Known as the 5 minute museum to locals, you can spend an amazing ammount of time in here if you…read moretake time to look at the exhibits. Entry is free, and they rotate different exhibits all around the year, and even got some of the Saxon King finds on display when they were discovered. Also featuring a planetarium, (a small fee applies), this museum is a great day out, (or at least an hour), and the small collection of merchandise they stock is reasonably priced. Each exhibit has a information card by them so you can educate and entertain, and the staff will usually have some more information that wasn't placed on the card due to space reasons.

For Southend the building that hosts Southend Museum is the last of its kind in this key avenue…read moretowards the centre of the town. Fortunately listed so hopefully this status will protect it from development if plans afoot to build a new museum on the seafront go ahead. Ok as with most buildings circa 1900 they did not build in disabled access, so where it can be provided it is, but generally the building is large but inaccessible for wheelchairs. The collections have interest for local and visitor alike, Southend's geograpical position means it has been a focus for both World Wars and displays of Zeppelins, or WWII bomb damage is readily available. This museum too has taken on board the need to interact with it's audience so an activity room with plenty of touchy-feely, and try-out is available. Upstairs a planetarium provides views into the solar system. This museum might not have the wow factor, but it does have passionate staff who know their stuff, interesting displays, and the knowledge that the display areas are too small for the huge collection behind the scenes, hence the need for a new site. This review would not be complete without mention of the Saxon King finds recently discovered north of Priory Park, that reside currently in London, but until Southend can provide adequate secure premises for the significant collection then the town will not see them back. For those contmplating a visit to the museum, do so, It is free, provides a handy half an hour stop off on the way to the shops or on the way back, a great respite if the weather is bad, plus you could learn something.

Great museum. It really shows you…read more some of the tough history of this pretty town. The lives of the folk when hit by severe storms & their oyster trade is under threat

A great place to learn not only about the history of Whitstable but also about the life of a sea…read moreside town. The museum has free entry and has a permenant display of fishing and diving related matter. Visitors are also able to wtach old footage of whitstable. The museum also hosts various artists based upon a chosen topic. Each topic has family events and free workshops. A gret place for kids.

Full of really interesting artefacts from the Roman times. Who knew that Romans were invading our…read morevery own town of Orpington once upon a time! This is basically the wrecks and ruins and leftover remains of a Roman Villa from centuries ago! Really fascinating, although not exciting and thrilling like some museums in London and other Cities, this place is a cool find and often home to many school trips!

Crofton is a amazing Roman Villa with loads on interesting facts and pictures of back in the day?…read moreBeautiful place if you love history, you will love this place. Fantastic for kids and couples I had to stay here due to me being on business and booked to stay here really enjoyed my stay and I will be returning to see this place again when I can? I have another amazing Villa based in Dubai called the Sapphire Villa this is a beautiful Villa with loads to really modern and full of life and fantastic activities check them out if you are in the areas truly amazing!

The smallest Museum in London. This is more an installation than a museum, but the property…read moremanagers at Trinity Buoy Wharf, like to classify it as a museum. This is literally a one room shed, barely enough space for 2 people to stand up in. But its open to visitors and provides an interactive experience of Michael Faradays experiments. Faraday himself conducted many of his electrical lighting experiments at the Lighthouse here - the only surviving Lighthouse in London today. He was the scientific advisor to the lighthouse for over 30 years. The shed has an assortment of found objects, antiques and things of the sea curated by Ana Ospina. There are some sound recordings and historic documents too for the more scientifically minded. There isn't much to see at this building itself, but its worth climbing up the lighthouse to listen to Longplayer and see the views across the Thames. Fat Boy Diner at the wharf, serves up some of the best buffalo wings I have eaten in this country and they have root beer to boot.

