Wilderspin National School Museum

The Wilderspin National School was built in 1844 and was championed by the educational pioneer and teacher Samuel Wilderspin who designed, equipped and taught in the school.

It has been identified by English Heritage as ‘One of the most important schools in England’, firstly for its unique links with the leading educational pioneer Samuel Wilderspin, and secondly for its importance as a design for other Victorian schools and a model example of an enlightened form of schooling that spread throughout the world.

This is the only place in the world where a Wilderspin school building and playground survive, making it a place of national and international importance. The school closed in 1978 and fell into disrepair. Restoration of the School was completed in 2009 and now stands as a celebration of the life and work of Wilderspin for the benefit of the people of Barton upon Humber, North Lincolnshire and beyond.

The school is a family-friendly museum that welcomes visitors of all ages to experience a slice school life in a bygone age. Located in Queen Street, the School Museum offers, through role-play, hands-on exhibits and talks, an authentic and memorable experience of teaching in the 19th and 20th centuries.