the higgins

Enjoyed our visit to the Bedford Higgins Museum very much. We went specifically for Edward Bawden's art exhibition - graphic artist from 1920s to 1960s, but the rest of the museum is very interesting too. Nicely refurbished, and easy to understand exhibitions with good labelling and layouts. Friendly staff. Exhibitions all free. It faces the river, right next to the remains of the mound of Bedford's castle.

This is a wonderful Museum to visit when your visiting Bedford. It is free to visit. It has many things to see and read about. It has a Gallery too for visiting. There are things for children to do in various parts of the Museum which is very good. It has various things in draws and behind little doors that you can read as to what they are. It has also got places that you can stand with headphones and listen to information. It has a very small gift shop in the foyer as you go in or out. It also has a café to visit for refreshments.

The museum has had a big makeover and it show. Lads to look at but I was disappointed in regards to the Higgins house. I was born and still live in Bedford and when a child I loved to go to the house and see it all decked out with furniture of the era. Now it's more a show of tea cups, teapots and china. There is a rooms in the gallery with drawers full of wallpaper, art, the Highlanders and well known people from Bedford which was interesting, there is a lift for disabled people and pushchairs and if you have a blue disable badge then staff will unlock the gate so you can park. We didn't go into the coffee shop because it was so over crowded so cannot comment. Staff very friendly and helpful. Didn't use them but there are toilets. In the school holidays they have things for kids to do which I think you have to pay for.

Food excellent. We got a complimentary appetiser, which was lovely. The main was huge. Lasagna was perfect! Very light and tasty

Newly refurbished art gallery and museum.Good history of Bedford from pre Vikings to present day including the amazing part this area played during the first and second world wars.Fine collection of furniture, porcelain and glass. Lots of interaction for children. Nice gift shop and cafe.

Changing exhibitions make this a place to re visit often. Particularly interesting at the moment is a WW1 exhibition featuring the Scottish Highlanders division who were stationed in Bedford during that time. There is a great little film in the gallery which shows local footage and inc. music performed by Bedford choral societies with specially composed music by a local composer. Excellent!

The Higgins is well worth a visit: either for a longer time (2-3 hours), or just to see one of the exhibition areas/collections (30-60 minutes). In the summer it would also be nice to spend some time in the garden/outdoors, to recharge your energy, away from the city centre's busyness.There are rotating exhibitions, using items from the Higgins collection plus adding collections on a temporary basis (currently a local collector's photographs helped to construct an exhibition about how soldiers from the Scottish Highland regiments prepared and lived in Bedford, before being sent to the front in the 1914s). We enjoyed more the room with prints and a few paintings: they showed examples of expressionism, cubism, and vorticism. The panels explaining the concepts, describing some of the art work, and talking about the artists was sometimes more interesting than the art works themselves (but that might just be me/us). The collection includes some fairly well known painters and artists too: including one Picasso drawing, and several representatives of the three movements covered here (Nolde, Grosz, ...).The other temporary exhibition currently on display features wallpaper by Edward Bawden.The permanent exhibitions seem to feature furniture by William Burgens, a space showcasing local, famous Bedford-born sons & daughters, and giving an insight into the local brewery production. In addition, there is Meissen porcelain, embroidery and rooms which re-enact the living space of the Higgins family (Victorian).It would be great if the web site would be a bit clearer about what are permanent exhibitions, and describe them, and also for there to be more details about the temporary exhibitions (e.g. which artists are featured). Most importantly: it would be very useful to know when a temporary exhibition will be dismounted.However, definitely worth a visit, if you are in Bedford or nearby. On Thursdays you can combine this with a visit to the Panacea Museum; between February and October you can also see the John Bunyan museum. All three 'attractions' are within a stone-throw's distance.

Not been to this museum for several years and it has changed dramatically since the alterations and rebranding. Friendly welcome. Free admission. So much to see and of interest. About the town and its history. Local things, manufacturing in the town. Airships, old transport all in a new extension and the original brewery-owner's home. The important collection of work by the artist/designer Edward Bawden alone is worth the journey. Good small shop and cafe complete the visit.

The Higgins rebranding has been successful - the old house style had its merits but this modern space has a better feel and reflects the multicultural community of Bedford in a way the old style never did - the whole area around the museum all adds to a worthwhile visit.

Free Great museum that has been totally renovated, with art work and history of Bedford , with history of Beer in the area. Nice cafe and will take good afternoon to visit.

It has a great collection of Edward Bawden prints/documents and other British artists, also very good displays of furniture with one room full of William Burgess, extraordinary stuff. Also Pugin and other similar designers, all displayed in modern surroundings in the restaurant/castle area of Bedford. John Bunyan museum over road, which is free, did not go into though due to time

A barren, bare empty ground floor with little of interest. Did not find the stairs or lift to the second floor needs better signing.

We spent an hour or so there but you could spend much longer if you had the time, or plan to go back like we are. The girl on reception was so welcoming and asked if we would like some leaflets on things to do with the kids in the holls...she wasn't pushy but had lots of ideas and information. We were left to wander round, this is a fantastic place now it's been refurbished. We liked the fact it had kept part of the old house as part of the museum and had different exhibitions and unusual things to look at. There is a cafe next to the museum that looked really lovely, although we didn't visit this time I will when we go back. Definitely well worth a visit

Recently refurbished The Higgins is a delight. A museum concentrates on local history which is beautifully displayed with lots of hands on exhibits. There are frequent special events, many for children. When we went one was invited to draw on the wall! An urban landscape had been painted on three walls and coloured pens were provided for you to add your own features. The Art Gallery displays paintings, porcelain and furniture. The whole place is not too big and so you don' get overwhelmed.

The revamped Higgins is a great place to visit if you are in Bedford. It combines a museum and art gallery, but with lots of other facilities, interactive displays, activities for children, displays on local history, special exhibitions and so on. It's also free! We spent 2 hours in there and were kept interested throughout. Lots of helpful volunteers scattered through the galleries. They also have portable seats that you can carry round with you.