Hereford Museum of Cider

Hereford Museum of Cider was founded in 1973 to preserve the history of cider making worldwide.

The extensive collection includes cider mills, presses, bottles, old photographs, watercolors, advertising memorabilia and a rare collection of English lead crystal cider flutes. It is housed in the original 1888 Bulmer's factory, and it tells the story of cidermaking across Britain, although the local social history of course features very strongly.

Learn about the history of Cider and Perry production through a number of exhibit areas across the museum and the Champagne cellars below.

There is a well-stocked shop with sampling available so you can take home a bottle or two of your favourites. The shop also stocks a range of relevant gifts to keep as a memory or to buy as a present.

There is a cafe on-site that also serves cider and perry as well as a range of snacks, cakes and hot drinks.

Admission charges

Please note: Entry to the tearoom or shop is free, and admission is paid on the door. Carers go free when accompanying paying visitor.

•  Adults (age 17+) - £7.50
• Over 60s - £7.00
• Students (with valid ID) - £3.00
• Children (16 and under) FREE (must be accompanied by adult)

If you would like to Gift Aid by adding 10% to the admission fee this will allow us to reclaim 25% tax on the whole amount, to do this you need to be a UK taxpayer and complete a form. Please ask the front of house team for a gift aid form upon arrival.

Dogs (except service dogs) cannot be taken round the museum, but are welcome in the shop and tearoom.

Regular opening times
10.30am – 4.30pm (Tuesday to Sunday)
Closed on Mondays
Open for bank holiday Monday on 5th April, 4th May, 25th May, & 31st August

Open all year round. Check Museum of Cider socials or website for other closures.

Recommended last admission to museum: 3.30pm

Learning for all ages - School Visits
The museum is a place where students can enjoy learning in a fun and informative way. We welcome primary and secondary school groups, home-educators and higher education students. Self-led visits are free, or we offer Key Stage 1 and 2 workshops run by a knowledgeable and enthusiastic member of staff for £3 per child. There are a number of tactile and audio visual elements through the museum to help enrich the visit of people with Special Educational Needs. For more information see accessibility.

Founding the Museum
Bertram Bulmer and Norman Weston were both born into cider making families. They also both feared the history of the cider industry was being lost. So, they decided to do something about it. Together, they embarked on an ambitious project to establish the Hereford Cider Museum Trust.

The Trust was founded in 1973 and the board of trustees quickly grew. Staff and volunteers began collecting and documenting cider objects and archival material. The Trust set up shop in Hereford City centre where they raised money and awareness for the future museum.

The Museum of Cider was opened in 1981 inside the old Bulmer’s cider factory. Today, the Museum continues to collect and preserve the story of cider for future generations.

The museum continues to collect artifacts associated with the history of cider making and has achieved Accreditation status (awarded by the Arts Council, England) for its standards of care applied to the collection.

The Archive of Cider Pomology

(www.ArchiveOfCiderPomology.co.uk) is sponsored by the National Association of Cider Makers and provides a central repository for documents, books, images, maps, and oral histories. The archive provides research facilities on subjects including orcharding, cider, and perry production. To make an appointment to view the archive email collections@cidermuseum.co.uk