About

Claverton Manor + gardens

Positioned in a gorgeous setting, the American Museum and Gardens was created by an Anglo-American couple, Dallas Pratt and John Judkyn, and opened to the public in 1961 with the ambition to showcase American decorative arts and dispel stereotypes of American culture.

Today our estate is composed of:

  • Museum – located in a Grade I listed building, the Museum features collections from the United States where you can visit room sets that recreate periods of American history giving the feeling that someone has just stepped out, as well as our world-renowned folk art, quilt and map collections.
  • Exhibition Gallery – houses our shop, where you can find unique American products, and a gallery with a rotating programme of temporary exhibitions showcasing different links to American culture such as dinosaurs, photography, fashion, American music, history and travel.
  • Gardens – Grade II listed and set on 125 acres of green, rolling topography with stunning views across the valleys. Featuring designs by famous American landscape architectural firm Oehme Van Sweden (OVS), the gardens represent some of the most iconic movements in American landscape design and include the New American Garden, Mount Vernon – which is a replica from George Washington’s famous house outside Washington, DC – a dell, an arboretum, amphitheatre and children’s garden along with a wilderness trail and parklands for further exploration.
  • Stables and Coach House – spaces where we host school and community groups, public events and private hire such as weddings and conferences. During school holidays and on weekends, we also offer a range of activities and crafts for families.
  • American Garden Deli – includes a terrace with panoramic views over the Limpley Stoke Valley, serving a range of homemade American inspired food and drink using, wherever possible, produce grown in our own gardens.
Our story

Find out more about the Museum’s founders, Dr. Dallas Pratt and John Judkyn

Delve into history
Permanent collection

Furniture, paintings, quilts, silver, and glass, presented in our Period Rooms

Visit the past
The gardens & grounds

Old manorial Italianate style pleasure gardens, and the new American Garden

Explore our landscape
Learning & Schools

Interactive and diverse learning opportunities for all ages

Learn more with us
Groups & Tours

Guided tours and behind the scenes experiences for groups

Visit with a group
Events & Venue Hire

A variety of spaces for every kind of event

Host an event