Broadcast Engineering Museum
Broadcast Engineering Museum, 41 Capper Avenue, Hemswell Cliff, Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, DN21 5XS
We are a working museum, the only one in Europe that displays and operates the equipment used to make TV and radio programmes. There is something for everyone, whether you’re just curious or have worked in broadcasting.
Star exhibits include a TV camera that broadcast the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953, classic microphones used by the BBC from the 1930s onwards and an outside broadcast truck that appeared in “The Crown”.
Our 1960s “Southern” outside broadcast truck is fully working – visitors are welcome on board. You can create the magic of TV lighting in our dedicated display. We demonstrate a massive 1960s “quadruplex” videotape recorder (it weighs almost a ton!) that uses great big spools of two inch wide tape.
The museum is housed in the former RAF Hemswell sergeants’ mess, which played a vital role in World War Two. We commemorate the 429 brave men who flew from here and never returned.
Make a day of it. We provide tea and coffee, you can bring your own lunch and eat it inside or out. There are cafes nearby in the huge antiques centre.
Timings & Tours
- Saturday 20 September:
- 11am to 4pm
- Sunday 21 September:
- 11am to 4pm
Location & directions
Broadcast Engineering Museum, 41 Capper Avenue, Hemswell Cliff, Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, DN21 5XS
- Directions:
- When you enter the village, turn into Capper Avenue which is signposted “Primary School” and “BEM“. Do not use the main Antiques Centres entrance as there is no easy way through to our site. Follow Capper Avenue past the green area and play park on your left, then turn left just in front of the bungalow. Follow the road around the back of our building and into the car park at the front. Your sat-nav may try to take you in via the Antiques Centre entrance, this will not work as the connecting road is blocked by a fence – you should use the “Capper Avenue” turning as above. It's easier than it sounds!
- Contact on day:
- Jeffrey Borinsky
- Telephone number:
- +447814619518
Booking information
- Pre-booking requirement:
- Pre-booking not required
Accessibility details
Level or ramped access to most areas. Two shallow steps to reach others. Access to the interior of the outside broadcast trucks is up very steep steps with limited space inside. We regret that we do not yet have an accessible toilet.
