Erasmus Darwin House - Lichfield

I T.

Located across the green from the West Front of Lichfield Cathedral this small but perfectly formed museum tells the history of polymath Erasmus Darwin. Information boards, period costumes for younger visitors and many interactive exhibits bring his life and work alive. The courtyard garden is a hidden gem.

One E. C.

Hi I was booked to chauffeur newly married. Events were took place here really nice. Highly recommend only Sunday the close museum for event.

Jensen I.

A real gem of a museum about a relatively unknown great mind. Dedicated to the life Erasmus Darwin, grand father of Charles Darwin, who lived in Litchfield for a time. The museum can be accessed either from the front on Beacon Street or via an alley way at the back from The Close, which is opposite Litchfield Cathedral. It is right in the heart of Litchfield, so plenty of car parks nearby and places to eat.

Entrance to the herb garden is free but to access the house/museum it is just £5 per person. You can pay by cash or card.

The staff there are very friendly and knowledgeable. The museum consists of a large house with displays and information in each room. Surprisingly for a museum of this size, a lot of the exhibits are interactive so good fun for the kids. It will take about an hour to have a really good look and read all the information.

It was fascinating to learn about Erasmus as I knew nothing of him before. Well worth a visit.

The C. G.

Erasmus Darwin, Charles Darwin's grandfather, was a naturalist who developed one of the first formal theories of evolution. His work included ideas about how life evolved from a single ancestor, and how competition and sexual selection could cause species to change.

Sarah G.

Great little museum. Lots of interesting displays- mostly new to me. The garden is nice and probably peaks next month.

Julie H.

Absolute gem of a place near Lichfield Cathedral. Lovely garden which I imagine looks stunning later in the year. Fascinating story and really helpful volunteers

Karen B.

Interesting museum in Darwin’s house. Lots of surprising facts and interactive exhibits, so interesting for all the family. Pretty garden to walk through with all the medicinal plants that would have been important. Wonderful views of the Cathedral from the windows. Worth a visit, friendly staff.

Suzana U. B.

Great place to visit in Lichfield. Advice: go on Saturday and take the 1.30pm cellar tour. It costs only £2 and they give a tour to the cellars. Not only that, the staff even talked about the history of Darwin in the context of the history of Lichfield. It was a very pleasant tour. The staff described a lot of details that made ever single room on the house very special. He even spent a lot more time with was than what was previously said to us. The staff is friendly and the house tour is short but very interesting. In the garden, there is a "secret" path that leads to ankther beautiful garden with local houses like the one in the pic I attached. It's a lovely place.