The Powell-Cotton Museum
The Powell-Cotton Museum
4.5
Natural History MuseumsGardensHistory Museums
Saturday
11:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Sunday
11:00 AM - 3:00 PM
About
The Powell-Cotton Museum offers an exciting, fun and interactive day out for all. Discover awesome animals in our natural history galleries and journey across the world discovering cultures with our amazing collection of objects and archaeology. A tour of Grade II listed Quex House, former home of the Powell-Cotton's is also included in your admission ticket. Quex Gardens, spanning 7 acres and featuring a walled garden and woodland walk is open throughout the day. The perfect place for a picnic! Free tours of Quex House* and Museum Highlights run throughout the day and there is a programme of exciting events & activities throughout the year.
Duration: 2-3 hours
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

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4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles453 reviews
Excellent
304
Very good
101
Average
23
Poor
17
Terrible
8

Culture42761648014
1 contribution
1.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2023 • Couples
Truly dreadful. Not so much a reinterpretation of history as an ideological bludgeoning. It never ceases to amaze that so many curators actively loathe the exhibits they are meant to maintain.
Written 29 May 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
As an accredited museum our team are dedicated to improving the museum displays, caring for the collection and expanding the stories to include all the people who made the museum what it is today. Unfortunately not all visitors approve of this approach however it is endorsed by the Museums Association and all peer industry bodies so we are confident we are on the right track.
Written 5 July 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

eastbournestrangler
Birchington, UK201 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2023
What a little gem! An excellent way to spend a few hours, and, it's so cheap to visit. The diorama rooms are quite spell binding an the family history ,and its makers, is amazing. Great staff to help. We also took a tour of the main house; enough history to fill another museum and our guide was excellent.
There is a child friendly room too.
Written 4 March 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Oh were delighted to read that your first visit was great! Thank you for the 5* review and for recommending us. I think you'll agree, there's always something else to see so please do visit again, particularly in summer when the gardens are a highlight.
Written 13 March 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

KandNAustralia
Australia116 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2023
This museum and the home tour were exceptional. Not sure why some of the previous reviewers were critical - we found this place represented so clearly a snapshot of time and places from the past, and the Museum is clearly examining their curation of exhibits and being self-reflective. For less than a cup of coffee we had a personal tour of the manor house next to the museum, where the collector and their family lived, as well as being able to tour the museum for as long as we wished.

Staff were all super friendly and had impressive knowledge of the exhibits, the house and the surrounds. Thank you so much for a really mind expanding experience.
Written 1 January 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for a 5* review! The perfect new year's gift for us! We have a new exhibition of stunning clothing, jewellery and dolls from Namibia opening soon so please do come and visit again.
Written 13 March 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Shaun H
Charing, UK19 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2022 • Family
Great place to visit, I’ve visited many times over many years but this time when requiring food and refreshments we were told that all tables at the cafe had been reserved.

Tables at a museum cafe should not be reserved as they should be available for those that have paid and visited the museum.

External functions should have their own catering facilities.

I will have to re-consider visiting this venue in future.
Written 4 September 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi 974shaunh, Felicitiy's cafe, whilst on the museum grounds, is a separate business and cafe in its own right so occasionally they do close for private functions. I'm sorry you were unlucky the day you visited the museum. They do now offer a pre-booking service on their website so our visitors can guarantee a table. I hope that helps and you visit us again
Written 13 March 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Lolly
Broadstairs, UK62 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2022 • Family
Strange you have to pay for babies to attend! I appreciate it’s a great cost for a day out but find it very odd you get charged to take a newborn! Seems a shame as I don’t know anywhere else doing this? Aside from that, lovely grounds and excellent museum!
Written 14 August 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi Lolly2020, we took this feedback on board from parents with newborns and have now introduced a more traditional pricing structure. Infants aged 3 and under are now free, children are £2.50, concessions are £3 and adults £3.50. I hope you can visit us again this year
Written 13 March 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Will B
2 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2022 • Family
I took my 2 sons to the activity center and we where greeted by one of the most polite and welcoming boys I’ve ever met, jack kelleher he was so helpful for my son who gets very nervous around new people, my son loved the paintball game and we will certainly be back again thanks !!!!!!
Written 14 June 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

PETER T
Margate, UK988 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2022 • Family
We live local and two of my grandchildren have never visited this attraction and my daughter went years ago so we booked our ticket’s. There were plenty of parking spaces right near the house and the weather was fine. Firstly we walked around the outside of the museum and house and then went inside to look at the museum. The children have never seen animals displayed like this so they were very interested . There are 8 galleries full with exhibits that the Cotton family gathered on their trips abroad , this was very educational for the children and one of the guides came in and explained to them some of the history about some of the displays . On finishing we then joined a timed tour around the family house which is full of grand furniture and items that were used in the house when the family lived there. This museum and house are well worth a visit and schools do have educational days there. You cannot pick tour times before you arrive as it depends on staff in attendance. It was well worth the money and a great family day there.
Written 3 May 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for the lovely, detailed review. I'm pleased to read you enjoyed your visit!
Written 3 May 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

David Harris
1 contribution
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2021 • Family
When is a maze not a maze ? When you follow a path through a maize field with tv screens. At £12.50 for a child and £3 for adults it’s the most expensive waste of time I’ve ever encountered. The maze and playground being advertised as suitable for children up to 15 years of age is totally misleading. The upper age should be halved and what the adults get out of it is a mystery.
Never again
Written 23 July 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Please note, this review is not of The Powell-Cotton Museum, but another business/experience nearby.
Written 3 May 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Toni M
Margate, UK13 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020 • Family
My three year old loves visiting here and particularly lives the explorer ruck sack and binoculars that you can use during the visit. Really interesting
Written 26 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for leaving a great review! I'm really pleased to read you love our explorer back packs!
Written 3 May 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

pottypolly
Whitstable, UK402 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020 • Friends
Whilst February isn’t the best time to see the gardens there is so much inside the museum to see. An amazing collection and worth a visit.
Written 16 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for the 5* review!
Written 3 May 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

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THE POWELL-COTTON MUSEUM: All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

Frequently Asked Questions about The Powell-Cotton Museum

The Powell-Cotton Museum is open:
  • Sat - Sun 11:00 - 15:00