One hundred years ago, a charity was formed to run the Powell-Cotton Museum in
Birchington, on the East Kent coast, and care for its already-vast collections. Now, the Powell-Cotton
Trust unveils the first of the celebratory centenary events planned for 2026 at its home in the heart
of Quex Park.
Quex House and Gardens and the Powell-Cotton Museum encompass ever-changing, award winning gardens, world-renowned natural history collections in breathtaking historic dioramas, cultural objects of Africa and Asia and the publicly accessible rooms of the Georgian manor house
and home of the Powell-Cotton family.
The whole Powell-Cotton Trust venue is now open for new family events, displays, exhibitions, talks
and trails. In the Museum, a new Welcome Space introduces visitors to the history of how and why
the Museum was founded, highlighting the people involved and how it was shaped and developed across the century. This is complemented with more stories about the history of Quex House and the even older Quex Garden.
Among the new displays in the Powell-Cotton Museum:
• From July: The art and artefacts of the Zulu people of Southern Africa, the latest instalment of a
reinterpretation of the internationally renowned collections of artefacts connected to Africa.
Galleries which previously included captions and text panels reflecting only the interests,
experiences, knowledge and perspectives of the Museum’s founder, Victorian explorer and
hunter, Percy Powell-Cotton (1866-1940), are being revitalised with fresh interpretation
highlighting the objects themselves, their significance and the lives, cultures and beliefs of
communities whose histories and traditions are centuries old.
• From 1 April: New exhibition by artist Sam Parsons, whose paintings are steeped in ecology and
the natural world, reflecting his background in zoology. The exhibition will include new work
inspired by the century-old dioramas which draw so many people to the Museum.
• All year: PCT100: Past & Present, a year-long creative project in which local schools, community
groups, visitors and artists will collaborate to produce 100 pieces of artwork inspired by the
Museum. Funded by Arts Council England.
Among the confirmed family events, all of which are included in the standard admission ticket:
• 28 February, 1 March & June: Queer Nature Museum Tours: Discover the diversity of the natural
world on this popular guided tour. Learn about animal homosexuality, trans and intersex animals
and the many ways in which nature transcends the categories imposed on it. Young explorers can
follow our all-ages self-guided trail to find out how animals express themselves and form
families, encouraging curiosity and a deeper appreciation for the wonders of the natural world.
10% of your admission will be donated to Margate Pride.
• 28 March-19 April: Spring Eggsplorer’s Easter Trail: Little explorers help our animals find their
missing eggs as they travel through the galleries, spotting clues along the way. Once the trail is
complete, children can decorate their own wooden egg to take home, before heading outside for
a classic Easter egg hunt along the Woodland Walk and inside the Victorian Walled Gardens.
• Monday 4 May: All are invited to our Garden Party, where garden games, fun activities,
horticultural tours and talks, stalls and stands fill Quex Garden. Birchington and Acol residents
can claim free entry – look for the golden ticket in the Birchington Parish Council Community Ad.
6 & 27 August: Family wellbeing days will offer a refreshing mix of activities designed to nurture
both body and mind. Visitors will be able to take part in gentle yoga on the lawn, a seasonal
sensory garden tour, creative crafts and African drumming.
Details of future events include Africa Day (24 May), Bricktacular LEGO workshops (20 & 21 June),
the Festival of Archaeology (17-31 July), a new music trail (July) can be found at the new website:
powell-cottonmuseum.org/whats-on. Packed with vital information, stories and a host of new
details about the Powell-Cotton Museum, Quex House and Gardens, the new website invites visitors
to create their own bespoke itinerary to help them plan a memorable day at Quex Park.
Stepping out into the eight acres of Quex Gardens, visitors will find fresh spring planting, Victorian
glasshouses, a walled Victorian Garden, pleasure grounds, peach and cucumber houses and an
ornate fountain pond. A new partnership with acclaimed restaurant Angela’s of Margate will see
chefs preparing recipes using produce from the gardens at a series of seasonal suppers.
Sarah Corn, CEO of the Powell-Cotton Trust, said, “We’re thrilled to be opening our doors again at
the start of our centenary year. Over the past year, we’ve been working hard to highlight the sheer
breadth of experiences on offer throughout our beautiful venue, from stunning natural history,
family friendly trails, thousands of objects waiting to be explored and researched, historic architecture and sweeping gardens.”
ENDS
