We have over 200,000 items in our collections, and many have great national and international importance. Some objects have remarkable stories behind them, for example our Napoleonic Craft-work made by prisoners of war at Norman Cross
You can also find out about the daily life of Peterborough’s people, both past and present, through our Social History collection.
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Archaeology Collections
Peterborough has a rich and significant archaeological history. Our collection includes nationally important artefacts from key sites telling the story of human settlement from the Palaeolithic period to the present day.
Geology Collection
Highlights from our geological collections include the fossil remains of locally found marine reptiles from the Jurassic period over 150 million years ago.
Norman Cross Collection
Peterborough Museum holds the Norman Cross collection of Napoleonic prisoner of war craftwork. It is Considered both the largest and finest collection of such items in the world!
Social History Collection
Our wide and varied social history collection offers a glimpse, and a better understanding, of everyday life for people at different times in history.
Art Collection
The collections contain an impressive range of art dating from the 1600s to the present day.
Natural History Collection
The Natural History collection covers a wide area of subjects including shells, butterflies and moths (Lepidoptera), as well as stuffed animals (taxidermy).
Collections Services
The Heritage Collections Service provides collections care advice, enquiry service, donations, research visits, loans and Archaeological identifications as part of the Portable Antiquities Scheme.
Heritage Collections Online
Search some of our 200,000 objects online, with our online databases.