John Bunyan Museum

The John Bunyan Museum is located on Mill Street in the center of Bedford, Bedfordshire, England, right next to Bunyan Meeting Free Church. The museum tells the life story of John Bunyan, the 17th-century preacher and author of The Pilgrim’s Progress. Displays include early editions of his works, personal artifacts, and exhibits on his 12 years of imprisonment in Bedford for unlicensed preaching, as well as the impact of his writing worldwide. The building overlooks the River Great Ouse and stands on the site of the original meeting house where Bunyan preached. The museum is in the heart of Bedford’s cultural quarter, so you’re steps from other key sites. The Higgins Bedford museum and art gallery is a few minutes’ walk away on Castle Lane, with collections covering the Bloomsbury Group, local history, and archaeology. Castle Mound, the remains of Bedford’s Norman castle, sits in a park beside the Higgins and offers views over the town. The Embankment is right outside, a tree-lined riverside promenade with gardens, cafés, statues, and summer riverboat trips. Bedford Park, a large Victorian park with lakes, an aviary, and sports areas, is a short walk north, while the Panacea Museum on Newnham Road explores another unique chapter of Bedford’s religious history. The town center has the Edwardian Arcade for independent shops, the Harpur Centre, and the Corn Exchange for music and theatre.