Holst Birthplace Museum

Gustav Holst was born in this building (then 4 Pittville Terrace) on 21 September 1874.

Built in 1832, the house was a private residence until 1975, when it became the Holst Birthplace Museum, run by Cheltenham Borough Council. Since 2000 it has been an independent museum run by a board of trustees, staffed almost entirely by volunteers.

The museum presents the fascinating story of how a young boy from Cheltenham grew up to be one of Britain’s finest composers and achieved worldwide fame through his complex yet immensely popular masterpiece, The Planets Suite. The music room contains many of Holst’s possessions, including the piano on which he composed The Planets. Entering the museum is like stepping back in time: many of the rooms have been re-imagined as they might have looked in the 1870s when Holst lived there.

Whether you are a music lover or a fan of Victorian social history, the museum has a great deal to offer the visitor. The shop has a large selection of items for sale, including CDs, books, Holst-themed memorabilia, as well as children’s toys. To book a ticket, please go to the website, www.holstmuseum.org.uk, which also contains more information about the Holsts of Cheltenham.

For refreshment and sustenance, a visit to Havanas Coffee, 14 Prestbury Road, will re-energise you before our Encore, a visit to All Saints’ Church, with its many Holst associations.