🏡A FREE MUSEUM IN BEDFORD- The Panacea, a beautiful Victorian House.
Discover the amazing story of the unique religious community that created its own Garden of Eden in the centre of Bedford. The museum has beautiful gardens to walk around.

⭐OPEN:
Thursday - Sunday, 11am - 5pm
(last admission 4.30pm)

📖 SOME INTERESTING HISTORY
The Panacea Society was originally called ‘The Community of the Holy Ghost’, and was made up mostly of women. Its leader was Mabel Barltrop – the widow of an English clergyman, and mother of four children– whose followers called her ‘Octavia’.

Octavia. The founder of the Panacea Society.

During the 1920s, followers of the Panacea Society moved to Bedford to live near Octavia. Eventually, the community was able to combine the gardens of several properties to form ‘the campus’ – a private space between the community houses, with a chapel at its centre.

From this headquarters, the Society operated a religious organisation which reached across the world. Over two thousand people became members of the Panacea Society, in Europe, North America and many parts of the British Empire and Commonwealth.

From its beginning, the Panacea Society expected the end of the world. Society members were convinced that God would soon act to bring about a new age – a period of peace and happiness called ‘the Millennium’.

The Panacea Society was part of a wider religious movement of groups concerned with prophecy. The Panaceans believed that God was speaking to them through Octavia, but her followers did not believe she was the only modern prophet. Rather, they accepted a lineage of seven prophetic voices since the late 1700s – a tradition they called ‘the Visitation’.

🧒 FOR CHILDREN
Children trails, colouring sheets and wooden toys in the activity space in the main museum building 'Castleside'.

☕ FOOD AND DRINK
Tea room serving refreshments, hot & cold snacks with indoor & outdoor seating

🚼 TOILET INFORMATION
Baby changing can be found in a toilet that is big enough to fit a pushchair in

🅿️ PARKING
No parking is available at the Museum, however there is pay and display parking nearby.

♿🅿️ ACCESSIBILITY (Partly accessible)
Accessible info and blue badge holders, click here: https://panaceamuseum.org/visiting/access

CONTACT DETAILS
☎️ Tel: 01234 353178
📧 museum@panaceatrust.org

🦙 Join us for a fun-filled Lambing Weekend at Oaklands College in St Albans, where you can meet adorable lambs, enjoy activities, and learn all about farm life! Tickets include unlimited zoo entry! Come for the lambs, stay for the animals! Book now for a wild day out!

🗓 2025 DATES:
▪️Saturday 3rd May: 10am - 4pm
▪️Sunday 4th May: 10am - 4pm

WHAT TO EXPECT
✨️Meet the newborn lambs & Zoo entry
✨️10 piece Cuban band - 2x shows every day

✨️Captain Fantastic - bringing magic to Lambing 2025 4x 30min
✨️Unlimited Inflatable Fun, include human table football, slides and more
✨️Baby zone
✨️Tractor rides
✨️Face painting
✨️Street food
✨️Local stalls

💥 10% DISCOUNT CODE: PAYDAY10

There are individual and family VIP packages available when booking which are subject to higher costs which provides early access before the crowds arrive, get up close to the newborn lambs and explore the festival at your own pace.
▪️Exclusive entry from 9:00 AM (before general admission)
▪️Your choice of parking
▪️Quiet hours before the rush
▪️Exclusive time to meet the newborn lambs
Some packages include a Free scavenger hunt entry for each child, with a prize at the end!

🤩 ADD-ONS:

🎟 TICKET PRICES
Please click the event link for ticket options.

🏍 Classic car and bike day at Pure Triamph in Woburn!

✨️Everyone is welcome!
✨️Bring your cars and bikes for the day!

😋 FOOD & DRINK
Enjoy some food and homemade treats at Emmas Cafe! Its always a great day!

🎠 KEMPSTON FUNFAIR UNLIMITED RIDE PASSES NOW AVAILABLE! Buy one Ride Pass - Enjoy Unlimited Riding! ONLY £20! 

📍Location - Kempston, Addison Park

🗓 MAY 2025 DATES
▪️ Friday 9th May: 5pm - 9pm
▪️Saturday 10th May: 1pm - 9pm
▪️Sunday 11th May: 1pm - 9pm
▪️Friday 16th May: 5pm - 9pm
▪️Saturday 17th May: 1pm - 9pm
▪️Sunday 18th May: 1pm - 9pm

💥 DISCOUNT DAYS! 
▪️Friday 9th May
▪️Friday 16th May
All Rides ONLY 2 TOKENS or UNLIMITED RIDE PASSES FOR JUST £15!

TOKEN COST
🎫 1 Token = £1.20
🎫 10 Tokens = £10

🎟 ENTRY 
FREE ENTRY with purchased Unlimited Ride Passes or £2.00 Per Person! 

✅️ Onsite Security & Toilets
✅️ Fun For All The Family

It is a rare opportunity to better understand what life was like as a miller – complete with all the associated smells, noise and dust!

🗓 2025 OPENING DAYS
▪️May 5th, 10th, 11th & 25th
▪️June 29th
▪️July 27th
▪️August 31st
▪️September 13th, 14th & 28th

Please be aware
⭐️ The mill is a working machine not just a building. Care should be taken when moving around the premises as some surfaces are greasy and some have a risk of splinters.

⭐️ There are low beams and trip hazards along with steep, narrow stairs.

⭐️ Only a limited number of people can access the upstairs at a time – so you may have to wait.

⭐️ Under 18s must be accompanied by an adult.

⭐️ There are no toilet facilities available.

🎫 ADMISSION - FREE
Admission is free but donations towards the upkeep are very much welcome.

🅿️ PARKING
Parking is in Nightingale Court, off Wheelers Lane. There is no access to the mill from Mill Lane (off Bradwell Road).

🎩 This May, get even closer to the past, with the return of our popular History Festival spanning nearly 2,000 years of history in one weekend!

🗓 DATES
▪️Saturday 10th May 2025
▪️Sunday 11th May 2025

🔱 WHAT TO EXPECT
Wander around the tent village set up in the Museum grounds and travel back in time to meet Romans, Tudors, Civil War Soldiers, Suffragettes and many more!

🔥 RE-ENACTORS

Nearly 100 re-enactors will be roaming around the Museum throughout the weekend ready to answer your burning questions about life in the past.

All the re-enactors will be entertaining across the site all weekend, and taking turns to give demonstrations in the ever popular arena.

🪙 HANDS ON ACTIVITIES 

Aside from watching the action and interacting with those figures from our history, youngsters can get hands-on with activities including mosaic making and sandbox digging.

🎲 THE MUSEUM 

All the Museum’s usual attractions will be open too; you will be able to play parlour games, browse the street of shops, discover more about the history of communication and see the history of transport – complete with the tram that once took workers from Stony Stratford to Wolverton works.

🥪 FOOD & DRINK

If hunger bites, bite back with a visit to the Granary Tea Room, with its affordable, tempting variety of hot and cold sandwiches and sweet treats, and the best cakes for miles around.

♿️ ACCESSIBILITY
https://miltonkeynesmuseum.org.uk/home/access-statement/

🎟 TICKETS COST:
Pay once and visit for free all year!
▪️Adult: £17.50
▪️Child 5 – 16 years: £12.00
▪️Under 5: Free
▪️ Family 2 adults and up to 4 children: £45.00
▪️Over 65s, student and disabled. One carer free of charge per concession £13.50

▪️Free entry for Blue Peter badge holders!