During your visit

Parking

There is no coach parking at the museum. Instead, coaches should drop off groups at the bus stop outside the museum on St Faiths Street/Station Road. The nearest coach park is on Sittingbourne Road.

Pay and display car parking in Fremlin Walk Car Park is available for cars. Maidstone Museum does have space for up to two minibuses, but these must be booked in advance at time of school booking. We are also able to provide a space for disabled visitors.

Access

There are many small flights of stairs to get between the levels of the museum. Wheelchair access is provided via lifts to the ground floor, and also into the temporary exhibitions, Japanese gallery, and art gallery. We have a new lift that gives access to the Ancient Lives gallery, Brenchley Explorers gallery and the archaeology gallery.  Currently Natural History and Dinosaurs galleries only have step access. Please inform us when booking if your group includes wheelchair users or people with mobility problems so that we can discuss emergency evacuation procedures. Please note some workshops are held in galleries.

Arrival

Maidstone Museum opens at 10am. We cannot accommodate entry before this time. Please have your classes divided into class groups (if more than one class). On arrival, please go to the schools entrance, which is through the old entrance via the courtyard, at the front of the building, where you will be met by a member of the team.

We provide a trolley for coats and bags – children must leave all of their bags and coats on this trolley. No food or drink can be consumed around the museum, and can only be consumed in a pre-arranged lunch room.

Be aware that if you arrive late, we may have to cut down your session. Please contact the museum on 01622 602838 if you are running late.

Toilets

Toilets are available near the classroom and through the Great Hall. Children should be supervised at all times, and toilets should be left in a suitable state for other visitors.

Group lunchroom

You are welcome to bring packed lunches and space is automatically allocated when workshops are booked. Please note that allocated lunch times may vary between 30 minutes to one hour, depending on the number of classes attending. If you are coming for a visit only and require lunch space, please arrange this in advance as it may have already been booked by another school. To preserve the collections, no food or drink can be consumed outside the designated areas. If the weather is good, you are welcome to sit in Brenchley Gardens for a picnic. One lunch room is the main learning room and has tables and chairs. The other room is our smaller learning space and lunch is eaten picnic style, with mats/cushions provided.  We ask that floors are swept and tables wiped down after use, and mats/cushions put away.  Brooms/dustpan and brushes are provided.

Shop

You are welcome to visit the shop with your class but please ensure they visit in groups of up to eight with an adult supervising at all times during their ‘museum time’ part of the visit. Alternatively, goody bags can be ordered for collection on the day. These need to be booked at least four weeks ahead of the visit by emailing Samanthabutler@maidstone.gov.uk .

Photography

Photography is allowed for personal/school use. Photography may not be allowed in certain areas – there will be notices advising you of this

Gallery closures

Every attempt is made to keep galleries open, but on occasions areas are closed for cleaning, maintenance or redevelopment. Where practical, we will notify you in advance.

Light levels

In some areas of the museum light levels are reduced in order to protect the objects from damage.