Discover Industrial Revolution Suffolk

The Long shop Museum tells an inspiring story of enterprise and endeavour in this small Suffolk town and its remarkable factory. Displays are housed in a cluster of original grade II listed buildings.

Amongst them is the Long Shop itself – named by workers ‘The Cathedral’.

Explore our atmospheric galleries and you’ll find fantastic collections and great hands-on activities. Here are some of our visitors’ favourites.

• Our cosy living van – as used by road makers, shepherds and other farm workers in years gone by.
• Have a go at making moulds with our pattern boxes.
• Guns and ammunition including sections of the Mulberry harbours.
• Loads of clothes for dressing up.
• The wonderful Richard Garrett ‘Victomatic’ Dry Cleaning Machine.
• Stunning design including gorgeous name plates.
• The water tower with its 148m well – the deepest in Suffolk.
• Consuelo Allen, Princess Marina and other glorious traction engines.
• The spectacular Long Shop itself – an icon of industrial Britain.

And there are 200 years of inspiring and intriguing stories to discover.

• Elizabeth Garrett – the first woman Doctor.
• Leiston goes to The Great Exhibition.
• Suffolk’s industrial town – home to the county’s oldest cinema.
• Sirapite, the continuing story of the Works’ rare shunting engine.

We recommend you allow at least 2 hours for your visit.