Top Things to do in South East England
Top Hotels in South East England
- 1. Premier Inn London Gatwick Airport (North Terminal) Hotel
- 2. Forest Park Country Hotel & Inn
- 3. Hotel Pelirocco
- 4. The Grand Brighton
- 5. room2 Southampton hometel
- 6. Sofitel London Gatwick Hotel
- 7. The Holt Hotel
- 8. Southampton Harbour Hotel & Spa
- 9. The Runnymede on Thames
- 10. The Crown Manor House Hotel
10 History Museums in South East England That You Shouldn't Miss
Discover the best top things to do in South East England, United Kingdom including The Guildhall Museum, Spike Heritage Centre, Old Forge War Time House, Visit the Stone Age, Hever Castle & Gardens, The D-Day Story, Tudor House and Garden, Bucks County Museum, Weald & Downland Living Museum, Dover Museum.
Restaurants in South East England
1. The Guildhall Museum
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 119 reviews
Reviewed By Steve_of_N21 - London, United Kingdom
For the tourist visitor to Sandwich its well worth spending half an hour here to look round this small museum which gives a great timeline prospective of Sandwich from Roman times to the present day. Come on who remembers from their English school history lessons that Sandwich used to be on the coast seven hundred years ago and Thanet was really an island? Some good artefacts and interesting descriptions and a very enthusiastic volunteer guide who was very helpful and made sure we didn’t miss the historic courtroom downstairs that was open for our visit.
2. Spike Heritage Centre
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 214 reviews
We are open! All tours need to be pre-booked at least 3 days in advance. The Casual ward to the Guildford Union Workhouse was, and still is, known locally as The Spike. This is no ordinary visitor attraction but a unique visit to a time, place and a way of life for generations history often chose to forget. Prepare to be deeply moved as the tour guides escort you through an unforgettable Night at the Spike. 600 Casual wards were built in Britain, the Guildford Casual Ward is uniquely the only remaining with its working cells.
Reviewed By nickymay33 - Godalming, United Kingdom
Six retired teachers from the Guildford area, most of whom had not visited The Spike before, were treated to a guided tour conducted by Dave and TJ. School teachers are not always the easiest people to impress with a talk but this group unanimously agreed that the two volunteers combined to tell an interesting story of the lives of the inmates who were 'allowed' to either sleep for the night on payment of a penny or to work for a whole day in lieu of payment. Neither vagrants nor casuals were able to return within a month and had to find their next accommodation in other nearby towns. This visit illustrated the hardship suffered by the unfortunates who lived in the years before the welfare state came into being. The video shown was good backup for the guides' comments but undoubtedly the highlight of the tour was visiting the actual cells where the inmates slept and worked. The charitable trust which runs this historic gem is continuing to improve the visitor experience with additional information about the history of the workhouse which also stood on this site and which before being demolished became part of St Luke's Hospital. Do visit, knowing that your entrance fee will help to preserve this small part of Guildford's disappearing history.
3. Old Forge War Time House
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 17 reviews
World War 2 home front living history museum. Step back in time and meet a family at war in their home and experience life on the home front. Each month experienced re enactors and their displays will explore different aspects of life throughout WW2. The house consists of dinning room, lounge, bedroom, kitchen, village hall and wartime garden with Anderson shelter. Each room is filled with original artefacts and displays depicting each months themes. Museum open every Saturday with activities for the children and visit our 1930’s tearoom for that extra special day out.
Reviewed By Learn2day - Gillingham, United Kingdom
This museum is Covid aware and yet the visit is not compromised by the restrictions. Being mostly in doors is also a bonus. One small group at a time means personal attention from the knowledgeable staff there. We went during their Harvest display and learnt so much. The tea room is very reasonable and there’s a lovely selection of unusual things for sale. Going back in November and will buy some Xmas presents. Such a lovely hidden treasure.
4. Visit the Stone Age
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 5 reviews
5. Hever Castle & Gardens
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 3,539 reviews
Hever Castle was the childhood home of Anne Boleyn, the intriguing second wife of Henry VIII and mother of Elizabeth I. The castle is a romantic double moated 13th-century castle which houses historic 16th-century portraits, paintings, furniture, tapestries and treasures. Comprehensive information on the history of Hever Castle can be found in the guide book and audio tours are available from the Hever Shop, Visitor Centre or castle entrance. Visitors can explore the magnificent gardens for all seasons which include Italian, Rose and Tudor gardens, topiary, yew maze and splashing water maze, or take a stroll around the informal areas of Sunday Walk and Anne Boleyn's Walk. Hever hosts a number of special events throughout the season including gardening events with the head gardener and his team. Family fun includes jousting tournaments each summer, one of our most popular events.
