Six free family attractions in Kent that are perfect for a budget day out
Kent is home to some fantastic free attractions, from fascinating museums bursting with culture and heritage to castles dating back hundreds of years.
With the summer holidays behind us and Christmas creeping up on the horizon, now is the perfect time to discover some of the county’s best family days out on a budget. Here are some of our top picks…
BATTLE OF BRITAIN MEMORIAL: This wartime memorial in Folkestone takes visitors on a deep dive into Britain’s military past. One of the main draws is the National Memorial to the Few, which is dedicated to those who won the Battle of Britain in 1940 and was unveiled by Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother in 1993, marking a historic moment for the attraction. There is also the Scramble Experience, an interactive audio-visual display, and the Hawker Hurricane replica.
Details: Open daily until September 30 from 10am to 5pm. Doors close an hour earlier from October 1 to November 18, then it’s closed on Mondays until the end of February. No booking required.
EYNSFORD CASTLE: Explore the ruins of this Norman castle, just outside of Dartford, and remember to look up - you’ll notice the ceiling is missing. However, the castle’s curtain wall still stands, as do the remains of the hall building which would have been inhabited by the former residents of the site dating back centuries. According to historians, the estate was abandoned after a dispute regarding its ownership in the 1300s.
Details: Open daily until September 30 from 10am to 4pm. Doors close an hour earlier from October 1. No booking required.
FORT AMHERST: There’s a varied programme of activities at Chatham’s Napoleonic fort, from military re-enactments to outdoor nature trails. Many of the on-site activities are free and, if you download the app, you can also follow the Fort Amherst Quest which takes you through 20 acres of tunnels, ditches and soldiers’ quarters, solving puzzles and logging checkpoints along the way.
Details: Open daily from 8am to 4pm. No booking required.
KENT MINING MUSEUM: Step into the shoes of Kent’s miners and find out what it was like to be part of the mining industry’s prime at Deal’s free museum. It’s located in a former East Kent coalfield, which was in operation for almost 100 years, and features lots of fascinating underground exhibitions and historical artefacts. While you’re there, you can also explore the cycling and walking routes and outdoor activities at Betteshanger Park.
Details: Open Wednesday to Sunday from 9.30am to 4pm. No booking required.
MAIDSTONE MUSEUM: This museum is home to one of Kent’s largest collections. It houses more than 600,000 global artefacts, including displays on art, natural history, geology and Ancient Egypt. It’s also got some new exhibitions, such as I Grew Up 80s, which revisits the decade with technology, toys and fashion, and an LGBTQ+ trail created by a local youth group.
Details: Open Wednesday to Saturday from 10am to 4pm until October 26. School holiday opening times and winter opening times will be announced later in the year. No booking required.
TURNER CONTEMPORARY: Margate’s trendy art gallery has acquired a number of celebrity fans over the years, from Tracey Emin to Kate Moss. The free creative hub has several exhibitions and galleries open to the public, including Preserve, the largest survey exhibition to date of British artist Anya Gallaccio, which opens at the end of September.
Details: Open from Tuesday to Sunday, 10am to 5pm. Pre-booking is optional on the Turner Contemporary website.
