Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre

P and I visited the Roald Dahl Museum in Great Missenden, a wonderful little museum packed with his possessions and full of displays about his characters and books. The museum is aimed at children ages 6 to 12 years old and divided into three parts — Dahl's life, his writing process, and an interactive, kid-friendly story centre. I am sure this counts as one of the activities in our book, Amazing Family Adventures, which wants a literacy adventure!

Dahl joined the Royal Air Force in Nairobi after the outbreak of World War II. Being exceptionally tall at 6 feet and 6 inches, Dahl was told by the flying officer that he was too tall to fly. The gallery draws children into this with a measuring stick showing the respective heights of various Dahl fictional characters alongside a life-sized cutout of young Dahl. P is trying to be as tall as Matilda!

The Story Centre encourages children to be creative with magnetic poetry and sticky note plots. There's also a stop-motion animation station, dress up boxes, and place to craft creatures. There is a model of his Writing Hut as the real Writing Hut was protected behind glass in one of the galleries. 

 We had lunch in the twit cafe! My scone was one of the yummiest I have ever tasted and was warm! P had a slice of Bogtrotters Cake.

 Roald Dahl loved to garden! P then did a workshop where she made clay vegetables!

 We then went for a walk following the Countryside Trail, exploring some of the Chiltern countryside that Roald Dahl loved.

 Below is Angling Spring Wood, said to be the inspiration for Fantastic Mr Fox,

 We then also visited the church where he is buried

 and the petrol pumps which inspired the filing station in Danny, Champion of the World.