Discover the rich heritage of Maidstone Museum in Kent. From ancient Egyptian treasures and Anglo‑Saxon archaeology to costume textiles, ethnography, natural history, and biological artefacts, the museum houses over 600,000 items - earning it the nickname 'the little V&A' after the Victoria and Albert Museum. Since opening in 1858, it has hosted traditional art shows, photography retrospectives and hands‑on workshops for all ages. Part of the badge-collecting Wheels of Time scheme, it’s the perfect destination for families, history buffs and culture seekers.
The Museum is also home to the Queen’s Own Royal West Kent Regimental Museum - see our listing here for further details.
Nearby is the Tyrwhitt-Drake Maidstone Museum of Carriages, known as the Carriage Museum, which is open on selected dates - again, please see our listing here for further details.

Kent's Museums
See our Museums in Kent guide to discover the rich heritage and culture on display across the Garden of England.

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For current events, click on the events button under the main image above.

Opening Hours
February to late December
Low Season
Wednesday to Saturday
High Season
Monday to Saturday
10am-4pm
Last entry: 3.30pm

Key Information for Visiting Maidstone Museum
Opening dates vary - the low and high seasons are based on school holiday dates for Kent County Council. Check before visiting.

Price
Free
Some events may incur a charge.

Accessibility
For visitors with electric mobility scooters, they are too heavy to use in the wheelchair lift available. Tours for hard-of-hearing groups can be booked. Disabled parking spaces for Blue Badge holders are available along the walled edge of Brenchley Gardens on Station Road. Parking is available for up to three hours and is just two minutes from the museum.
Some staff are learning learning Makaton to help with interaction and communication with their visitors. Also, online you can see a PECS® style set of pictures/symbols to help plan the sequence of a visit to the museum.
Spike’s Fidget Back Packs: visitors can also borrow a figit back pack, which can be reservedin advance, for families, school and individual visitors.

Train
Maidstone East - 2 minutes, or Maidstone Barracks - 7 minutes.

Bus
Maidstone Museum is  10 minutes from Chequers Bus Station.

Travelling By Car
Parking
Fremlin Walk multistory - Pay & Display.
Disabled Parking
Disabled spaces along the walled edge of Brenchley Gardens on Station Road.

Facilities
Toilet • Disabled Toilet •  Baby Changing Facilities • Buggy Storage • Shop

Explore Maidstone
Looking for more things to do in Maidstone. Check out our Maidstone Area Guide for local attractions, or visit the latest What’s On in Kent to see what’s happening - you can filter by location.

Picture Credit: © Maidstone Museum.

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