Derwent Pencil Museum, the home of the first pencil, and the Cumberland Pencil Company, manufacturers of Derwent pencil perfection since 1832. They have been manufacturing pencils in the Lake District for over 150 years; and that experience is packed into every single pencil and art tool.
Located in Keswick, the home of the first pencil, visitors enter the museum through a replica of the Seathwaite mine where graphite was first discovered in the 1550’s. Through words, pictures and carefully restored machinery you can trace the history of pencil making and see how they make Derwent Fine Art pencils today. You can also discover their secret WW2 pencils with hidden maps; one of the largest colour pencils in the world measuring almost 8 meters! The Queen’s diamond jubilee pencil; miniature pencil sculptures and much more!
Other facilities include:
- Derwent Gift Shop (also available online)
- Coffee Shop
- Free Wi-Fi
- Baby changing facilities
