facebooktwitterpinterest
mobil menu

Clink Prison Museum

  1. London
  2. London Art Galleries
  3. London Museums

Reviews, get directions and contact details for Clink Prison Museum

Clink Prison Museum

About

Attraction, Museum

Story

The Clink Prison Museum is built upon the original site of the Clink Prison. The Prison dates back to 1144 making it one of England’s oldest, if not the oldest prison. Visitors will experience a hands on educational experience allowing them to handle original artefacts, including torture devices, as well as the opportunity to view and hear the amazing stories of the inmates and the notorious Southbank.

Owned by the Bishop of Winchester, The Clink Prison was used to control the Southbank of London known as “The Liberty of The Clink”. This area housed much of London’s entertainment establishments including four theatres, bull-baiting, bear-baiting, inns and many other darker entertainments.

The Clink Prison was only a small part of a vast complex on the Bankside that the Bishop owned called Winchester House. At one point in history Henry VIII planned toake control of the palace and use it as his own. Parts of the Great Hall still stand even today including the world famous Rose Arch Window preserved by English Heritage.

Visitors to the area included individuals such as William Shakespeare, King Henry VIII, Sir Francis Drake, Geoffrey Chaucer and many more.

Why not explore the prison that gave its name to all others? The clink Prison.

Address: Clink Wharf 1 Clink St Southwark, London SE1 9DG, XGL, GB
Phone: 020 7403 6515
ku.oc.knilc@muesum
State: XGL
City: London
Zip Code: SE1 9DG

opening times

Monday: 10:00-18:00
Tuesday: 10:00-18:00
Wednesday: 10:00-18:00
Thursday: 10:00-18:00
Friday: 10:00-18:00
Saturday: 10:00-21:00
Sunday: 10:00-21:00

