Collections
The museum collections cover most aspects of the local history of the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames from prehistoric to the present, including archaeology, social and working history, decorative arts and the Eadweard Muybridge Collection.
Archaeology
Prehistoric - The museum holds a fine collection of Mesolithic flint tranchet axe heads, flint arrowheads and other flnt tools and imported stone ground and polished Neolithic axe heads. There is a small collection of prehistoric pottery, particularly late Bronze Age domestic tableware. Other Bronze Age objects include aex heads, spears and arrowheads. The Iron Age collection is a very small but includes a gold coin hoard.
Roman - This period is predominantly represented by building material and pottery excavated. There is also a small collection of Romano-British pottery and metalwork.
Saxon - The Saxon metalwork collection is nationally important and includes three swords, about 20 spearheads and four shield bosses from the Mitcham Pagan Saxon cemetery. The museum also holds a 10th century log boat and a collection of silver pennies representing the reigns of the seven kings thought to have been crowned at Kingston.
Medieval - There is a collection of 14th century Kingston type Surrey Whiteware, mainly waster material from the excavated kiln sites. There is also a small collection of other artecacts including tools, pottery, dress accessories and domestic objects.
Social and Working History
The social history collection mostly consists of 19th and 20th century domestic objects including cooking and washing equipment, costume and textiles and household effects.
The working history is represented by objects from trade and industry, including 17th century trading tokens, pipe maker's equipment and models from British Aerospace of Hawer jets and monoplanes.
There is also a collection of civic objects including Thames Watermen's coats, trophies, plaques, truncheons, rattles and handcuffs from a debtor's prison. Items of military history relate to the local regiment, The East Surreys.
Decorative Arts
Large and valuable collection of late 19th century - 20th century salt-glazed stoneware made by the Martin Brothers of Southall that was bequeathed to the Museum by a wealthy local businessman in 1945.
Heraldic pottery and other ceramics also constitute part of the ceramic collection.