Cider Museum

Visit Hereford’s famous Cider Museum and learn about the history of cider making. Learn how apples were milled and pressed and how the resulting juice was fermented to produce cider.

Set in a former cider making factory, visitors can explore original champagne cider cellars and view cidermaking equipment, a cooper’s workshop and a vat house.

Listen to oral history recordings and view 19th century watercolours of cider apples and perry pears. See a magnificent collection of English lead crystal cider glasses dating from the 18th century onwards.

Cider Route Information
Throughout Herefordshire there is a strong tradition of farm cider-making. Farmers produced cider to be drunk by the farm labour force during the following year, especially the busy times of hay-making and harvest. Farmers used to sell cider to local pubs and cider merchants for re-sale in towns.

For 350 years cider production in Herefordshire has been on a rollercoaster, periodically rising to become an industry of great reputation. Throughout this time Herefordshire has been the major player in cidermaking in Britain and Herefordshire people have led the way. There is no better place to find out about cider than on the cider route.

Visiting
The Museum is located to the West of the city of Hereford, off the A438 Brecon Road. It is situated close to Sainsbury’s supermarket and the Travelodge and is a 10 minute walk from the city centre.

The ground floor is fully accessible for wheel chair users and there are books and computers available showing the cellar displays. The Orchard Tea Room and toilets are situated on the ground floor and there is a lift giving access to the Beam Press Gallery where art exhibitions are held.

There are various inter-active computers to view as well as vintage film and other audio visual presentations.

Groups are welcome and discounted admission charges apply for parties of 15 or more. We offer tutored cider tastings, orchard visits, guided tours and ploughman’s lunches when booked in advance. There is designated coach parking.

Children to be accompanied by an adult.

Visitors who complete Gift Aid forms qualify for an admission voucher giving free entry for a 12 month period from the date of their visit.

Collection & Archive
Hereford Cider Museum Trust is an Independent Charitable Trust (Charity number 1158061) and was founded in 1973 to preserve the history of cider making worldwide. The extensive collection includes cider mills, presses, bottles, old photographs, watercolours, advertising memorabilia and a rare collection of English lead crystal cider flutes.

The museum continues to collect artifacts associated with the history of cider making and has achieved Accreditation status (awarded by the Arts Council, England) for its standards of care applied to the collection.

Education
The Museum offers life long learning and welcomes school groups. Orchard visits can be arranged as well as hands-on opportunities of apple pressing in the harvest season.

There are interactive computers and vintage film of cidermaking and old photographs to view and the younger visitor has the opportunity of dressing-up in 19th Century replica smocks.

Gift Shop & Tea Room
The shop sells an extensive range of ciders and related products as well as other locally produced drinks and specialist books. The shop offers a mail order service.

Ploughman’s lunches and finger buffets are available when booked in advance. Light refreshments available at other times.