You'll find some of the most engaging, fun and educational museums in the UK here in South East England. Whether you're looking to discover more about the stars or cars, dinosaurs or boats, country or town life, there is a museum here for you. You'll find many free museums, making them a great addition to a budget-busting day out that doesn't break the bank. So if you haven't been to a museum in years, you may be interested to hear that museums in England have been transported into the 21st century.
Prepare yourself for a surprise as the South East has some of the most fun museums in England, with hundreds across the region. In place of stuffy rooms and wardens shushing for quiet, you'll find inspirational and interactive spaces with engaging and accessible exhibits from retro cars to animatronics, the chance to journey to the stars and the worlds beyond, get hands-on with history and walk in the footsteps of famous characters in history. Whether you're into heritage, art, science, maritime, or wildlife, you're bound to find something right up your street.
The featured museums are located in the counties of South East England and demonstrate the sheer variety of interest on offer. A more detailed list can be located through the map at the bottom of this page.
Car enthusiasts won’t want to miss the world-famous National Motor Museum at Beaulieu in Hampshire’s New Forest. See one of the largest car collections held by any of the museums in England, with 250 cars of every age including land speed record-breakers Golden Arrow and Bluebird. Whisk your way along to Milestones Museum, Basingstoke, where you can see an array of vintage vehicles including Hampshire's three big manufacturers.
Hampshire Cultural Trust are guardians of 2.5 million objects that relate to Hampshire’s rich and internationally important cultural heritage. Managing 23 attractions across Hampshire, including the brand new 878 AD which opened in the autumn of 2022 in Winchester, and the recently refurbished Gosport Museum and Art Gallery where you'll find museums and art galleries that explore Vikings, Victorians, Natural Sciences, Archaeology and much more.
The South East is also home to world-famous Bodleian Libraries, Oxford. Not a museum in the traditional form, but the libraries are the oldest in Europe, and are the 2nd largest in the UK, only second to the British Library. Together, they hold over 13 million printed items and today offer the chance to visit and explore them, marvel at their exquisite architecture and dive into their fascinating history with a guided tour.
The D-Day Story and the LCT7074 landing craft, Portsmouth, is the only museum in the UK dedicated to the Allied Invasion in June 1944. Whilst Portsmouth Historic Dockyard is home to not only the world famous Mary Rose but also HMS Victory, Admiral Lord Nelson's flagship. Discover Portsmouth's rich maritime history onboard some of the most famous war ships in British Naval history and find out what life was like for sailors in years gone by.
Use the 'Map View' button below to find museums near you in South East England including dozens of local museums showcasing their town's proud history. Check individual listings to see which museums are open today.
Number of results: 91
, currently showing 21 to 40.
Science Centre
Morn Hill, Winchester
Winchester Science Centre is more than a day out. It’s a chance to spark your children’s curiosity in science which could lead them on an exciting journey for life! Situated in the stunning South Downs National Park, this exciting family destination…
Museum
Chichester
Come and discover rescued traditional rural buildings set in a beautiful landscape, which tell the stories of the men, women and children who lived and worked in them over a 950-year period.
Historic Site
Winchester
Built by William the Conqueror, Winchester Castle was the seat of power of medieval monarchs. The Great Hall, one of the finest medieval halls in England, and the Westgate, which served as the castle’s primary defence, are now the sole survivors of…
History and Heritage
CHICHESTER
A chance to see and hear the stories of heroes, in the air and on the ground, from World War 1 to the Cold War. Record breaking aircraft and others that have starred in films.
Theme Park
Newhaven
From plants to play, Paradise Park has something for all generations of the family to enjoy a unique and exciting day out. Visit Planet Earth Museum, Sussex Plant House, Sussex History Trail, themed gardens and extensive indoor and outdoor play…
Museum
Eastney, Southsea
Discover the marvels of Victorian engineering that both improved and lengthened the lives of city residents.
Gallery
Eastbourne
Towner, the contemporary art museum, is Eastbourne's new art gallery and centre for the visual arts in the South East.
Museum
Oxford
History of the city and university. Discover the cities earliest residents, medieval crafts, civil war stories, famous literary connections and the growth of a modern city.
Museum
MAIDSTONE
Maidstone Carriage Musuem is home to a unique collection of horse-drawn vehicles & transport curiosities. More than 60 vehicles displayed, from grand carriages & ornate sleighs to antique sedan chairs & Victorian cabs, even an original ice
Museum
Bexhill-on-Sea
It’s curious, it’s quirky, it’s packed to the rafters with diverse objects with a surprise in every cabinet and around every corner.
Museums & Galleries
Aldershot
Housed in the only surviving brick-built barrack blocks left in Aldershot, Aldershot Military Museum tells the story of daily life for both soldier and civilian in the town since 1854.
Museum
Maidstone
Maidstone Museum and Bentlif Art Gallery is an exceptional regional museum housed in the gorgeous Chillington Manor, an Elizabethan manor house.
Arts Centre
Winchester
A vibrant and versatile gallery space hosting a changing programme of exhibits to celebrate the best of Winchester's thriving arts and heritage scene.
Museum
Windsor
The jewel in the Royal Borough's crown, Windsor and Royal Borough Museum is a family friendly museum bursting with interesting facts and interactive displays of East Berkshire.
Museum
Hove
Hove Museum is one of the most family friendly and accessible museums in the south east. It also houses one of the finest craft collections in the country.
Museum
Brighton
This fascinating museum houses exhibits that include hundreds of British birds displayed in recreated natural settings, insects from butterflies to beetles, a killer whale skeleton and dinosaur bones
Museum
Reading
The Museum of English Rural Life (The MERL) is England’s most extensive museum dedicated to farming, food, craft, rural life and countryside issues.
Historic Site
Southampton
Uncover over 800 years of history in the heart of Southampton’s Old Town. Tudor House and Garden gives visitors an insight in to the lives and times of its residents with informative displays and hands on interactive experiences.
Museum
Dover
Dover Museum, the district's largest and most varied museum, has a range of fascinating real objects, models and original pictures showing the history and archaeology of Dover, along with the Dover Bronze Age Boat, the world's oldest known seagoing…
History and Heritage
Winchester
Step into Anglo-Saxon Winchester!
Experience the sights and sounds of Anglo-Saxon Winchester and discover the stories of the people who lived there, brought to life with the spectacular world of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla and Discovery Tour: Viking…
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