or so. A good way to spend a bit of time and, as a Bury girl, it pains me to say this, but much better than Bury Museum.

Fantastic experience: Really good place to go there highly recommend it worth it with family

Fantastic experience: Visited just before having lunch at wetherspoons. Spent about 30 minutes here. Enjoyable and very interesting. Particularly liked the Egyptian display and the stuffed animals on display.

Fantastic experience: Beautiful museum with stunning architecture. The aquarium hiding in the basement is fab. Very educational content. Egyptian room is amazing and natural history is awesome too. There are little hands on bits and dress up woven into the museum's journey for little ones.

Fantastic experience: It is free and many interesting things to see including free aquarium.

Positive experience: A day trip to Bolton to visit the museum and a look around the town. The museum was good, a few different sections including an Egyptian section, natural history style section, and as it's Bolton an area dedicated to Reebok sportswear. There is a small aquarium with a variety of different species to see. Various fish and some stingrays. Overall really pleased with the museum.

Fantastic experience: I visited this museum when I first came to Bolton and I've been coming here ever since its packed with history

Fantastic experience: It is FREE! There are rooms of egyptology, local history, natural history, paintings and a fantastic aquarium with knowledgeable people to talk to. Could have done with a few more seats particularly in the aquarium so one could just look. Excellent cafe as well

Fantastic experience: We recently visited with our 9 year old granddaughter. It really is a hidden gem in the North West. There is so much to see, from the Eygptology, Bolton History, Natural World and Reebok exhibitions to the aquarium and library. The exhibitions are all excellent and full of artefacts and interesting information. The aquarium was the best we've been to for a long time. The cafe and shop were also excellent and the cafe was such good value for money with a good variety of sandwiches and lovely homemade cakes. The people who work there and keep such high standards should be commended. Truly a wonderful place.... and it is all free!! There are donation boxes if you want to help support them, maybe put them in more visible places though! Thank you for an enjoyable afternoon.

Fantastic experience: I went with my grandson yesterday, he had a lovely day, filling in all the activities for children, all the staff and volunteers were amazingly helpful and approachable. I went again with a friend with mobility issue's after telling her how great the day before was, she really wanted to visit. The staff were totally amazing yet again, the aquarium fish were being feed, highly interested at the information given. Unfortunately the lift wasn't working in the history part, which is on 2 levels, my friend definitely wanted to visit that area. We got assistance from a volunteer called Nigel, who went totally out of his way to assist us. He didn't want my friend to miss the 2nd level of the exhibition, as this was her interest, but with mobility issues and the lift out of action, he went above and beyond to assist us. The museum is amazing, the staff are a total credit.

Fantastic experience: Such a good day out for the kids, totally reccomend. And it's totally free, and there is a cafe inside too. Amazing museum and aquarium with helpful staff.

Fantastic experience: I read there was a Reebok exhibition starting Saturday the 5th July so popped along to check it out. I got speaking with the curator who told me a great story that Charlton Heston visited Bolton in the 1980's to open Reebok House. The exhibition included a mini movie which was showcased in the lecture theatre where I met the directors and a former Reebok runner. The exhibition is centred around running. The exhibition runs until January 2026 and well worth a visit. It's free! As a basketball player I was pleased to see the Reebok Pump on display.

Fantastic experience: Nice museum but the library is the real win. Beautifully laid out, nicely lit and, joy of joys, really well used by a complete range of people groups. Decent coffee bar too!

Fantastic experience: I visited a couple of weeks ago (not having seen the museum since the 1970s). It was a Proustian moment for me. Even more beautiful than I remembered.

Positive experience: A good museum for free. Took us an hour or 2 to look around. Plenty of information in there and interesting facts. The only 2 things that let it down was there was only sandwiches in the cafe and no range of food and the other was I felt in the aquarium the rays were too big for the space they was in. They need a more open aquarium space and it made me feel quite sad to see this as I have never seen rays in such a confined space and also the fish in the next tank. Overall though, it is worth it for free.

Positive experience: Its well built book of history. Love how well arranged the place is. There is an interesting small aquarium as well. Everybody who visits Bolton must visit the museum as it will amplify the whole experience you are about to get.

Positive experience: Well laid out museum with interesting exhibits, especially the Egyptian section. I recommend visiting outside school daytime if you want a quite viewing.

Fantastic experience: The museum was amazing and full of interesting stuff from live fish to an Egyptian tomb to the history of Bolton. The Museum building itself was amazing and as we entered Tom who is a staff member was so helpful and interesting. We spent 3 hours there wandering around on 4 different levels. There cafe and toilets. The museum is free and we will be going back for another visit.

