Visitors enjoying part of the 90 minute tour of Bodleian Libraries

Bodleian Libraries

Oxford

Museums

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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.

Museums in England

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.

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.

Dive into over 100 years of British transport history at Brooklands Museum, Surrey. Home to the first motor racing circuit in the world, the supersonic Concorde with tours available, simulators, bus rides and a host of other interactive experiences. The 32-acre site makes for a fascinating family day out for all ages.

Ultimate Explorer Ticket at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard with access for 12 months

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.

Museums in London

Museums in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight

Museums in Buckinghamshire

Museums in Oxfordshire

Museums in Surrey

Museums in Kent

Museums in Berkshire

Museums in Sussex

Museums Near Me

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:

Number of results: 93

, currently showing 1 to 20.

  1. Dickens House Museum

    Type

    Type:

    Historic House / Palace

    Broadstairs

    The museum is housed in the cottage that was Charles Dickens’ inspiration for the home of Betsey Trotwood in David Copperfield.

  2. Brighton Toy and Model Museum

    Type

    Type:

    Museum

    Brighton

    Located in four Victorian cellars under Brighton Railway Station, the Brighton Toy and Model Museum will invoke many childhood memories and dreams.

  3. Bletchley Park

    Type

    Type:

    Historic House / Palace

    Milton Keynes

    Once Britain’s Best Kept Secret, today Bletchley Park is a heritage site and vibrant tourist attraction. Open daily, visitors can explore some of the iconic WW2 Codebreaking Huts and Blocks and marvel at the astonishing achievements of the…

  4. St Augustine's Abbey

    Type

    Type:

    Abbey / Priory

    Canterbury

    This great Abbey, marking the rebirth of Christianity in southern England, was founded in AD 597 by St Augustine.

  5. Windsor & Royal Borough Museum

    Type

    Type:

    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.

  6. The Gurkha Museum

    Type

    Type:

    Museum

    Winchester

    The Gurkha Museum takes you on a journey of discovery through the history of Gurkhas in British service.

  7. Dover Castle

    Type

    Type:

    Castle / Fort

    Dover

    Discover 2000 years of history at Dover Castle! Step inside the Great Tower and immerse yourself in the medieval world and royal court of King Henry ll. Travel deep inside the White Cliffs and tour the Underground Hospital.

  8. Rockbourne Roman Villa

    Type

    Type:

    Historic Site

    Fordingbridge

    Situated in picturesque and peaceful south west Hampshire, Rockbourne Roman Villa is the largest known Roman villa in the area. The villa once stood in the centre of a large farming estate, and its history spans the period from the Iron Age to the…

  9. Southampton Medieval Merchants House

    Type

    Type:

    Historic House / Palace

    Southampton

    Sensitive restoration has returned this house to its mid 14th century appearence steeped in atmosphere. It is easy to imagine the life of John Fortin, a wine trader, and his family who lived here c1290.

  10. Willesborough Windmill

    Type

    Type:

    Heritage / Visitor Centre

    Ashford

    135 year old Smock Mill, in course of restoration. Miller's cottage, restored Hornsby 14hp gas oil engine which drives one pair of stones.

  11. Winchester's Military Museums

    Type

    Type:

    Museum

    Winchester

    Five splendid military museums on an historic site with Visitor Centre, café displays and activities to interest all the family.

  12. Willis Museum and Sainsbury Gallery

    Type

    Type:

    Museum

    Basingstoke

    Discover Basingstoke and Deane’s past, from the rich archaeological heritage beneath our feet right up to the modern day.

  13. Queens Park Arts Centre & Limelight Theatre

    Type

    Type:

    Arts Centre

    Aylesbury

    Offering over 70 weekly arts and crafts workshops, live comedy, music and theatre as well as exhibitions and demonstrations, Queens Park Arts Centre and Limelight Theatre has something for everyone.

  14. Tangmere Military Aviation Museum

    Type

    Type:

    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.

  15. Beaulieu, Home of the National Motor Museum

    Type

    Type:

    Museum

    Beaulieu

    Beaulieu featuring the world famous National Motor Museum, Palace House home of the Montagu family and Abbey Ruins containing an exhibition of monastic life.

  16. The Hop Farm Family Park

    Type

    Type:

    Museum

    Paddock Wood

    A collection of well-preserved Victorian oast houses, home to the Hop Story Museum and the famous grey and black shire horses. 'Decades experience,' Indoor adventure playground and nature trail.

  17. Cogges Manor Farm

    Type

    Type:

    History and Heritage

    Witney

    Cogges Manor Farm is a living landscape with over 1,000 years of history and 17 acres of open space to explore. The beautiful Cotswold stone 13th century manor house, farmyard and garden pay testimony to the generations of people who have worked the…

  18. Weald & Downland Living Museum

    Type

    Type:

    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.

  19. Crampton Tower Museum

    Type

    Type:

    Museum

    Broadstairs

    The Crampton Tower Museum is a fascinating small museum is partly housed in a flint tower adjacent to the Broadstairs Railway Station.