Gunnersbury Park Museum To Reopen This Month
A weekend of free activities has been arranged to mark the event
The exterior of the restored large mansion
The restored Gunnersbury Park Museum is finally set to reopen after a series of delays.
The once neglected museum has been transformed and boasts new gallery and learning spaces, as well as brand new interpretation telling the stories of Ealing, Hounslow and local people.
Originally it had been intended to start public admission to the building by Easter but bad weather hampered work on the new pathways around the Large Mansion. With restoration works now complete, there will be a weekend of free activities and entertainment on Saturday 23 and Sunday 24 June.
Over the last four years in the first stage of the Gunnersbury regeneration project, the Heritage Lottery Fund and Big Lottery funded restoration of the museum and heritage parkland. Extensive improvements have now been completed. Heritage buildings have been restored including Princess Amelia’s Bath House and the iconic Temple. The years had taken their toll on the house but the grand design by fashionable 19th century architect Sydney Smirke has been returned to its former grandeur, bringing to life the once opulent home of the Rothschild family. Visitors can now appreciate interiors featuring marble columns, the Four Seasons ceiling painting, ornate fireplaces and panoramic views of the 186 acre park. The museum’s diverse collections have undergone extensive conservation work during the closure.
The opening weekend will serve as a celebration of Gunnersbury’s past, present and future, as well as a ‘thank you’ to everyone who has made it possible. It will be packed full of activities and entertainment including Knuckle & Joint theatre company’s ‘International Story Quest’ – join Professor Featherstone and Mr Chester (and their giant typewriter) on a mission to write the best story ever written. There will be costumed characters bringing the Historic Kitchens to life and a chance to meet Princess Amelia in the Bath House to hear about her 18th century beauty secrets. Live music will be provided by Acton High School’s talented all-girl band along with a variety of other entertainment throughout the weekend.
Keep a lookout for the Curator who will be running tours of the museum and the Head Gardener whose tours will be highlighting some of the new features of the park.
In other parts of the park you will also be able to see the progress made so far on the sports development project which will be the next phase of the regeneration.
CEO of new Community Interest Company; Gunnersbury Estate (2026) CIC, David Bowler says ‘We’re so excited to finally open the doors of the museum and share this amazing heritage with the local community. This weekend of free activities is just a taster of the programme of activities we’ll be offering at Gunnersbury over the next few months. With so much to enjoy in the park and museum, we hope local people will come back time and again.’