The museum at Quex Park was established by Percy Horace Gordon Powell-Cotton to house his expanding collection of natural history specimens and cultural object collected on his expeditions.
When his collection outgrew his home (Quex House), Percy decided to build a dedicated museum in his garden (Quex Garden). Work planning the museum began in 1896 and after a number of years, began welcoming groups by appointment from 1910. It was in 1926, that Percy and his family decided to establish a charity to govern the museum separate from the wider Powell-Cotton Estate, recognising the value and importance of the collection for future generations.
The Powell-Cotton Trust (previously known as The Powell Cotton Museum) is a Registered Charity, No.1167318 and a Registered Company, No. 09934968. The Museum Trust was originally established through a deed of conveyance as an unincorporated charity in 1926. It is the centenary of the establishment of this charity that the Trust is marking in 2026 as part of its PCT100 celebrations.
The purpose of the Powell-Cotton Trust, and the charity before it, has always been to care for and safeguard the collection for the enjoyment of visitors and to support learning and education. While we use the 100th anniversary to look back at the history of the Museum, the Powell-Cotton family, Quex House and Gardens, it is also an opportunity to think about the future of the Trust and how we set the foundation for the next 100 years and beyond.
Powell-Cotton Museum
Explore one of the Kent’s most distinctive museums. Be awestruck by our natural history dioramas and cultural objects originating from the African and Asian continents.
Quex House
Walk through a manor home shaped by the Powell-Cotton family over generations, with expert guided tours that reveal the lives, travels and ideas behind every room.
Quex Gardens
Take a relaxed wander through heritage gardens featuring sweeping lawns, a woodland walk and a historic walled kitchen garden.