Reviewed By X4902AUcarlj - Rochdale, United Kingdom
Hever Castle birth place of Anne Boleyn situated in acres & acres of woodland with fantastic rose gardens flower beds the Italian garden vast lake all easily accessible to able bodied people as well as disabled.The excellent castle however is far from disabled friendly with narrow steep winding stone stairs going from floor to floor. However you decide to enjoy this magnificent castle & gardens be prepared to put in plenty of leg work but it is worth it
6. The D-Day Story
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 946 reviews
The D-Day Story tells of the people behind the events of D-Day and the Battle of Normandy. It holds over 10,000 items – preserving, researching and acquiring objects to share with the public through exhibitions, workshops and other activities. The museum is fully accredited, meeting nationally agreed standards for UK museums. Following a £5 million transformation project, it has moved from being an military-focused museum to one that tells the personal stories behind the epic day. The museum is also home to the Overlord Embroidery, which tells the story of the operation across 34 hand-stitched panels stretching for a total of 83 metres. The D-Day Story is one of six museums run by Portsmouth Museums, part of Portsmouth City Council. Responsibility for the museums service falls under the remit of the council’s cabinet member for Culture, Leisure and Sport.
Reviewed By GeorginaS152 - Windsor, United Kingdom
What a thrill to discover on Trip Adviser the D-Day Story Museum at Portsmouth, but only AFTER our return from the D-Day 75th anniversary cruise aboard CMV’s bijou cruise ship, Marco Polo, with a surprise 24-hour adventure tacked on the end! If we’d only known about this superbly-curated museum in advance, it would have been a ‘must do’. It offers such excellent local background and research, up-to-the minute presentation and, a particular “must-see” the stunning Overlord Embroidery designed by Sandra Lawrence and worked on by 25 embroiderers for four years at the Royal School of Needlework. When we’re back in Portsmouth again in September for a round British Isles cruise on another little ship, Astoria, our top priority is to view the 34 hand-stitched panels of stunning embroidery depicting the story of the D-Day Landings of 1944 at the Museum. The DDay voyage aboard Marco Polo covered a circular route of 880 nautical miles over 7 days and moored at 4 ports thus: Portsmouth -> Antwerp -> Honfleur -> Rouen -> Portsmouth The cruise itinerary was divided between days spent at sea with many on-board activities, and shore days, when passengers were bussed to the nearby D-Day centres of interest thus: 2 June - Marco Polo sailed out of Portsmouth 3 + 4 June in Antwerp with a range of tours to suit all tastes, from small group walking/beer-tasting tours; city tours at Brussels + Ghent + canal trip; an all-day tour of seven and a half hours to Ypres, including a visit to Tyne Cot Cemetery and ending with the moving ceremony of Last Post and Reveille at the Menin Gate Memorial at 8 pm. This famous ceremony has been held each evening without fail since 1926 by volunteers from the local Fire Brigade, except during the German occupation in WWII. 5 June - at Honfleur with tours of the stylish coastal resort of Deauville; the British D-Day beaches and cemeteries at Bayeux; and Ranville cemeteries, and the Pegasus bridge and memorial dedicated to the 6th British Airborne Division, the first liberators who parachuted into Normandy on the night of 5/6 June. 6 June - cruising at sea with talks and films before the poignant service on deck at 11 am, then a sail-by of the D Day beaches before entering the Seine and mooring at Rouen - our final port in France. 6/7 June - Rouen: tours to see Monet’s Garden, a huge tourist attraction but lots of footwork - comfy shoes essential! Or a coach to Paris with a tour and a riverboat ride on the Seine. A long coach tour to the D-Day beaches where the American troops had landed; the vast American cemetery overlooking Omaha Beach with the graves of 10,000 American soldiers, killed during the Normandy invasion and subsequent military operations in WWII. All went according to plan until the weather abruptly changed!Tours returning to the ship from Paris, were delayed in heavy traffic. As a result, the ship lost its 8 pm departure slot and eventually sailed out 12 hours later. The good news was that Marco Polo didn’t have to struggle through the Channel in noisy darkness, battered by storm and swell. Instead, departing mid-morning, we sailed briskly in the sunshine through a smoother sea, ‘tho’ quite a few passengers suffered mild sea-sickness. The Captain notified all cabins by letter of the changed arrangements for a revised docking time of 9.30 pm on Saturday in Portsmouth. He told us that if people found the late arrival inconvenient, they were welcome to stay an extra night on board in the same cabin and disembark early on Sunday morning! Drinks packages were extended, we enjoyed the same high quality menus provided with the usual faultless service. The change of arrival time was a sudden shock but the Marco Polo customer care was asseamless and impeccable as ever. We finally disembarked on Sunday morning into a calm and sunny day. What an adventure we’d had, following in the tracks of thousands who’d gone before! The high spot had been the Commemoration service beautifully led by the Cruise Director on deck. He began with an amazing surprise: he read out a beautiful letter just received on board from HM the Queen. Such pride and joy, and not a few tears it created. The muster took some time as all veterans and ex-military had gathered with friends, family and interested observers for whom WWII is an intrinsic part of their own history. Passengers lined the decks above and all blended their own voices with the ship’s company. The most touching moments, which brought many to tears, were when the veterans themselves spoke those words we hear every November after the Last Post has been played followed by the 2 minute silence. A veteran spoke the Exhortation from Laurence Binyon’s “For The Fallen”(1914) “They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old, Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, We will remember them.” After the wreaths were laid came the Kohima Epitaph, carved on the memorial of the 2nd British Division in the cemetery of Kohima in North-East India. A second veteran repeated it firmly and proudly, so that all could hear: “When you go home, tell them of us and say, For your tomorrow, we gave our today.” The wreaths were laid - one in the sea because it was bio-degradable, and two in the swimming pool, which were not. When the service ended, the emotion turned from memories to laughter and pride that another remembrance had been achieved. In her Christmas Day speech last year, HM the Queen said: “We cannot grieve if we did not love.” So true! The abiding feeling after a solemn, thought-provoking service like this one is that of a job well done, a life well-lived, whether brief or long, people remembered with honour, respect and - above all - love. The D-Day story again well told, both on board ship and at the wonderful D-Day Museum, Portsmouth.
