Anson Engine Museum

Type: Museum

As featured on TV, this multi award winning museum has a great deal to offer visitors.
Over the past few years it has undergone some major changes and is now recognised as one of the Country’s leading specialist museums.

Situated in Higher Poynton, the museum is on the site of the old Anson Colliery. Engine enthusiasts from all over the world come to visit this fascinating museum. However, it is increasingly becoming a "must visit" attraction for non-enthusiasts too and won the "Visitors Choice" award (voted for by the public) when they were asked "where would you take a visitor to the Macclesfield area"?

It is open every Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Bank Holiday from Easter Sunday until end October (other times and days by arrangement for group visits).

The exhibits tell the history and development from the earliest engines through to the trends for the future. Many of the engines are in running order and they range in size from desktop to 100 tons!

As well as the largest collection of engines in Europe, the museum also has changing displays of local history items such as photographs, maps, mementoes and keepsakes from the Vernon Estate and Anson Colliery. It also has a small craft area that demonstrates the ancient skills of Bodging and Smithy work on specified dates throughout the summer. Dates for this are published on the website.

The museum is a registered charity and receives no grants or awards towards its running costs. It only has one paid employee; everyone else involved is a volunteer. As one visitor summarised "it is run on a shoestring, fuelled by enthusiasm."

Over the past few years it has won several awards for its displays, engines, website and the quality of its volunteer workforce. Amongst its facilities it has a tearoom and shop available, free car parking for visitors, wheelchair and motorised scooter, cinema/meeting room available for hire.

Throughout the season there are events and exhibition happening- please check website for details. www.enginemuseum.org Engines run most days the museum is open, but please check if travelling long distances.