Museums & Galleries · Canterbury
Folkestone Museum
📍 CT20 1DY
Photo: Helmut Zozmann (CC BY-SA 2.0), via Wikimedia Commons
- Displays on the military history of the area
- Ancient history exhibits including a skeleton display
- Interactive activities and dressing-up for children
- Natural history specimens of butterflies, shells and fossils
- Museum housed in the restored historic Town Hall
Folkestone Museum traces the town's history from a modest coastal community through to its heyday as a fashionable seaside resort. Inside, you'll find natural history specimens of butterflies, shells and fossils, alongside military history displays and ancient history exhibits, including a skeleton display that proves popular with younger visitors. Interactive activities, dressing-up and fossil-digging make it a good choice for families with children. The museum occupies the first and basement floors of the restored Town Hall, a building with its own long history dating back to 1861. It's set in the heart of Folkestone, Kent, close to Folkestone Central station 0.6 miles away and the beach 0.5 miles away, with 41 bookable places to stay within 5 miles for those planning a longer visit.
Practical details
- Best for
- Families with children, including young kids
From the attraction's own website on 13 Oct 2026 — check before you travel.
Facilities
- ✓ WiFi
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Create a free account to claimPlaces to stay near Folkestone Museum
Make a proper break of it — these stays are all within 25 miles.
0.2 mi
0.2 mi
Gran Canaria Hotel
✓ Sea views and Wi-Fi throughout the hotel
🏖️ 0.41 miles from Folkestone (Sufficient water quality)
Canterbury
0.2 mi
0.3 mi
Stay2a
✓ Boutique accommodation in the heart of Folkestone
🏖️ 0.75 miles from Folkestone (Sufficient water quality)
Folkestone
0.3 mi
0.4 mi
The Southcliff Hotel
✓ Victorian hotel on The Leas Promenade with Channel views
🏖️ 0.81 miles from Folkestone (Sufficient water quality)
Canterbury
🎪 What's on near Folkestone Museum
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Fri 13 Nov · 12:00
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Fri 13 Nov · 12:00
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Fri 13 Nov · 12:00
The Slide Guitar Festival
Voco The Clifton Folkestone, Folkestone · 0.5 mi
Tickets on Skiddle ↗
Fri 13 Nov · 22:30
CLUB 2016 - a 2016s & 2010s club night
Club Chemistry, Canterbury · 14.2 mi
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🗓️ Make a break of it
Turn a visit to Folkestone Museum into a proper getaway — ready-made plans, and the drive worked out with fuel, EV charging and the best stops.
🚆 Or come by train
- Folkestone Central 0.6 miles
- Folkestone West 1.2 miles
- Sandling 5 miles
Straight-line distances · live departures on each station page