The Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre is in the quaint little village of Great Missenden in Buckinghamshire. Discover the world of Roald Dahl at this charming and magical museum. And it’s not just for children, everyone will enjoy it!
The museum takes you into the world of Roald Dahl to understand why he is renown for being England’s greatest story teller of the 20th century.
It is delightful, interesting, inspiring and should ignite a passion for reading in anyone. Explore Great Missenden where Roald Dahl lived and discover the nooks and crannies that he refers to in his books – especially the BFG.
More than a million people have visited the museum since it opened. 100,000 alone in the 2016 centenary year when Stephen Spielberg directed the BFG. Having visited this delightful museum I can honestly understand why it continues to attract schools and families alike.
The magic of Roald Dahl in film
The museum is THE source of information for filmmakers, including Wes Anderson for the new Netflix film The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar, released on 27 September 2023. He has previously won Oscar nominations for the Fantastic Mr Fox in 2010 and this new film has the makings of something special.
Timothée Chalamet will reignite our love of Willy Wonker this Christmas with his adaption of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. If that idea appeals, you definitely need to visit the chocolate room at the museum… yes it is a room that smells of chocolate and tells the story of where Roald Dahl got his inspiration for the original tale – he was a chocolate taster for Cadbury when he was at school.
We were so lucky to see the original written work of Dahl’s BFG with all his marked corrections. These can be viewed by appointment only as the space is tiny, but as Dahl wrote every story and made all his own corrections, it is fascinating to see them in person.
The Roald Dahl Museum
The museum is all encompassing. It tells the story behind Dahl’s inspiration for Willy Wonka, to the history of the man himself. He was a very tall man, over 6’6″, and one of my favourite exhibits was the measurement wall to see where you came on his character list – I learned that I am as tall as Mrs Twit!
Roald Dahl was a fighter pilot and had an imagination that has sold over 300million books worldwide. His story is unique and is well worth a trip to Buckinghamshire.
Roald Dahl’s Writing Hut is amazing. It is a replica of the hut where he actually worked and looks exactly as he left it, with all the original things, including the distinctive smell that it had. You will even find his very own femur ball which the doctor kept after his hip replacement saying it was the biggest hip bone he’d ever seen!
This is where all the magic happened. There are words, sentences, images, drawings and memorabilia everywhere you look. You can’t help but enjoy yourself, and Storytime is heaven for little ones who will get lost in Dahl’s world of words.
The World of Roald Dahl | Guided trails around Great Missenden
There are lots of free guided walks; from countryside trails to village trails. We took a BFG guided trail and stopped for lots of wonderful storytelling. You can walk through the woods (think Fantastic Mr Fox) or visit the church where he is buried. Even in the church graveyard you have little trails and a bench to sit and contemplate – which is exactly what Dahl did.
Be sure to pick up some sweets from the shop before you leave the museum. They will provide a little sustenance and humour as you walk before ending at the cute little pub, The Nag’s Head, for some proper refuelling.
After a day with Roald Dahl you will leave with your own story to write. It is impossible not to be inspired by his literary world.
Roald Dahl Museum | Ticket info & how to get there.
Tickets are £7.95 and under 5’s go free, all valid for 1 year, with concessions available. Open Thursday – Sunday. During the school holidays hours change so check the website for up-to-date details.
The train to Great Missenden goes from Marylebone, with an 8 minute walk to the museum.
If you come by car there is a reasonable day rate at the local car park. We found free parking just beyond Great Missenden Abbey on the main road.
Roald Dahl Museum & Story Centre Website
If you are looking for other ideas in Buckinghamshire read my ‘Visit Bucks’ blog for an inspiring day out in the glorious English countryside.