Shropshire Hills Discovery Centre

• Visit Shropshire Hills Discovery Centre for an experience that blends history with glorious natural landscapes.
• Explore Shropshire through the ages as you immerse yourself in different mediums, from film to nature trails and more.
• Check out the historical exhibits that are held regularly at Shropshire Hills Discovery Centre, plus the actual mammoth skeleton!
• Don't miss out on the adventure play area and country trails which are always a blast with the little ones.

Step back in time and explore, stroll and wander through nature at Shropshire Hills Discovery Centre, a museum in southern Shropshire. Home to wonderful timeline trails, some homemade ice cream and one giant mammoth, make it a winner with the little ones.

If you're looking for places to visit in Shropshire, the Shropshire Hills Discovery Centre is an award-winning attraction, full of adventures for all different ages, where your little ones can stop off in the Ice Age, the Iron Age and discover the fascinating stories of Shropshire with interactive, immersive exhibits, some groovy panoramic films, a creative craft room and more. The little ones love taking on the timeline trail, which is a great challenge as they become landscape detectives, learning lots along the way. Relax and take time to embrace the 30 acres of meadows as you explore trails, geocaching and an accessible adventure play area, which is always a hit with the kids. The River Onny at this Nature Discovery Centre is a lovely place to take in the sights during a dog walk, and breath in the fresh air, all before visiting the full-size replica skeleton of a woolly mammoth, which is a sight to behold.

Get up close and personal with Shropshire’s wildlife, plus the larger than life mammoth, as you immerse yourself in nature and Shropshire Hills, from the current time back to the Iron Age. If you’re after somewhere to take the kids or grandkids during the summer holidays, Shropshire Hills Discovery Centre has several family events on offer to keep the little ones and even the grown-ups entertained and amused. Have you ever seen a water-nymph? Or maybe you want to have a go at building a house of sticks, possibly go off to search for some hidden bears, or maybe even visit a virtual dinosaur dig! There's plenty on offer to keep the kids occupied and now is the perfect chance to try out all these activities at the Craven Arms Discovery Centre.

Explore nature and get creative with the array of fabulous Shropshire Hills Discovery Centre events. For your little ones, don't miss out on the ‘toddle time’ events for the youngest of visitors, plus check out the great children’s parties that the Discovery Centre Craven Arms hosts, along with the educational and group visits which are always a blast. Introduce them to Geocaching and orienteering for the contemporary version of a treasure hunt! The Discovery Centre provides courses for them to get involved in.

View the Shropshire Hills Through Time film, and embrace the history of the county with the phenomenal panoramic film, which presents the exquisite Shropshire Hills’ stunning landscape through time. You and your family will experience the best of the Craven Arms Shropshire landscape and see the most exquisite views without climbing a treacherous hill. This experience has the backdrop of a uniquely delightful grass-roofed building, making it a wonderful all-round experience. Plus when you're feeling peckish, there is the Shropshire Hills Discovery Centre café which serves up delicious local lunches, soft drinks, hot drinks and some Shropshire cream teas, and there are some great picnic spaces, too. Outside Shropshire Hills Discovery Centre, there’s the gorgeous 30-acre Onny Meadow, which is well signposted and offers relaxing strolls alongside riverside paths, so you can exercise while wandering through wildflowers and ancient woodland. The Onny Meadows have paths that meander around and alongside the river, plus through ponds and wildflower meadows and woodland. It is a great area to watch wildlife and relax, especially dragonflies and damselflies, which are there in the summer months. Dogs are welcome if they are well behaved, so everyone can enjoy the woodlands and the wildlife here. There are six Discovery Walks to enjoy, with leaflets created for each one which you can enjoy as you explore the countryside around the Centre. Some exquisite countryside views are waiting for you in and around the Shropshire Hills Discovery Centre. Whether you spend the day exploring the hills and dales or take an easy stroll through the meadows, the leaflets will help you and offer some interesting things along your journey for you and your little ones to do. Playing games like I-Spy along the way always keeps the kids entertained. If you're after some more great Shropshire walks, historical experiences and gorgeous landscapes then you have to check out Attingham Park, an English country estate situated in the village of Atcham, with a walled garden, a deer garden and historic woodland all waiting to be explored.

If you're after more great activities and things to do in and around Shropshire, check out Ludlow Castle for a rich history of the county, as this riotous castle is now the epicentre to many festivals, events and more, just waiting to be discovered.

What to know before you go

• Drop into the café for homemade cakes, local lunches, hot and cold drinks and Shropshire Cream Teas. Don't miss out on Sunday lunches, which are a particular speciality.
• Outdoor seating is available overlooking the meadow, which is fantastic when the sun is out.
• There are toilets, baby changing facilities and accessible toilets at Shropshire Hills Discovery Centre.
• The building is on all on one level, with no steps, offering level access to the café, shops and toilets. Paths down to the Onny Meadows are accessible for wheelchairs and pushchairs. These paths take you to the river, a picnic table and a dragonfly hotspot. Some of theses paths may be muddy when it rains. There is also a powered mobility scooter available, too.

Getting there

• Shropshire Hills Discovery Centre is located at Market Street, Craven Arms, Shropshire.
• If travelling by public transport, Craven Arms is the nearest train station. Once at Craven Arms, it is just a brief 10-minute walk down the high street. You can get to Craven Arms from Shrewsbury station, just 20 minutes away on the train. Also, there are buses available, route 435, throughout the day from Shrewsbury and Ludlow Monday to Saturday.
• If travelling by car, Shropshire Hills Discovery Centre is based in the gorgeous Shropshire Hills, on the side of the A49 in Craven Arms, 20 miles south of Shrewsbury, 7 miles north of Ludlow.
• Parking is provided on site.