Quex Park, Natural history museum and house museum in Birchington-on-Sea, United Kingdom
Quex Park is a natural history museum and historic house in Birchington-on-Sea with an extensive collection of animal specimens from Africa and Asia displayed in detailed dioramas. The site spans around seven acres and includes exotic trees, herbaceous borders, and a historical walled kitchen garden alongside the museum buildings.
Percy Powell-Cotton, an explorer who conducted numerous expeditions, founded the museum to display the animal specimens and artifacts he gathered during his global travels. His collecting passion reflects the natural history movement of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
The collections showcase objects from different cultures and local archaeological finds that tell stories of the region's past. These holdings allow the museum to regularly collaborate with other institutions on exhibitions that offer varied perspectives on the world.
The museum opens from February through November on Fridays to Sundays and bank holidays. Different admission fees apply for adults and children over three years, and the gardens provide natural spaces to walk through between museum visits.
The walled kitchen garden shows how the Powell-Cotton family managed their grounds and offers a rare window into historical gardening practices of the area. These working gardens were once vital for household food production and reflect the daily life of wealthy families.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