I visited the Historic Dockyard in Chatham during the summer of 2008. Given that there was so much…read moreto see, it was worth the money. The huge car park outside, means it will be very unlikely that you will ever struggle to find a car parking space. There are three main attractions in the dockyard - the HMS Cavalier (a naval destroyer), HMS Ocelot (an submarine) and HMS Gannet (an old royal naval part steam/sale ship). If you want to tour the HMS Ocelot you may have to wait until there is a tour available as only limited numbers of people can safely fit aboard the submarine at any one time. The 80 acre site also offers a number of other exhibitions - Royal Naval Auxiliary Service Museum, the Royal Nation Lifeboat Association historic lifeboat collection and the Kent Police Museum. The site also houses the Museum of the Royal Dockyard, and the Ropery which still commercially makes rope today. An informative tour is available in the Ropery which is included in the admission price - if you volunteer you even get to help make bit of your own rope. You are booked on this tour when you purchase your tickets. If you are in the area, this is a pretty good attraction, although it doesn't really compare to the historic dockyard in portsmouth.

The historic dock at Chatham really is a fun packed day out which will take up your whole day…read more There are ships, nautical memorabilia, museum, fun thigns to do for the kids, tea rooms, food, gift shop etc so much to do and spread over an expansive lot of land in the docks. You will really enjoy this day out, especially kids, good disabled facilities and toilets. Top notch fun.

Southchurch Hall and gardens have so much potential and could be a really special place…read more Unfortunately the gardens are too often full of people having one too many drinks, at times the rats are a little too obvious (used to be known locally as the Duck Park, now more commonly the Rat Park) and the water in the ponds is stagnant. Having said that the gardens are beautiful and fantastically maintained - I had my photos before my wedding taken there. The Hall can be used for weddings but only seats maybe 30 people. There is some interesting history and displays inside but again not used to full advantage - and not open many days. Do some excellent seasonal events there though e.g. Victorian Christmas days

Lovely setting hidden between the houses on Southchurch Road, you wouldn't even know it was there…read more A quiet park with a large duck pond although not that well kempt. The museum is a slice of history and weddings can be held here too. Southend Shakespeare often perform on the clearing in the summer - a must visit!

If you like railways here's a little place to visit. It's just plain eccentric though, 3/4 a mile…read moreof track, buildings, trains & carriages just brought into an old farm, there was never any connection to or from this place, makes you proud to be British. At Christmas they have a Santa Train and other special day in the year.

If you've never been to a Railway Museum before and you live in Essex, then it's on your doorstep…read moreand well worth a few visits. If you live further away then I suggest you make plans to be there a while because it's not just a Museum but a working Railway and a restoration yard. It is all privately owned and features a 1 mile long standard gauge line with restored stations, signal boxes and ancillary equipment removed from various sites throughout East Anglia. Six Steam and 10 Diesel locomotives are currently on site, ranging from a (and this is for those who know what I'm talking about) 48hp Ruston & Hornsby shunter, to a BR Class 47, a 120 ton 2750hp monster. There is so much to say about Mangapps Railway Museum that it would take a day to say it so, visit soon. Find out more at http://mangapps.co.uk Allthough this Railway Museum has nothing to do with me, I visit it regularly and hold it dear to my heart.

This is favourite place in Southend. The ancient house has been vamped up to form an informative…read moretour of different parts of It's history.The beauty of the walled gardens is breathtakingly beautiful and tranquil. Other spots are wild and tadpole and frog hunts in the small are organised - only educational and observation. There's a big play area and bandstand with bands sometimes and a quite good cafe. Football and tennis activities bike riding and joggers around. But the best part is the cultural and age mix from ladies and parents to the elderly all out to enjoy themselves and dogs properly under control.WONDERFUL !!!!

Priory Park is a huge park just outside of Southend. If you have kids its a must as there is loads…read moreof space for them to run about and play including a large kids playground! Although its not only kids that would enjoy it, the park features a walled garden with bedding displays and borders with climbing roses and shrubs, as well as the 12th Century Priory Museum. Some parts of a Cluniac monastrey still remain forming part of the museum. Walking around the park the amount of wildlife you see is amazing! From the ducks and swans on the pond, to the rats and voles running around the edge of the pond and the squirrels running across the path in front of you! Park opening times vary throughout the year, depending on the time of the year obviously being open later during the Summer compared to the Winter. Entry to the park and museum as well as all the facilities apart from the cafe are free so its a nice cheap day out too!! Facilities Include Basketball Courts Bowling Cafe/Restaurant Childrens Playground Fishing (Although you do need a licence) Football Pitches Museum Parking Picnic Area Tennis Courts Toilets Nature Reserve The Walled Garden Large Pond (Great for feeding the ducks with the kids!)