Fantastic experience: A free museum and aquarium. Plenty of fish to see from all over the world. The Egypt gallery is huge with a real mummy!

Fantastic experience: Good place to read and see exotic fishes

Positive experience: Excellent Egyptian section. History of Bolton interesting, sd wsd small aquarium. Library good too

Fantastic experience: All the staff here are wonderful. Special thanks to Pete in the aquarium for being so knowledgeable and helpful.

Fantastic experience: Born and bred from Bolton and I am proud to show my friends and family from out of town/country this beautiful museum & Aquarium :)

Negative experience: Was hyped up from people I know, but the aquarium was literally a 5 minute walk around and art gallery was probably 4 minutes. Took longer going up and down the stairs than actually seeing the exhibitions. The building is beautiful though!

Positive experience: Lovely little museum with a very informative Egyptian section, lots of local history too, on the other hand the aquarium was awful, filthy tanks, some so full of algae that the fish were all stuck at one end of the tank, very poorly maintained and the catfish looked poorly with very cloudy eyes, it really was a very sorry sight

Fantastic experience: Something for everyone and to suit all interests and ages here. Great mix of exhibits ranging from sports, to industry, ancient Egypt and everything in between. Aquarium was an added bonus and some of the artwork on display was very nice. Highly recommended.

Negative experience: Certainly this application is doing distortion of history by changing the real name of persian gulf to another name. I hope decision makers realise their mistake and put just the real name of that (Persian Gulf) on the map.

Fantastic experience: Brilliant friendly staff and was quiet during the start of the Easter holiday

Fantastic experience: Our first visit to the aquarium, museum and library and we spent the whole day with a mixed age group of children. The aquarium has lots of different species of fish and easy to access information. The museum has a couple of trails to complete which really engaged the children in the exhibits. There was a craft workshop of the day that the children could access by finding answers in the ancient Egypt room. The staff were all exceptionally helpful. The cafe was really well stocked with a meal deal available. We also visited the children's library and were blown away with what a beautiful, functional, entertaining space this is for children. One of the librarians led story time which all the children involved loved. What a great day out! Would recommend parking in the octagon carpark although we parked in the market place carpark which was only a short walk too.

Fantastic experience: We all LOVE to visit the Library and Museums. It is full of wonderful books and history, Of course, we also always visit the fishes in the Aquarium while we are there. It's amazing. The staff are brilliant and so helpful. There is lots to look at, study, learn about, and admire. I went with my parents as a child, and I take our child every time we go to town as they love going to see the exhibits and fishes. They also run cinema experiences here once a month for both children and adults. 100% great for family days out no matter what are you are!

Fantastic experience: Interesting place to visit, staff are knowledgeable and helpful. Lovely environment and well thought out, thoroughly recommend a visit.

Fantastic experience: A great museum in a beautiful building. There's something for everyone, art, ancient Egyptian artifacts, past times and a cool aquarium! There's also an independent cafe with reasonably priced snacks and drinks.

Fantastic experience: A good way of passing a couple of hours. Excellent ancient Egyptian display. Replica tomb ,mummies & other artefacts. Also a robot display natural & local history . Plus aquarium thoroughly recommend.

Fantastic experience: Took my 2 nephews to the museum. They had a lovely time. There were interactive activities for them to be involved in. We spent about 1.5 in the museum. We really enjoyed the afternoon.

Fantastic experience: Free. Amazing aquarium. Egyptian exhibition has an actual Mummy unlike Manchester University Museum which was rubbish for mummified dead people.

Fantastic experience: A fantastic day out for the whole family.

Fantastic experience: Great place to visit with the family. Very interesting and very well laid out. Cafe is good too. Unfortunately the rest of Bolton is a bit run down.

Fantastic experience: Great free museum in the town centre loads to see and a fantastic Egyptian exhibit too! Plus an aquarium and library!

Negative experience: Went to the art and museum today which was excellent. However I'm very concerned about the aquarium area. Some people in the reviews are saying the tanks haven't been changed in months. The tanks are insanely dirty, cramped and too small. It's animal abuse. Sort it.

Positive experience: With the pressures on local government budgets, it always surprises me when I visit a free-to-enter museum, not least one as well-presented as this. Bolton has a resource here that it can be justifiably proud of. The biggest problem with it for me though: I just didn't leave enough time to see it all properly, so I had to go back for another visit. Ended up spending about two and a half hours in total, and probably could have spent longer (now can I squeeze in a third visit? ).

