Kent's best museums for children

From the history of the Romans to the Royal Engineers, Kent’s towns boast a wide selection of museums which come in all shapes and sizes. Here are some of the My Kent Family favourites.

MEDWAY

Royal Engineers Museum, Gillingham

With more than 6,000 exhibits the museum tells the story of the Royal Engineers from early times to the present day. There are First and Second World War galleries while displays include tanks, torpedoes, models, weapons, uniform and a variety of medals. The museum is closed on Mondays.

Please phone ahead to check current opening times on 01634 822839.

Tickets can also be booked in advance at www.re-museum.co.uk

Rochester Guildhall Museum, Rochester

The Guidhall was built in 1687 and is one of the finest civic buildings in Kent and the museum moved into the Guildhall in 1979. Displays and exhibitions include a Victorian drawing room and kitchen, archaeological objects visitors can touch, paintings and prints of the area and a full-size reconstruction of part of a Medway prison hulk.

Entry is free but opening hours should be checked in advance via 01634 332900. More info here.

MAIDSTONE

Maidstone Museum and Bentliff Art Gallery

It is described as one of the best attractions in the county town and what’s more, you can visit for free! There are over 6,000 artefacts inside the collections with archaeology, costume, ancient Egypt, local history and Japanese decorative arts all covered in the displays. A temporary exhibition space has also brought some fantastic touring collections to the town – including the most recent exhibition from Lego – which sometimes require an additional charge.

For more information visit www.museum.maidstone.gov.uk

CANTERBURY

Beaney House of Art and Knowledge

The art museum and library sits in the heart of the city. Alongside the galleries and displays which cover topics such as the Ancient Egyptians, birds and butterflies, stain glass and Greek artefacts, is a busy programme of activities and events – particularly tailored to children and their families during school holidays.

For further information visit www.canterbury.co.uk/Beaney

Canterbury Heritage Museum

Discover the history of Canterbury from inside one of England’s finest surviving medieval buildings. Rare Tudor painted plaster, the original Invicta steam engine not to mention the much treasured characters of Rupert Bear and Bagpuss all have a home inside the museum in Stour Street. Adults require a ticket but children are free, with a maximum of two free children per full paying adult.

For further information and opening hours telephone 01227 475202 or visit www.canterbury.co.uk/museums/heritage-museum/

Canterbury Roman Museum

Explore Canterbury's underground museum built around the remains of a Roman town house. It provides a fascinating and family friendly insight into Roman Canterbury taking you from the present day back to the original Roman street level. Adults require a ticket but children are free (maximum of two per paying adult).

The museum is in Butchery Lane, telephone 01227 785575 for further information.

The Seaside Museum, Herne Bay

From Dambusters to floors, piers to Punch & Judy the museum and gallery has plenty of surprises under one roof. There are local paintings, photos and prints, elephant tusks and fossils from local beaches, displays covering local wildlife and items relating to the Second World War.

Please check opening times and current admission prices at www.theseasidemuseumhernebay.org

Whitstable Museum and Gallery

It may be famous for its oysters, diving and celebrity residents but the museum and gallery will show you that there is so much more to the town’s history. Packed full with iconic objects alongside art, images and film the museum is a must visit for anyone with an interest or connection to the area.

Check opening times and ticket prices at www.canterbury.co.uk/museums/coastal-museums

ASHFORD

Ashford Borough Museum

From the Victorians to wartime Ashford, the railways to the borough’s people and the streets they lived in, the Borough Museum hopes to bring it all to life. The museum in The Churchyard is open from April to late October.

Visit ashfordmuseum.org.uk for further information.

DOVER

Dover Transport Museum

Definitely one for those crazy about vehicles, Dover Transport Museum has a fascinating collection of vintage transport. From American lorries supplied to the British Army in the First World War to a beautifully restored Romany caravan there is an impressive amount on display in Willingdon Road.

Opening times alter depending on the time of year. For the latest visit www.dovertransportmuseum.org.uk

Dover Museum

One of the oldest museums in the county, it was founded over 150 years ago. The galleries tell the story of the development of the town with original objects, graphics and scale models. There is even the more recent addition of the Dover Bronze Age Boat gallery, which tells the story of the excavation and preservation of the boat.

The museum is in Market Square and open Monday to Saturday, and on Sundays from April to September. For admission prices and opening times visit www.dovermuseum.co.uk

THANET

Dickens House Museum, Broadstairs

Celebrating Charles Dickens’ connection with Broadstairs, visitors will see items that once belonged to Dickens including letters written about Broadstairs, his writing box and sideboard. There are also displays of Dickensian memorabilia and Victorian costumes at the charming property in Victoria Parade.

Opening times vary. Visit www.thanet.gov.uk for further information.

SWALE

Tucked inside an old shop in East Street the museum is dedicated to preserving and promoting local heritage and history. Brick-making, the creek and barge building alongside the growth of the town are all covered in the museum’s displays.

Admission is free. For opening hours visit www.sittingbourne-museum.co.uk

Fleur de Lis Museum, Faversham

Based inside the Fleur de Lis Heritage Centre in Preston Street the museum helps you follow the town’s history from the earliest archaeological times all the way through to the present day and its role as a tourism destination.

The museum is open Monday to Saturday 10am to 4pm and on Sundays from 10am until 1pm. For the latest admission prices visitwww.favershamsociety.org

GRAVESHAM AND DARTFORD

Dartford Museum

Packed full with items relating to Dartford and its history, admission to the museum is free, making it a fantastic resource for local families. The museum is in Market Street, and shares a building with Dartford library and displays include locally found fossils, medieval pottery and stonework, a reconstruction of a draper’s shop and artefacts and memorabilia related to Dartford’s role in the two world wars and on the Home Front.

Opening hours available from www.dartford.gov.uk