Luton

Luton is a town located within the Bedfordshire county of England, around 32 miles north of London. Amongst the many varied things to do in Luton is The Luton Carnival, held annually on the late May bank holiday, and is the largest one-day carnival in Europe. There are a number of cultural attributes within Luton, including the Luton Museum and Art Gallery, housed in a large Victorian mansion in Wardown Park on the outskirts of the town centre. The collections include traditional crafts of Bedfordshire, notably lace-making and hat making, with samples of local lace from as early as the 17th century.

 

The Mossman Carriage collection is held at Stockwood Park and stands as the largest and most significant vehicle collection of its kind in the country, with original carriages dating from the 18th to the 20th Centuries. The Mossman collection of horse drawn vehicles was allocated to Luton Museum Service and illustrates the development of Roman to 20th Century horse-drawn road transportation in Britain.

Luton Museum and Art Gallery
A highlight here is the women’s hat collection, with over 500 hats on display. You can also find costumes, crafts and fine arts here.

Wardown Park Museum
Located in the lovely Wardown Park, this museum has collections to suit all tastes. The lace collection is on the ground floor; the second floor has historical displays of local life which are interactive and hands on. There are also tearooms here.
Located on Old Bedford Road. (01582 546 722)

Woodside Animal Farm and Leisure Park
Lots of fun for children here, with farm animals and some exotic creatures too. There are very interactive and hands on animal activities as well as fun rides, mini golf and a shopping village.
(01582 841 044)

Artezium
Trendy local art is represented here as well as diverse styles representing many art genres. Located in Bute Street. (01582 520 021)

John Doney Field Centre
Natural history, conservation and archaeology themes are exhibited here, as well as information on the local plants and animals. You can also get out and walk along the nature trails and see if you can spot some birdlife or local wildlife. (01582 486 983)