Positive experience: Very good little museum to visit, it was recommended as the third best museum to visit in England but I'd have to disagree, Liverpool being much bigger and more historic. Would have been nice to see a voluntary ££ contribution stand as I always feel awkward just walking in and not giving to the upkeep of places. Not like the council to miss a trick!!

Fantastic experience: The museum is spectacular! Beautifully curated. Aquariums aren't my thing bit it was an unusual addition. Egyptian exhibition was tastefully and respectfully presented.

Fantastic experience: If you are a lover of ancient Egypt, then you have to visit Bolton Museum.

Fantastic experience: Great place to visit. Lots of interesting things to see. Very well maintained. Well worth a visit.

Fantastic experience: Decent museum, from local history to Egyptian artefacts & even a small art gallery & a nice library. And a small aquarium! It's a clean & tidy place staff are all nice & helpful. I've nothing negative to say about the place. And it's free! Spent 2 hours here could have easily spent more.

Fantastic experience: Lovely accessible free day out, with something for everyone. They have stools on the walls in case you need a portable seat as you explore, and there are lifts throughout the building. There were activities for kids throughout and when I went on a Saturday, it was being used by lots of people but still didn't feel packed.

Fantastic experience: Good local museum took two of the grandchildren they really enjoyed it it's well worth a visit if you're in the local area

Fantastic experience: Great museum, with activities on for children and also a library. Even better that it is free entry (obviously donate if you can afford to)

Fantastic experience: Fantastic museum, loved the aquarium they have. Loved the Egyptian exhibit.

Fantastic experience: We visit regularly. Plenty to see and do for the kids and they always enjoy it

Positive experience: Thoroughly enjoyed our time here with my 7yr old grandson. He loved the ancient Egypt parts...

Fantastic experience: Such a great museum for the size and place! Highly recommend visiting if you're in the area, it's free so why not!

Fantastic experience: What to do on a wet afternoon in Bolton? We were on a day trip and hadn't been before. It was suggested a visit to the museum would pass some time. Well it did, and an afternoon wasn't long enough. Its really brilliant full of interesting exhibits. The Egyptolgy section alone is worth the visit, within the building is also an art gallery and aquarium and cafe. The staff are very informative, and it's all free. A real revelation. Only criticism for me is I would have loved a souvenir book to remember the place, but there isn’t one. We will just have to go back.

Fantastic experience: A really wonderful museum. We had a tour from Milly and she was very knowledgeable and a good speaker. Good for all ages.

Fantastic experience: Fab museum, great cafe, beautiful library, fun aquarium. Definitely worth a visit, our 7 year old loved it!

Fantastic experience: It’s always a wonderful place to have a stroll around and remind yourself of the history that Bolton has! It’s free entry and I always think that it’s a real shame that more people don’t visit.

Negative experience: Horrendous keeping of fish , overcrowded, even smaller tanks that full of unkept plants the fish where trapped in a corner , one tanks water was completely green with dead fish floating around this needs sorting ASAP, my two kids left a little upset at the state of it

Fantastic experience: I recently visited the museum, library, and aquarium in Bolton, and I was pleasantly surprised by how excellent it was – especially since entry is free! There was so much to see, and everything was very well-maintained. The facilities were clean, with plenty of toilets available, and the little cafe was a nice touch for a break. I took three kids of different ages (2, 4, and 9), and they all had a great time. There was something for everyone, making it a perfect place to visit during the summer holidays or even on a rainy day. I had no idea Bolton had such a fantastic museum – highly recommend it!

Fantastic experience: Visited on a Saturday afternoon with my Grandchildren. The library is set up so well for children and they had a brilliant time.

Fantastic experience: Excellent museum which has recently been revamped. Library has been modernised and looks all the better for it. Highly recommended.

Fantastic experience: You know what, I was pleasantly surprised for a free museum with different exhibitions. The aquarium is a nice touch and was unexpected! Staff friendly and helpful :)

Fantastic experience: I am quite admire Bolton to have this such a lovely place, to spend time, to know a little more of Bolton history. The aquarium is located at the basement and don't need the admission fee. Its 100% out of my expectation. They even keep the catfish, ray etc...!

Negative experience: The fishes are in a tiny enclosure and it can lead to unhappy and unhealthy fishes. Honestly the fish tanks are a state. Sort it out. Everything else is nice

Fantastic experience: Excellent Egyptian display. Wow, why haven't they not advertised all what they have done here and even a cafe now:)

Fantastic experience: Superb museum with aquarium, Egyptian section and very good general museum. So much there is something interesting for everyone.

