Jackfield Tile Museum

GO ON A COLOURFUL JOURNEY THROUGH THE HISTORY OF DECORATIVE TILES

At Jackfield Tile Museum, explore the colourful history of tiles in a former factory whose tiles went around the world.

Stroll through a London underground station, a 1940s bar and centuries of tilemaking.

Jackfield Tile Museum (5)

A history of tiles

Journey through the history of tile manufacturing. 

  • Enjoy themed tile displays spanning hundreds of years
  • See locally-made tiles by Maw and Craven Dunnill and designs by world-famous artists William Morris and Salvador Dali
  • Walk through recreations of period interiors, including a church, bar and tube station, decorated entirely in tiles
Jackfield Tile Museum (4)

Decorating the world

Jackfield, a small town in the Ironbridge Gorge, became an international hub for tilemaking. 

  • See how tiles from Jackfield decorated homes and palaces around the world
  • Learn about the different types of tile and how they are made 
  • Look into recreations of period offices and hear oral histories from local tradespeople
Jackfield Tile Trail

Bringing tiles to life

The history of tiles is brought to life with hands-on activities.

  • Children look out for the tiles in their pack in the Tile Trail
  • Jet Black the cat will tell little ones Jackfield's stories
  • Kids and adults alike can have a go at tile decorating in Craven Dunnill's workshops next door (pre-booking required, additional charge applies)

The story continues in Jackfield

  1. Jackfield Tile Museum (7)

    Free digital guide

    Enhance your visit to Jackfield Tile Museum using the free Bloomberg Connects digital guide. As you make your way through the displays, the app content, which includes text, images, video and audio, will help bring the collections to life.

    Download the app

  2. Three People At A Tile Decorating Workshop At Jackfield Tile Museum 04 2022

    Tile decorating workshops

    Join in a tile decorating workshop at Craven Dunnill next door (selected dates only, advance booking required). Create your own unique tile with Craven Dunnill Jackfield using the traditional process of tubelining.

    Book into a workshop

  3. Festive Footprint Market In The Footprint Gallery, Fusion, At Jackfield Tile Museum (2) 12 2024

    Fusion and the Footprint Gallery

    Whilst you are here visit Fusion, home to a number of creative artists. You can visit their studios and purchase their work. Due to the nature of their work, opening times vary, so please contact the artists direct to check details.

    What's On

Parking information

Please note parking charges apply across all museum car parks. PASS PLUS and Friends can park for free during their daytime visit by validating their PASS PLUS at the front desk on arrival.

You can pay for parking with a debit/credit card at machines on-site or online within 48 hours of your visit.

The Iron Bridge In The Ironbridge Gorge Credit Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust 2

Experience Ironbridge your way

To help you get the most out of your visit, we’ve created tailored itineraries to guide you around our sites in the Ironbridge Gorge.

Ironbridge itineraries

Tiles At Jackfield

Ready to book?

From single day tickets to our annual passes, choose a ticket which suits your needs.

For great value, save £5 when you purchase a PASS PLUS online.

Book tickets

Jackfield Tile Museum (8)

A potted history of Jackfield Tile Museum

Jackfield Tile Museum is located in the oldest surviving purpose-built decorative tile factory in the UK, the former Craven Dunnill Tile Works.

The excellent clays to be found in the Ironbridge Gorge attracted Maw & Co. in the 1850s, followed by Henry Powell Dunnill, founder of the Craven Dunnill Encaustic Tile Works, in 1871.

During the reign of Queen Victoria decorative tiles were produced in their millions by these two companies. Jackfield’s reputation as the centre of the tile manufacturing industry was sufficiently great that its products were sought after both at home and abroad, with clients including dignitaries such as His Imperial Majesty Alexander II of Russia, His Highness the Khedive of Egypt and the Maharajah of Mysore.

History of the museums

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