Update Info

related searches: clink museum reviews, the clink prison museum, 1 clink st, london se1 9dg, clink prison ghost hunt, the clink london prisons, clink prison restaurant, history of the clink prison, prison museum london, the clink restaurant london
Similar places near
Shakespeare Mural Shakespeare Mural 63 meters Always great to see this older muso entertaining passers-by with flames from his tuba...
Golden Hinde Golden Hinde 106 meters great for kids and adults. informative, easy to comprehend and so interesting. really...
The Rose, Bankside The Rose, Bankside 254 meters The rose theatre is a quirky, fascinating place to visit. Spooky and subterranial, ye...
Tate Modern Members Room Tate Modern Members Room 261 meters Just a quick lunch after went through all the marvelous exhibition. This is the room ...
The Old Operating Theatre The Old Operating Theatre 312 meters The museum is small, but very interesting. It can take about 40 minutes to see everyt...
Novas Gallery Novas Gallery 369 meters
The Gordon Museum of Pathology The Gordon Museum of Pathology 496 meters Incredible museum. One of the best anatomical collections in the world. The Lam Qua p...
CAA - Contemporary Applied Arts CAA - Contemporary Applied Arts 588 meters Lovely gallery space featuring the absolute cream of British craft-makers. Well worth...
HMS Belfast HMS Belfast 723 meters Amazing tour of an old warship. They've preserved most of it in good form and the ama...
Bank Of England Museum Bank Of England Museum 826 meters This is a hidden gem in the sea of museums that London is home to. I've always strug...
London Glassblowing Studio and Gallery London Glassblowing Studio and Gallery 892 meters The most beautiful glassworks and art gallery I’ve ever had the pleasure of visiting....
Fashion and Textile Museum Fashion and Textile Museum 957 meters I try to attend all the exhibitons at the fashion and Textiles Museum. They are inspi...
Guildhall Art Gallery Guildhall Art Gallery 969 meters Very cool museum filled with Victorian era art and Roman history. The collection feel...
City of London Police Museum City of London Police Museum 972 meters A hidden gem and a must-visit. It was literally empty when we came - we saw nobody el...
Clockmakers Museum Clockmakers Museum 1 km It's inside the science museum. There is an interesting collection of old clocks and ...
Chartered Insurance Institute Museum Chartered Insurance Institute Museum 1 km
White Cube White Cube 1 km Beautiful installations that distill your curiosity. Love the artists chosen by the d...
Royal Fusiliers Association Royal Fusiliers Association 1 km Excellent museum. Displaying historical items.
Reviews
What a great day out and fun It’s price was £23.00 for a family ticket so 2 adults and 2 kids or 1 adult 3 children Me and my 3 children went here for an afternoon and it was very good fun and interesting the amount of history here and around the area. We took our time and was probably in here for an hour but could have stayed longer. A nice old feel to the place very enjoyable day out if you enjoy the history behind it. The man at the counter was very happy and had a very expressive personality and fun about him . I would definitely recommend and return myself as an adult ticket is around £7.00 only
We had a fantastic time visiting the Clink Prison Museum! There’s a fair bit of reading, each display is gripping and gives you a chilling insight into the grim realities of prison life. The museum is well laid out, and we ended up spending about an hour there, taking it all in. If you’re interested in London’s darker past, it’s a must-visit! Highly recommended for anyone curious about history or looking for something a bit different.
Cheap and 'cheerful' for a prison and torture museum. Website states to allow an hour, but we were through in 20 minutes. We bought tickets in advance , but I don't think it was necessary. Great value for the price of £8, interesting facts and exhibits. If you go in expecting a short experience you'll have a great time. Would return and recommend with these provisos.
The Clink Prison Museum offers a truly unique and chilling experience! Walking through its historic halls, you get a real sense of what life was like in one of London’s most infamous prisons. The exhibits are well-curated and packed with interesting facts, making it a must-visit for history enthusiasts and anyone curious about London’s darker past. If you’re looking for an off-the-beaten-path attraction, The Clink won’t disappoint!
What a little gem of London, its one of the cheap things to do in London, highly recommed it. The lady on the ticket booth was very friendly & she asked if we want the info book for a extra too quid. I bought it & read it in the bath that evening. Very interesting indeed. The Clink is only small,but it is jam packed with information. There are very good maniquins & actual tortual devices that you can play around with. There is also loads of really interesting artifacts to look at, not once was i confused at what i was looking at. Its amazing & shocking to realise london's grusome past. The only thing i would say is that i would be very cautious at bring younger ones. My daughter is Seven & i know she would'nt like, too scary. However highly recommend & i would return, if just to show someone. A real good one. Dont miss
I had a really good time here. I learnt a lot of history about Southwark and of course the prison. There are some artifacts from old London, old torture devices and many information boards to see. I had a lot of fun mucking around with the torture devices and at the end theres chalk boards you can write on and get a free picture plus theres some little surpise in the coffin!For the price it's definitely worth the experience
I finally visited after having it on my list for a while. Entry is £8 for adults, you can pay at the door. All of it is in one floor in different rooms. The posts on the wall give you information about the prison through history and of reasons why people were imprisoned with a few cases of known persons' stories. Alongside this, there are spooky and gruesome models of e.g. Heads hanging, people in torture devices and general scary things. In the background, you can hear 'prisoners' telling their stories, and also wailing soundtracks. Like a normal museum, they do have artefacts in a glass box you can read about. You're even allowed to touch at your own risk some of the objects there, such as anvils and torture instruments which are chained. My favourite room was the one with the torture devices. It's actually terrifying to read up the details on how they were used in medieval times. Photos are allowed in all parts; this means you can sit on the chair which was used as punishment and strap yourself on, and have a picture taken. A bonus is at the end, there is a room like a prison cell, in which you can take a photo of yourself screaming, and download it from a website with a ticket given which is also free. You can do the whole thing in about half an hour or less, but if you're likely me and want to read and immerse yourself in everything, you can stay for over an hour. Although there was a lot of information, some of this is already on the website so it seems repeated I read up on the Clink Prison site before visiting, I would have preferred seeing more unique information. However, if you do have time to read everything, there is quite some detail on both the prison and the area. Oliver Cromwell even has a mention and you can find a replica of his death mask as an exhibit. Another thing is, it can get crowded so there might not be enough space for people to look around. I had to wait sometimes just so I could be closer to what I wanted to see. Maybe the place could have restricted entries until the rooms are less full? Just a suggestion. Anyway, I did enjoy my visit and think it's a nice thing to do if you're along the Bankside area.
This is a very interesting museum, small but interesting. There's a lot to read due to it's history and the people that were imprisoned here but there is also a lot to see i.e. torture tools, equipment, etc. price is quite good and it is a small run museum. I would say it's worth seeing if you are in Southwark.Visited onWeekdayWait timeUp to 10 minReservation recommendedNo
The Clink Prison Museum in London offers a fascinating glimpse into the darker side of history. Here’s what people have said about their experiences: Informative and Engaging: Visitors can handle original artifacts, including torture devices, and learn about the stories of inmates from this historic prison. The museum provides a hands-on educational experience that appeals to both adults and children. Gruesome and Gripping: Families with kids have found the interactive displays captivating. The realistic figures of former residents and details about historical torture methods make it an intriguing visit. Medieval London’s Dark Past: If you’re curious about crime and punishment in medieval London, the Clink Prison Museum is a must-visit. Learn about notorious inmates and the horrors of one of England’s oldest prisons. Overall, the museum offers great value for money and a unique perspective on London’s past. Whether you’re a history enthusiast or just looking for an interesting outing, the Clink Prison Museum won’t disappoint!
Very interesting for all ages....small museum but with plenty of exhibits and well worth a visit. Allow 30 minutes to walk around. I recommend a visit after to The Anchor Bankside pub which serves great food and is in an excellent location and is only a 1 minute walk from the museum.
Comment on this business

Clink Prison Museum map

to add Clink Prison Museum map to your website;



Copyright 2025 | All rights reserved.

You can use our top contact for adding and editing your business's contact details.
0.0077 Loaded in seconds

We use cookies

We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our website, to show you personalized content and targeted ads, to analyze our website traffic, and to understand where our visitors are coming from. Privacy Policy