Valence House Museum

A rare historic manor in Barking & Dagenham with galleries on local archaeology, industry and everyday life, plus gardens and a friendly café.

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Opening Hours

Tuesday: 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Tuesday: 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM

Wednesday: 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Wednesday: 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM

Thursday: 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Thursday: 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM

Saturday: 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Saturday: 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM

Tracks the area from prehistoric finds to the modern borough—clear, family-ready storytelling.

One place, many Londons.

Pick one era (monastic, industrial, postwar) and trace three objects that define it.

📍 Main galleries in the house

An iconic prehistoric wooden figure gives the borough a deep-time anchor.

A face from thousands of years ago, found in local soil.

Compare its scale and posture to how we display figures today—what changes, what doesn’t?

📍 Archaeology section

Outdoor seating and green space make it easy to pace a visit with kids or multigenerational groups.

Museum + park = low-stress learning day.

Plan a 15-minute garden reset between galleries to keep everyone fresh.

📍 Rear gardens and onsite café

The site interprets everything from river trade to car manufacturing—local history with global ripples.
A linked archive and regular family activities make it a community hub, not just a display space.
The historic house sits within accessible gardens, so you can mix indoor galleries with open-air time.