Folkestone Museum
Folkestone sits close to the middle of the Cross-Channel Geopark, and its coastal location has given rise to a rich history.
Folkestone
Tues - Sat (10am to 4pm)
Free
Accessible by public transport
Facilities
- Toilets
- Visitor information available
Geosite details
Folkestone sits close to the middle of the Cross-Channel Geopark, and its coastal location has given rise to a rich history including some of the earliest geological studies, a Roman villa, and the first attempts to dig a tunnel under the Channel. The Folkestone Museum is the perfect place to discover this history, with collections including ancient quern stones linked to the beginning of Cross-Channel trade, Roman tiles and other artefacts and the maritime history of the town, which has been defined by its proximity to France.
Perhaps the most impressive collection of all at Folkestone Museum is the natural history collection.
Many of the most extraordinary fossils that have been found along the Folkestone coastline over hundreds of years can be discovered at the museum, alongside extraordinary collections of butterflies and moths. The very first Folkestone Museum, opened in 1858, was actually based upon the huge collection of fossils that local resident Samuel Mackie had built up, much of which is still on display today.
