NAME OF LOCATION: Deva Roman Experience, off Bridge Street, at Chester.
BACKGROUND: Whilst walking up Bridge Street on a weekend trip to Chester, my boyfriend Robert and I were trying to find the toy museum (we were following the pedestrian black signs but never found it), we saw an advertisement ... Read review
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Advantages: learn about history; interactive displays Disadvantages: cold, dark and gloomy; disabled access not available throughout
NAME OF LOCATION: Deva Roman Experience, off Bridge Street, at Chester.
BACKGROUND: Whilst walking up Bridge Street on a weekend trip to Chester, my boyfriend Robert and I were trying to find the toy museum (we were following the pedestrian black signs but never found it), we saw an advertisement for the Deva Roman Experience, which had a cut-out of a roman soldier and some red leaflets on it. Curious, we stopped to pick one up and ... .../>
MORE INFORMATION FROM
Deva Roman Experience, Pierpoint Lane, Bridge Street, Chester Cheshire, CH1 1NL Telephone 01244 343 407. Despite "trawling the net", I have been unable to find a specific website for the Deva Roman Experience. However it is mentioned on lots of other tourism websites including http://www.iexplore.com/dmap/England/Where+to+Go and http://www.e-travelguide.info/chester/attract.htm
NAME OF LOCATION: Deva Roman Experience, off Bridge Street, at Chester.
BACKGROUND: Whilst walking up Bridge Street on a weekend trip to Chester, my boyfriend Robert and I were trying to find the toy museum (we were following the pedestrian black signs but never found it), we saw an advertisement for the Deva Roman Experience, which had a cut-out of a roman soldier and some red leaflets on it. Curious, we stopped to pick one up and decided to visit this instead of the nonexistent toy museum.
ATTRACTIONS Step onto a Roman Galley (ship), take a stroll through a reconstructed street of Chester, discover Roman, Saxon and Medieval remains in the on-site excavations, visit a hands-on room where there are activities for children and adults alike to try including trying on legionnaire's armour.
TRANSPORT We visited Chester by coach and walked from outside the walled city to the street. You could take a sightseeing bus round the town (and if you do, you will get 50p off all adult, senior and student admission charges when you show your bus ticket).
The sightseeing bus does not go past the museum as it is on a pedestrian's only zone but it is near stops 7, 11 and a short walking distance from 12.
Chester has a railway station but looks on the map to be some distance from the town so you would need a taxi or bus to get into the town itself (although the sightseeing tour goes past it, and picks up opposite it near the Queens Hotel. (Adult fare £8, Senior Citizens £6.50, Children £3.00, Family £19 - for 2 adults and up to 3 children (or £2.50 more if want the boat trip) but valid for 2 days and entitles you to a hop on hop off service every 30minutes (more frequent in summer)).
PRICE Adults £4.25 Child £2.50, OAPS £3.75
OPEN 7 days a week (except Christmas day and Boxing Day) Feb-Nov 9am to 5pm (last admission) Sunday Feb-Nov 10am to 5pm (last admission) Dec-Jan 10am to 4pm (last admission) Groups welcome by arrangement -contact the Booking Officer.
I found the galley and street scene were rather dark and gloomy so young children may be scared, so bear this in mind.
GOOD POINTS 1. Rather like the Jorvik Viking centre in York but on a smaller scale it recreates the Roman period with a galley ship and street 2. Hands on room had plenty of activities to interest both young and old
BAD POINTS 1. For the price, it didn't have enough to occupy a person for much longer than a couple of hours (if that). 2. The light activity to show where medieval, Saxon and roman archaeology was found, were positioned over some of the lights so the person pressing the button could not see them. 3. Although there is disabled access, several areas need to be visited properly by going down rather steep ladders. Wheelchair access is available above these areas with viewing platforms, though. The Hands On Room is up a steep set of stairs, with no lift provided.
AFTERWARDS There was a gift shop to browse with some good quality souvenir items and literature about other local places to visit. Unfortunately, there wasn't a café - I would have liked to rest a while and enjoy a drink there. Although toilets were available, I did not use them, so cannot comment on them.
MORE INFORMATION FROM Deva Roman Experience, Pierpoint Lane, Bridge Street, Chester Cheshire, CH1 1NL Telephone 01244 343 407. Despite "trawling the net", I have been unable to find a specific website for the Deva Roman Experience. However it is mentioned on lots of other tourism websites including http://www.iexplore.com/dmap/England/Where+to+Go and http://www.e-travelguide.info/chester/attract.htm
It is accessible from Bridge Street pedestrian zone and also from Watergate Street/Eastgate Street (near the East gate clock) via Pierpoint Lane.
Advantages: wet weather attraction, cheap entry, open all year Disadvantages: topic might not be of interest to everyone
not detract from the interest of this museum
2. Disabled access may be a problem for wheel chair users - check before setting out.
3. Nearest parking is the Little Roodee car park some distance away - not suitable for disabled to walk to museum from. Although there is apparently a park and ride scheme with a bus stop on request nearby but it is not clear if this is available from the car park.
AFTERWARDS
We found that this was an interesting diversion but didnt take up all day so we needed to decide where else to go or whether to go back another time.
In our case, we decided that we have "done" Chester! We had visited this museum, the DevaRomanExperience (see review), the Chester Visitor Centre and Amphitheatre excavations, and the Grosvenor Museum as well as gone on the City sightseeing tour (see my other Chester reviews ...
Advantages: free entry, ideal as a wet weather attraction Disadvantages: not many interactive displays, bad for disabled access
the Little Roodee car park some distance away - not suitable for disabled to walk to museum from. Although there is apparently a park and ride scheme with a bus stop on request opposite the museum but it is not clear if this is available from the car park.
AFTERWARDS
Decide where else to go or whether to go back another time. In our case, we decided that we have "done" Chester! We had visited this museum, the DevaRomanExperience (see review), the Chester Visitor Centre and Amphitheatre excavations, and the Military Museum as well as gone on the City sightseeing tour, walked on the walls including near the Eastgate clock, walked through the city centre and seen various places of interest such as the canal, the King Charles Tower, the Cathedral (from the outside only - Robert is terrified of going inside churches with me, in case I ...
Advantages: good live guided talk Disadvantages: can be chilly or bad in wet weather in open top bus
- Actually the top deck was lovely as it was warm and dry the day we went.
2. Have a long wait if miss a bus at particular times
3. No obvious bus stops - we missed the one near the Cathedral and only realised because the map showed the Cathedral shape and we were too far down the road.
AFTERWARDS
Keep your ticket, as it entitles you to money off in Chester or if you go elsewhere, it gets you 10% off another City sightseeing bus in 70 other cities around the world - London, Sydney, Cape Town.
MORE INFORMATION FROM
Chester Bus 01244 347457or 07786 657225 www.chesterbus.co.uk or info@chesterbus.co.uk Please note that I have not checked this website out myself - I just hopped on the bus after getting a leaflet from the DevaRomanExperience.
City Sightseeing Head Office (general enquiries) 0871 6660000 www.city-sightseeing.com Please ...
