Collect your Wheels of Time badge from us!
We are thrilled to be a new participating member of the Wheels of Time Kent badge collecting scheme. Collect a badge on your next visit!
Welcome to the Powell-Cotton Museum, Quex House and Gardens
Famous for our natural history dioramas, featuring animals from tiny tortoises to enormous elephants, you’ll be amazed at what we have on display. Find us in Birchington, just a stone’s throw from the popular seaside town of Margate.
Our regular open days are on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, until 31st October. Check our What’s On page for the latest events and activities. We can’t wait to welcome you!
Plan your visitFind Out More
This is an exciting time for the Museum, Quex House and Gardens and we’ve got a lot to share with you. From restoration projects to new learning content and initiatives, follow the links to connect with us.
Everything is happening, all at once, and all of the time!
Our Head of Collections Madylene Beardmore reflects on her first year at the Powell-Cotton Museum for the March/April issue of Museum Journal.
Our roof replacement Part 6
The enabling works for phase 2 of our roof replacement project are now underway. Here's what you can expect...
Discover our collections
Explore the map to discover just some of the objects in our collection and where they are from.
Collecting spines from some of our spikier residents! 🌵
Our Conservation Team ventured into the Cactus House this week - not for gardening, but for gathering an unexpected tool of the trade - cactus spines!
It might sound surprising, but the fine, flexible spines of cacti are ideal for delicate conservation tasks, like removing soil or dirt in recessed areas on objects as the fine, softer yet robust tip is efficient and less likely to cause any scratch or damage to the artefact.
It’s a perfect example of how conservation often combines science, craft and creativity, occasionally with a botanical twist!
#PowellCottonMuseum #Conservation #CactusConservation #NatureInspired #ConservationScience #CactusHouse #QuexGardens
NEW SUMMER OPENING HOURS! We’re excited to announce that the Museum, Quex House and Gardens will be opening five days a week throughout the summer holidays!
From 23rd July to 31st August the museum will be open every Wednesday to Sunday, 11am–4pm, so visitors can enjoy even more time to explore everything we have to offer.
From 10 acres of gardens and woodland to daily Quex House tours, seven galleries filled with natural history and material cultures and a host of family-friendly activities including children’s crafts and backpack buddies.
Whether you’re planning a day out with the kids, looking to reconnect with nature, or simply want to enjoy a relaxing afternoon picnic in beautiful surroundings, there’s something for everyone to discover.
Join us this summer and make the most of your visit!
#PowellCottonMuseum #QuexHouse #QuexGardens #SummerHolidays
Even under glass, our cacti tend to flower when it`s rains. And look what happened after Friday`s overnight showers!
This stunning yellow flower belongs to our Parodia magnifica, also known as a balloon or ball cactus. Native to southern Brazil, it’s a striking species in the Cactaceae family, and right now it’s in full bloom. But not for long.
The flowers only last for a few days so you need to hurry if you`d like to see this botanical wonder for yourself!
We`re open from 11am-4pm, this Saturday and Sunday.
#QuexGardens #ParodiaMagnifica #BalloonCactus #CactusBloom #VictorianWalledGarden #BotanicalGardens #GardenInspiration
We had a great time this week exploring botanical printing with our Home Education visitors 🌿
Using plants and flowers from around Quex Gardens, we tried out cyanotype to create prints inspired by nature.
Thank you to everyone who joined us for a relaxed and creative session outdoors.
Looking forward to seeing you all again in September for Clay!
#BotanicalPrinting #HomeEducation #QuexGardens #PowellCottonMuseum #NatureArt #LearningInNature
COMPETITION CLOSED!
Win a place for you and a friend at our Summer Wellbeing Day at Quex Gardens on Sunday 29 June.
To enter:
Like this post
Follow @powellcottonmuseum
Tag a friend you’d love to bring along
Share this post to your Stories and tag us for a bonus entry!
You`ll win a full day of wellbeing and rest, including:
- A gentle yoga + meditation session on the lawn with @elise.anna.carter
- Seasonal lunch by @Angelas_of_Margate, using produce from our Walled Garden
- A private tour of Quex’s historic gardens with Head Gardener Sue Harris
- A calming sound bath around the fire pit with @eleanor.yankah of @floating.frequencies.
Prize includes: 2 free tickets (worth £180)
Competition closes Thursday 26 June at 12 noon and the winner will be announced by 4pm on the same day. See the link in our bio for full terms & conditions.
Good luck!
#Giveaway #WellbeingDay #SummerWellbeing #YogaRetreat #QuexGardens
From Garden to Plate 🌱🍓
This week in the Walled Garden we`ve been inspecting our thriving summer vegetables and fruits, ensuring they’re ripe and ready for our upcoming Summer Wellbeing Day.
@comfyrob1 the Head Chef at @angelas_of_margate will be crafting a mouth watering lunch on the day. He`ll be drawing inspiration from the restaurants philosophy of using fresh, locally sourced and seasonal produce by using ingredients carefully harvested from our working Walled Garden, ensuring a tasty and nutritious dining experience.
Tickets for our Summer Wellbeing Day are available now, priced at £86 ( plus a booking fee). This includes lunch, refreshing beverages, yoga and meditation with @elise.anna.carter, a private tour of our beautiful gardens (where your lunch originated from!) and a relaxing sound bath with @eleanor.yankah of @floating.frequencies.