7. Tudor House and Garden
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 626 reviews
Tudor House gives a unique and atmospheric insight into the lives and times of both its residents through the years, and of Southampton itself. It appeals to visitors of all ages and interests, who find the family-friendly activities, interactive technology and fascinating displays a winning combination.
Reviewed By MichaelandKaren
At just £5 this is absolutely amazing value for money! Great audio guide and beautiful gardens. Very well preserved and fascinating video about its recent restoration. Lots of information over several centuries and fab interactive displays that turn 360 degrees.Lovely gift shop and very helpful staff especially on the front desk and knowledgeable room guides. A must see place for anyone visiting Southampton and for all ages.
8. Bucks County Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 88 reviews
The County Museum, in the historic heart of Aylesbury, is a fascinating place to visit with an exciting programme of exhibitions and events for all ages.
Reviewed By earthtravelller
Visited the museum to see the World War 1 Hundred Hearts exhibition by the Embroiderers Guild which was amazing. This is the second of these 100 Hearts exhibitions I have visited and they are so well presented and the stories behind them thought provoking. The exhibition had its own room which provided a peaceful back drop to the display. The museum itself is in a lovely old building in the heart of old Aylesbury so it is well worth a walk around the immediate locality and church to appreciate the architecture. The rooms within the museum lend themselves to the display of different items and themes and there is also the Roald Dahl exhibition in an adjacent building so it is easy to while away an hour or two here. Staff were friendly and welcoming, there is a small cafe area and gift shop too.
9. Weald & Downland Living Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,452 reviews
Come and discover rescued rural buildings set in a beautiful landscape, which tell the stories of the people who lived and worked in them over 1,000 years. Explore our 40-acre site and visit our collection – we have more than 50 historic buildings, from a replica Anglo-Saxon hall house to an Edwardian tin church. Enjoy a regular programme of demonstrations, including milling in our 17th century watermill; cooking in our Tudor kitchen; blacksmithing in our Victorian smithy, baking in our newly opened bakehouse; plus seasonal demonstrations. Take a walk in the woods, bring the dog (we are dog friendly), visit our waterside cafe or enjoy your own picnic. New exhibit buildings include: a dairy and bakehouse, near the watermill, plus a late 18th century barn and early 19th century stable known as May Day Farm. Need a new hobby or a new skill? Try our day courses in traditional rural trades and crafts or historic building conservation.
Reviewed By suegp49 - Derby, United Kingdom
A superb visit the best museum we have ever been too ...so much history to see and enjoy ...lovely cafe and a little shepherd's hut takeaway for refreshments...The Repair Shop looked so fabulous we managed to spot one of the presenters of the TV series...would love to return again
10. Dover Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 245 reviews
Free entry to 4 galleries over 3 floors, covering archaeology, town history and the Dover Bronze Age Boat - the world's oldest known sea-going vessel - plus gift shop and Visitor Information Centre for Dover, Deal and Sandwich Fully accessible for wheelchair users
Reviewed By X5206QEpeterh - Palmerston North, New Zealand
I had wanted to go to Dunkirk and to Amiens and Le Quesnoy. However, I found that I would really not have enough time, so while initially having made Dover a port to cross the Channel, I decided to rather remain in Dover and explore. We stayed in a comfortable B&B and hired a car to get around. In order to decide what to do and see, we sought out the local information centre, which is housed in the Dover Museum. While there we decided to have a look at the museum. What a gem! Admission was free and the museum had some amazing exhibits, including much from the early Anglo - Saxon times with awesome artefacts. The top floor housed some aspects of the history of the port and also featured some aspects of Operation Dynamo - the Dunkirk rescue of the British Expeditionary Force, with some interesting video footage. ( So, although I didn't get to Dunkirk - I didn't miss out!) However, what was really amazing for us was the Dover Bronze Age boat gallery. Hardly advertised, we discovered that in 1992, while excavating for a road link, a wooden boat was found. It turned out to be about 3,000 years old dating from the Bronze Age. Afther seven pains taking years the boat has been restored as best as it can be and is now on display in the Bronze Age boat gallery. For us having come from New Zealand where history is only a matter of a few hundred years, looking at somthing this old was breathtaking and a priviledge. There were plenty of other things to see and do in Dover, but this museum is a must!
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