If you’ve ever driven through Maldon and spotted the brown signs advertising the Combined Military Services Museum, follow the arrows — you’ve just found one of the UK’s best-kept secrets. The Combined Military Services Museum may not be the country’s best-known tourist attraction, but behind its doors sits a collection that could rival any of the capital’s major institutions.
You can’t miss the museum either – there’s a huge missile launcher parked in the front car park…
Visiting on a quiet Sunday afternoon, we had the entire museum to ourselves. Initially we nearly baulked at the entry fee – and I’m really glad we didn’t.
Article continues after the jump…
Our private tour of the Combined Military Services Museum
We’re currently entertaining some visitors from Australia who asked about the Combined Military Services Museum. It’s been many years since our last visit, so we agreed to take them for an hour or two.
By pure luck, one of the museum’s trustees offered us a personal tour, and what was meant to be a quick hour or two soon stretched past three. Each room led us further down the rabbit hole of British military history, not just through the hardware on display, but also the remarkable human stories behind it all.
You don’t have to be obsessed with warfare, mass destruction or ‘boys toys’ to enjoy this place. There’s a surprising amount of beauty in the design and ingenuity of the artefacts starting with Bronze Age spears dating back to 1800BC.
Top tip: The rarest items in the collection are denoted by yellow information cards. Some of these artefacts cannot be found anywhere else.
On the ground floor, visitors are treated to a huge collection of medieval weapons and armour. There’s even a couple of artefacts acquired from the Tower of London. And somewhat bizarrely, a chair from the 1980 Iranian Embassy siege.
On the second floor, we jump forward to the 20th century. There’s a few items from the long-forgotten WW1 Zeppelin raid on Maldon along with the only surviving canoe from the legendary ‘Cockleshell Heroes’ raid.
Spy vs Spy
For us, the highlight was undoubtedly the Military Intelligence Collection. This section alone is worth the entrance fee. Think spy cameras, bladed shoes, poison darts and secret code machines along with dozens of covert weapons. The sheer audacity of the agents involved makes James Bond feel like a mild-mannered accountant. Many of the covert weapons and gadgets come from the personal collection of Peter and Prudence Mason, whose real-life escapades behind the Iron Curtain could fill several thrillers.
Elsewhere, exhibits capture the civilian experience of war. Displays on the evacuation of children during World War Two act as a poignant counterbalance to the military focus, reminding visitors that conflict affects everyone, not just those on the front lines.
On the top floor are several uniforms spanning British military history. This is clothing engineered with more care than a fashion house couture piece. The seamstress member of our party particularly appreciated the quality of the stitches – astonishing detail for an outfit that may be worn in a trench or thrown out of a plane.
A museum run on passion
What stands out more than anything, though, is the passion of the people running the museum. It’s staffed entirely by volunteers who not only enjoy what they do but display an encyclopaedic knowledge of every artefact, large or small. Their enthusiasm is infectious and helps bring the displays vividly to life.
The curators clearly share a deep affection for their subject matter and, judging by the sheer volume of exhibits, a total refusal to ever throw anything away. The collection just keeps growing at an astonishing pace. And there’s an important story attached to every piece.
The Combined Military Services Museum is a true hidden gem that more than justifies the journey to Maldon. Whether you’re a history buff, a fan of clever design, or simply someone curious about human ingenuity under pressure, there’s something here for almost everyone. If you find yourself anywhere nearby, it’s absolutely worth a stop.
Top tip: The museum is launching a new ‘Tea and Talk’ club in January 2026. For just £7, visitors will get entrance to the museum, tea, refreshments and a talk from the CMSM curator about one standout item from the collection. The club takes place on the last Friday of every month throughout 2026.
Practical information
The Combined Military Services Museum is located on Station Road, Maldon. It is a very short walk from Travelodge Maldon.
There’s limited parking on-site and the building is fully accessible. The museum is open from Wednesday to Sunday, usually from 10.30am to 5pm, but it’s worth checking the website before travelling, as hours can vary for special events.
Tickets cost:
£9.50 for adults
£6.50 for under 16s
£8.50 for concessions and students
£30.00 for a family ticket (2 adults + 3 children)
Given the scale of the collection, entrance prices are reasonable – and you’ll likely get far more than your money’s worth.
There are two disabled parking spaces to the side of the main museum building.
The museum’s official website can be found at www.cmsm.co.uk.
Article continues after the jump…
Please note that we use sponsored links on this blog. Although we may earn a referral fee or bonus points on some of these products and services mentioned, we never recommend anything we wouldn’t use ourselves.
Check out our full Affiliate Disclosure Policy for more info.