Tickets are £86+ booking fee and includes lunch, refreshments, all activities and full access to our museum, house and gardens.
With a limited number of places available, we recommend reserving your place ahead of time to avoid any disappointment! Visit the `What`s On` section of our website (link in bio) to find out more and book.
#GardenToTable #StrawberrySeason #SeasonalEating #WellbeingDay #SustainableFood #QuexGardens #GoodFood
Take a breath 🌿
Our summer wellbeing day is almost here!
If you need some time to relax and reconnect before the busy summer, come and join us on Sunday 29 June in Quex Gardens.
This special day of nourishing practices starts with a gentle yoga and meditation session led by @elise.anna.carter .
After the session, you’ll get to enjoy a tasty, garden-to-table lunch prepared by Rob Cooper, the Head Chef at the local green Michelin star restaurant, @angelas_of_margate.
After lunch, our Head Gardener, Sue Harris, will give you a tour of the gardens and a chance to wander before we gather around the fire for a healing sound bath with holistic practitioner @eleanor.yankah to end the day.
Tickets are limited so visit our website now to find out more and book your place.
#summerreset #quexgardens #wellbeingday #yogaretreat
From some of the oldest natural woodlands in Thanet to a vibrant Edwardian herbaceous border and roses by David Austin, Quex Gardens is a time capsule of garden styles.
And June is the perfect time to visit!
We’re open to the public every Friday, Saturday and Sunday, 11am-4pm.
#QuexGardens #gardensinbloom #gardensofinstagram #roses #Thanet #kentgardens
Do you have a passion for plants, nature and sharing skills with others?
We’re on the lookout for an Assistant Gardener to help care for, develop and enhance our historic gardens.
In this role, you`ll be involved in a range of practical horticultural tasks to develop, enhance and conserve the garden, contributing to the long-term garden development plan including design, restoration and promotion. You`ll also play a key part in ensuring that Quex Gardens are maintained to a high standard.
Working together with your colleagues, you will help create and run training sessions and activities for volunteers in the garden providing a diverse group of people with opportunities to learn new skills and take part in garden activities.
Deadline to apply: Sunday 1st June 2025
More details on the role and how to apply at the link in our bio 🔗
#GardeningJobs #MuseumJobs #KentJobs #Horticulture #QuexGardens #JobOpportunity #GardenLife #CommunityGardens
Come and celebrate the height of summer with a restorative day of well-being on Sunday, June 29, in the stunning natural surroundings of Quex Gardens.
This special day invites you to slow down, reconnect with nature, and honour the season with nourishing practices for body and soul.
The day will start at 11 am with tea and coffee, and includes:
- A gentle Yoga and meditation class on the lawn with Ramsgate-based teacher @elise.anna.carter.
- A delicious garden-to-table lunch prepared by the chefs from local green Michelin star restaurant @angelas_of_margate – made with fresh produce harvested from our Victorian Walled Garden.
- A private tour of the gardens led by our Head Gardener Sue Harris, and a chance to explore 8 acres of woodland.
- A deeply calming sound bath around the fire pit with holistic practitioner @eleanor.yankah of @floating.frequencies
Tickets for the day are on sale now priced at £93.88 (including booking fee and taxes)
Spaces for this event are limited to keep the experience intimate, so we recommend booking early for the chance to join us!
🎟 Visit our website via the link in our profile to book
#summerwellbeing #quexgardens #kentretreat #soundbath #yogaretreat #margateevents # #mindfulmoments
New in the gift shop - our kids’ gardening gifts are fun, practical and full of colour!
Think mini tool belts, gloves, seed pots to grow vegetables and summer flowers, and bird feeder balls. They`re a great way to get little ones outdoors and learning about nature. 💚🪴🌼
#PowellCottonMuseum #QuexGardens #Gardening #LittleGardeners #KidsInTheGarden #NaturePlay
It`s Mental Health Awareness Week so we`re celebrating the joy and purpose found in shared spaces like Quex Gardens. 🌿💚
Here at the Powell-Cotton Museum, Quex House and Gardens, we’re proud to offer a safe, inclusive and accessible space where everyone can come together to connect with nature, history and each other.
Our Sunshine Project, which has been running since 2020, is a warm and welcoming space for adults experiencing mental health challenges, social isolation, or living with mild physical or learning disabilities.
Every week, we gather in the Gardens to take part in meaningful activities like gardening, upcycling and site maintenance. Our most recent project involved sorting and cleaning thousands of reclaimed tiles, laid by hand, to create a new garden patio outside our Winter Gardens.
Our lovely patio is now finished, and the beautiful recycled tiles not only celebrate the garden’s rich history, but also help create something fresh and new for everyone to enjoy!
Swipe through the photos to see the group in action, the stunning results, and even a surprise appearance from Pinfold the peacock, our unofficial supervisor.
To everyone who’s found peace, purpose or friendship in Quex Gardens, thank you for helping us grow something truly special.
#MentalHealthAwarenessWeek #QuexGardens #SunshineProject #ThisIsMyCommunity #InclusiveSpaces #PositiveMentalHealth #GardeningForWellbeing