Fantastic experience: Amazing local museum, but with a collection that far surpassed my expectations. The curation of artefacts is top notch and this museum deserves a lot of funding and patronage! Bravo to the team who work there!

Fantastic experience: Especially since they renovated the library, but even before that, Bolton Museum always makes a visit to the dying town of Bolton worth it. Really well thought out Egyptian exhibition, very interesting displays on the town's history, natural history exhibits and an art galley on the museum floor. The density of stuff to explore combined with the changing museum and art exhibits on offer makes the museum revisitable. In the basement there is an aquarium offering a colourful variety of species from different continents, it's not too big so darkness shouldn't be a problem as you get a blast of light from the hallway. On the entrance level the newly renovated library offers a cafe in a really nice setting, a games area, a well organised selection of books and new toilets, meaning there is now an accessible toilet on every floor. All of this is free to enter, too. Only problem I've found is the lift to the balcony level that holds natural history exhibits and the changing museum exhibition seems to have been switched off for over a year now, which cuts off these areas of the museum to individuals with limited mobility.

Fantastic experience: great aquarium, nice and quiet for a saturday, lovely gift shop with a range of mugs, teddies, pins, pens etc from dinosaurs to animals and Egyptian stuff. the animal section was great and the venue overall is pretty accessible with ramps, lifts and wide doorways for wheelchair users. we went as teenagers and didnt feel as it was just for kids, and the guy at the gift shop was super polite.

Fantastic experience: Explored the Egyptology exhibition, Bolton local history and the Aquarium. This is a gem, great for kids and adults and free entry.

Fantastic experience: Great place to enjoy books, aquarium and museum. There's also a cafe now which is open until 4pm, they sell hot and cold drinks as well as sandwiches and cakes. There's lots of seating in the cafe and it's always nice and warm inside.

Positive experience: Nice place to spend an hour or two. Had some lovely facts and interesting displays. It was good for all ages and definitely worth having a look at on a rainy day when in Bolton!

Fantastic experience: A very nice museum with aquarium (free entry) , Bolton history, Egyptian history, Art gallery, etc. Excellent for family with kids. Plan for around 1-2 hours in it would be good.

Fantastic experience: Gem of a place ✨️ I needed something to do with the kids, had a little trip here. I thought we would be finished looking around in 1 hour....it took longer as there's loads to do and see!! Plus it's free!! Kids loved it. Even the teenagers! From bolton - Egypt- the aquarium... all under 1 roof. The staff were so lovely too. There's a cafe and gift shop, plus lifts for prams and wheelchair users. The down fall which is not the museums issue was the council have put a 1 hour no return on paid parking! So after 1 hour you have to move your car. This was a peeve. All in all lovely day! Thank you

Fantastic experience: I visited the library which is a lovely place. It's child friendly with a children's section. There's an area for quiet study and you are able to use the communal computers which are free for library members for the first hour and £1 per hour afterwards. Non members pay £1 per hour. You are able to print off documents for a cost of 10p per A4 sheet. There is a lovely cafe at the entrance, the aquarium is downstairs and the art gallery and exhibition area upstairs both accessible by stairs or lift.

Positive experience: The museum has recently had a revamp and I must say I am impressed. It's local history section it's a standout for me. But the aquarium is looks tired and could do with a revamp too.

Fantastic experience: It was such a delightful experience! The beautifully sculpted art was amazing, and I was impressed by how lifelike the bear looked. I loved exploring the bird history, Egypt exhibits, the aquarium, and even the shop—everything was wonderful.

Fantastic experience: Great place. Egyptology Department second to none. The refurbished library is bright and welcoming and the foyer has been transformed into a very good cafe.

Negative experience: The Boston Museum Aquarium is not a good standard. There are sick fish, dirty tanks, overcrowded tanks and there are also fish in tanks way to small. The rays were the main concern, their tank was tiny, it's cruel. Looking at Google reviews, this has been mentioned a lot and clearly no action has been taken. The museum really bought me and my friend into Boston for the day and we left early because we were so disappointed by the aquarium. The rest of the museum we couldn't fault, but the aquarium was a real let down and really sad.

Fantastic experience: Visited the museum with some friends and their kids really enjoyed looking around at everything and the aquarium was a nice treat. Food festival was also on that weekend so was busy around the museum but really enjoyed it.

