Galleries · South East England
Maidstone Museum and Bentlif Art Gallery
In or near Shepway.
Maidstone Museum and Bentlif Art Gallery — regional museum, regimental museum, art gallery, heritage centre, historic house museum in Kent, England, United Kingdom.
Wikimedia Commons contributors — see linked file page for photographer and licence licence
Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 1 h–2 h
- Best time of year
- Year-round
- Nearest railway station
- Maidstone East · 0.2 km
- Free entry
- Family-friendly
- Wheelchair accessible
About
Maidstone Museum and Bentlif Art Gallery is an art gallery in the United Kingdom. Records date its origin to 1858. Wikidata describes it as: "regional museum, regimental museum, art gallery, heritage centre, historic house museum in Kent, England, United Kingdom". Coordinates: 51.2758°, 0.5206°.
Photo gallery
See it from the streetimagery from 2019
Imagery © Mapillary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0
Official information
Maidstone Museum is home to a vast collection of over 600,000 fine art and historical artefacts, showcasing items of international importance. Visitors can explore diverse collections including archaeology, costumes, ancient Egypt, and local history, all housed in an Elizabethan mansion in Maidstone town centre.
Protected designations
- Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty: Kent Downs
Designations sourced from Natural England open data under OGL v3.
From the Wikipedia article
Maidstone Museum is a local authority-run museum located in Maidstone, Kent, England, featuring internationally important collections including fine art, natural history, and human history. The museum is one of three operated by Maidstone Borough Council. The building is Grade II* listed.
Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.
Background
Architecture
The Museum's central core consists of an Elizabethan manor house, formerly known as Chillington Manor, On the western side, the Victoria Gallery, housing the town's library, was built between 1897 and 1899 to commemorate Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee. The Bentlif Wing was extended in 1923.
Description
In 1855 Thomas Charles, a local doctor and antiquarian, left his collections of art and antiquities to Maidstone Borough Council, from his executors and, in 1858, opened it as the Charles Museum, later renamed Maidstone Museum. The museum was one of the first to be opened as a result of the Museums Act 1845 and was a founder member of the Museums Association (1909).
Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Coordinates
- 51.2758, 0.5206
- County
- Kent
- District
- Maidstone
- Parish
- Maidstone, unparished area
- Postcode
- ME14 1QE
- Parliamentary constituency
- Maidstone and Malling
- Established
- 1858
- Nearest railway station
- Maidstone East — 0.2 km
- Opening
- Wednesday - Saturday 10am – 4pm
- Official site
- museum.maidstone.gov.uk
Sources
- wikidata: Q6735528 (CC0)
- wikipedia: Maidstone Museum (CC BY-SA 4.0)
- commons: Maidstone 034.jpg (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Other places nearby
Maidstone Museum
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Frequently asked questions
- Where is Maidstone Museum and Bentlif Art Gallery?
- Maidstone Museum and Bentlif Art Gallery is in Kent, London, United Kingdom (postcode ME14 1QE), in the parish of Maidstone, unparished area.
- What is Maidstone Museum and Bentlif Art Gallery?
- Maidstone Museum and Bentlif Art Gallery — regional museum, regimental museum, art gallery, heritage centre, historic house museum in Kent, England, United Kingdom.
- How do I get to Maidstone Museum and Bentlif Art Gallery?
- The nearest railway station is Maidstone East, about 0.2 km away. Drivers can use postcode ME14 1QE.
- When was Maidstone Museum and Bentlif Art Gallery built?
- Built or established in 1858.
- Is Maidstone Museum and Bentlif Art Gallery a protected site?
- Yes — Maidstone Museum and Bentlif Art Gallery is part of the Kent Downs National Landscape (AONB).
- How do I get to Maidstone Museum and Bentlif Art Gallery?
- The nearest railway station is Maidstone East, about 0.2 km away. Drivers can navigate to postcode ME14 1QE.