Stockwood Discovery Centre

Great place for stop just off the M1 for a more relaxing break for an hour or two. Interesting museum and gardens and nice tea room. And it's free!

Nice place to spot on, nice garden and flowers. Good to hang around for 1 or 2 hours with family and friends. Photographic everywhere. We love it

Stockwood Discovery Centre provides a wealth of information about local heritage, rural life, and cultural history. It is a popular destination for families, history enthusiasts, and those interested in exploring the natural beauty of Stockwood Park.Stockwood Park and Discovery Centre is a 1,600-acre country park and museum in Luton, Bedfordshire, England. The park is home to a variety of attractions, including a Victorian house, a walled garden, a farm, and a woodland playground.History of Stockwood ParkStockwood Park was originally created in the 18th century by the Crawley family. The family built a large mansion on the estate, which is now known as Stockwood House. The park was also home to a variety of other buildings, including a stable block, a barn, and a dairy.In the 19th century, the Stockwood estate was passed down to the Wernher family. The Wernhers were a wealthy family of German industrialists. They renovated Stockwood House and added a number of new features to the estate, including a walled garden and a farm.In 1946, the Wernher family donated Stockwood Park to Luton Borough Council. The park was opened to the public in 1948.Stockwood HouseStockwood House is a Grade II* listed building. It is a fine example of Victorian architecture. The house is open to the public and contains a collection of furniture, paintings, and other works of art.Walled GardenThe walled garden at Stockwood Park is a beautiful and peaceful place to visit. The garden contains a variety of plants and flowers, including roses, lavender, and fruit trees. There is also a fountain and a pond in the garden.FarmThe farm at Stockwood Park is home to a variety of animals, including cows, sheep, pigs, and chickens. Visitors can learn about farming and see how animals are looked after. There is also a farm shop where visitors can buy fresh produce and other local products.Woodland PlaygroundThe woodland playground at Stockwood Park is a great place for children to play. The playground has a variety of equipment, including swings, slides, and a climbing frame. There is also a sandpit and a water play area.

Discovered the discovery centre whilst planning a route home and thought we would schedule a stop here as opposed to a services or similar. It was easy to find and has its own free car park. We wasn't really sure what to expect, and it didn't seem overly busy or anything when we got there.The place is pretty large with a fair bit of variety in what it offers. There is a hall with a museum of carriages (including some that my kids think Santa part exchanged in at some point). There is gardens and lawn areas which are nice to wonder through, which also includes an allotment area set out to give an idea of what it was like in the war growing your own veg etc. There was also some museum areas on more ancient times, which was useful for the young'un for school! We didn't get to see the butterfly area as it was closed off, but the kids had a go on the playpark.Considering this is free admission, it's well worth a visit even if you go with the intention of only visiting certain parts of it (I'd imagine the carriage museum part might be an acquired taste - although certainly interesting I would add!) We spent a good couple of hours here before jumping in the car and continuing our journey!(Also if you have kids who like planes, they seem to have a path straight over the centre for the airport and they can do a bit of plane spotting!!)

Lovely place. The gardens are beautiful. Nice little cafe and friendly staff. Lots of free parking too and climbing frames for the kids. Plus a lil history museum. Recommend a visit. Also lots of grounds if you are on a tight budget bring your own picnic instead of using the cafe.

Beautiful well-maintained place to visit with family. It has a discovery centre and the garden inside with a climbing frame and coffee and toilet facilities.lots of sitting area are available for picnic as well. Overall, good day out with children .

Nice place for a day out with family. Lovely garden centre and cafeteria and small play area is lovely place to sit down and take a break.

Great place to bring you kids staff in cafe are friendly. Great place for horse riding lessons.

Beautiful gardens and a interesting small museum. However the cafe was a bit of a let down due to poor, slow service and food not great. I had a bacon and brie cibatta with a chutney that tasted of curry powder, which wasn't nice, plus a sprinking of crisps. Very disappointed as the cafe used to be great.

Beautiful and calm. There was no rush when we went on a hot summer weekend. Perfect place for children. It has big lawns to play.