Positive experience: Great free place to take the kids, free film days, we saw ratatouille, and you can take your own snacks so it was a fab free afternoon out. The museum is small but enough for a wonder round. Would have been better if they had all the toilets open so you didn't have to walk up and down the stairs multiple times (with kids)

Fantastic experience: Free museum, It's not huge but has some interesting exhibition rooms, bolton history, Egyptian, birds of Bolton, paitings and animals and rocks, and even a small aquarium. It is very tidy and clean throughout, even the toilets. Quite enjoyable and informative

Fantastic experience: Absolutely fantastic museum & aquarium with fresh and tropical fish. Well worth a visit if you're local or visiting the area. A super little gem and free to enter, do please give a little donation to help keep this place running and of course visit the cafe down stairs too! Lovely coffee and cake!

Fantastic experience: Great museum with some excellent exhibits. Doesn't take long to walk around and there is a lift if you don't fancy stairs.

Positive experience: Great day out with the Grandchildren, they where thoroughly entertained with it all, just a shame part of the balcony exhibition was unaccessible due to work being carried out, surely this could have been done outside the school holidays.

Fantastic experience: When we visited there were 2 ladies doing "express yourself" workshop. My 7 year old daughter absolutely loved the work shop. The children were able to draw, sing, dance and play instruments to express different types of weather which I found incredibly creative. We will definitely be returning to the museum. The downstairs mini aquarium was also lovely to see and the information on each species of fish was very informative.

Positive experience: This is quite a good museum and I was impressed as I didn't expect what was there plus it's free! There is also a small aquarium but i think the aquarium should be redone as some of the tanks where quite small for some of the fish and they looked a bit old and dated, would probably give it 5 stars if the aquarium was redone. There is nearby parking if you have a search on maps and some are quite reasonably priced. The museum is worth a visit.

Fantastic experience: Great museum, I love it. The Egyptian exhibition is a must see

Positive experience: Good place to go as its free. Bolton history and aquarium the most interesting for me. Library a good resource and great to see being well used. Needs investment on new exhibits.

Negative experience: I did like the animals and bird sections however I had many issues with this museum and aquarium. the conditions of the tanks were poor, with it seeming like there was hardly any room for the bigger fish, many tanks lacked greenery or many decorative things, there was lots of overgrowth in tanks, and some tanks had barnicals growing. In the Egypt section many activities were missing pieces, especially the informative map which meant lots of information was missing.

Fantastic experience: Absolutely brilliant kids loved it, so did we, it's a must for the family

Positive experience: It's a really wonderful place to go with family. Great place to visit any day!

Fantastic experience: Excellent museum we love the aquarium but plenty of other stuff to see and it's free . We go every chance we get when. your stuck for something to do .you can't go wrong.we Highly recommend Bolton museum. Staff are fab too. Waiting to see the upstairs taxidermy that's being renovated some wonderful specimens on display

Fantastic experience: Amazing place for the young and old! Loved the aquarium, library and museum. So much to do. Could be there for the whole day. Wonderful cafe too with very friendly staff.

Positive experience: It was fine, not the best museum we have visited. The aquarium is sad. The rays have no room and shouldn't be in a tank that small. The Egyptian area was definitely the highlight and worth going to see.

Fantastic experience: The museum was very interesting with Egyptian exhibits, local art and bolton history. There is also a small aquarium in the basement. The library is excellent.

Fantastic experience: I visited here with my kids for the first time today. Very fun and the kids had a great time. I really enjoyed learning about the people and place of Bolton. I also really enjoyed the information about Egypt. There is a little café to get some snacks and have a sit down after wandering around. There is also a really nice library. Being free makes it a great place for a day out and a way to keep costs down.

Fantastic experience: Nice day out for the children lots to see and do. Aquarium is excellent and considering it free, I'd rather come here than other more expensive aquariums.

Fantastic experience: So much history if you take your time to view it , A lovley Aquarium downstairs and a well displayed Egyptian section has some fantastic relics . Great for kids and adults alike with an in depth look into boltons history .

Positive experience: I was in Bolton for the stars and cars show, and decided to come here on my spare day. I saw it had a museum and aquarium in, and I expected it b hidden costs to go in them, but pleasantly surprised as no charges. The aquarium is 1 room down. Museum is a few good sized rooms, however be warned the main hall may have half the upper floor closed off. No idea why but still all good . Pleasant staff and they seemed to like talking to visitors from what I saw. All in all a good place to visit and kill an hour or 2.

Fantastic experience: We visited for the first time and it was lovely. My main concern when going somewhere new is accessibility as i am disabled, and this museum was perfect, easy to access all floors. It was very clean and well maintained and the staff were friendly.