Farmer Jack Carter, the Suffolk Local History Council, and others had collected, preserved and displayed objects from rural East Anglia.

After several years of temporary exhibitions at other places, Vera and Ena Longe donated 1.38 acres of land including Stowmarket's oldest building, a Grade II* Medieval Barn[1] to be used as a permanent site for the museum.

[2] In 1970, they placed the rest of their land, including 75 acres (30 ha) of farmland, the Grade II* listed house Abbot’s Hall,[3] its gardens and ancillary buildings, in trust to become part of the museum.

[10] The museum embarked on the next stage of development in 2023 with a programme of works to construct new visitor facilities, conserve the Medieval Barn and build new exhibition spaces.

[16] In August 2016 the Museum hosted the East Anglian Living History Fayre[17] run in partnership with Black Knight Historical.