Clicky

Guildhall Museum Rochester

Guildhall Museum Rochester The Rochester Guildhall was built in 1687 and is one of the finest 17th-century civic buildings in K

Operating as usual

Yesterday it was our honour to present Laurence with his Bronze Wheels of Time badge. He told us all about the wonderful...
16/02/2023

Yesterday it was our honour to present Laurence with his Bronze Wheels of Time badge. He told us all about the wonderful museums he has visited & that he has highlighted a lot to visit in the future. Congratulations Laurence, we’re so pleased you are enjoying the scheme.

And we are one of those venues.
14/02/2023

And we are one of those venues.

💘 Valentine's Day is the perfect opportunity to celebrate all the couples who tied the knot with us in 2022!

has many enchanting and memorable spots for an unforgettable occasion. 🏰💍

Check out our wedding brochure for more info: https://orlo.uk/n6d9i

This half-term week at The Guildhall Museum, why not make your Valentine a mosaic heart? ❤️🧡💛💚💙 📅Tue 14, 10am - 4pm📅Wed ...
14/02/2023

This half-term week at The Guildhall Museum, why not make your Valentine a mosaic heart? ❤️🧡💛💚💙

📅Tue 14, 10am - 4pm
📅Wed 15, 10am - 4pm
📅Thu 16, 10am - 4pm
📅Fri 17, 10am - 3pm

Admission is free, as well as the activity.

Photos from Medway Council's post
08/02/2023

Photos from Medway Council's post

Our sister site is open today. Why not pop along?
04/02/2023

Our sister site is open today. Why not pop along?

Today we are open from 11 to 3 (Saturday 4th February)

🗣 Did you attend a festive event in ?  Let us know what you thought of Rochester Christmas Market and the Dickensian Chr...
20/01/2023

🗣 Did you attend a festive event in ? Let us know what you thought of Rochester Christmas Market and the Dickensian Christmas Festival, for the chance to win a family ticket to Medway's new food festival this spring.

🎁 Complete our short survey and you will be automatically entered in a prize draw, where one lucky winner will receive a family ticket to Medway Food & Drink Festival, 31 Mar - 2 Apr, in Rochester Castle Gardens.

💬 Start Now: https://orlo.uk/HnHpm


Zoom Events

🗣 Did you attend a festive event in ?  Let us know what you thought of Rochester Christmas Market and the Dickensian Chr...
15/01/2023

🗣 Did you attend a festive event in ? Let us know what you thought of Rochester Christmas Market and the Dickensian Christmas Festival, for the chance to win a family ticket to Medway's new food festival this spring.

🎁 Complete our short survey and you will be automatically entered in a prize draw, where one lucky winner will receive a family ticket to Medway Food & Drink Festival, 31 Mar - 2 Apr, in Rochester Castle Gardens.

💬 Start Now: https://orlo.uk/Kx9YS


Zoom Events

🗣 Did you attend a festive event in ?  Let us know what you thought of Rochester Christmas Market and the Dickensian Chr...
11/01/2023

🗣 Did you attend a festive event in ? Let us know what you thought of Rochester Christmas Market and the Dickensian Christmas Festival, for the chance to win a family ticket to Medway's new food festival this spring.

🎁 Complete our short survey and you will be automatically entered in a prize draw, where one lucky winner will receive a family ticket to Medway Food & Drink Festival, 31 Mar - 2 Apr, in Rochester Castle Gardens.

💬 Start Now: https://orlo.uk/uBrnx


Zoom Events

🗣 Did you attend a festive event in ?  Let us know what you thought of Rochester Christmas Market and the Dickensian Chr...
06/01/2023

🗣 Did you attend a festive event in ? Let us know what you thought of Rochester Christmas Market and the Dickensian Christmas Festival, for the chance to win a family ticket to Medway's new food festival this spring.

🎁 Complete our short survey and you will be automatically entered in a prize draw, where one lucky winner will receive a family ticket to Medway Food & Drink Festival, 31 Mar - 2 Apr, in Rochester Castle Gardens.

💬 Start Now: https://orlo.uk/0YXQN


Zoom Events

The Guildhall is bursting with character and charm, creating a truly captivating setting for your wedding. Built in 1687...
09/12/2022

The Guildhall is bursting with character and charm, creating a truly captivating setting for your wedding.

Built in 1687, it has been a town hall, entertainment venue, court and a council chamber. Now a museum, it displays more than 250,000 years of Medway’s history, making it an ideal option if you’re looking for something truly unique.

Find out more about weddings at The Guildhall: https://www.medway.gov.uk/info/200274/the_guildhall_museum

Our main chamber looking festive, thanks to our museum elves.
09/12/2022

Our main chamber looking festive, thanks to our museum elves.

Hot off the press! This Dickensian Christmas weekend pick yourself up a copy of “The making of Mr Dickens” the book acco...
02/12/2022

Hot off the press! This Dickensian Christmas weekend pick yourself up a copy of “The making of Mr Dickens” the book accompanying our exhibition & celebrating Charles Dickens’ love of Medway. Available at the museum shop alongside lots of fantastic Christmas gift ideas.

Visit Kent VisitEngland Visit Medway Christmas in Medway


Photos from Visit Medway's post
08/11/2022

Photos from Visit Medway's post

Looking for something to do with the children this half term? Our Halloween Trail starts tomorrow! Spot the eerie body p...
21/10/2022

Looking for something to do with the children this half term? Our Halloween Trail starts tomorrow!

Spot the eerie body parts around the museum & collect a badge.

Visit Rochester Castle, Upnor Castle, Medway, Temple Manor & Eastgate House, Rochester to collect all the spooky badges.

Visit Medway Visit Kent VisitEngland English Heritage

On this day in 1704 Sir Cloudesley Shovell’s ship, the Association, collided with a rock near the Isles of Scilly. 800 m...
21/10/2022

On this day in 1704 Sir Cloudesley Shovell’s ship, the Association, collided with a rock near the Isles of Scilly. 800 members of its crew were lost, but Sir Cloudesley survived…albeit for a short while. Legend has it he was discovered by a treasure hunter who murdered him for his ring, an emerald set in diamonds.

Sir Cloudesley was a Rochester MP & rose through the ranks of the navy to become Rear Admiral of England & Commander-in-Chief of the British fleet. He paid for the ornate plaster ceiling in our Guildhall Chamber, which visitors can still see today.

Photos from Kent Attractions's post
20/10/2022

Photos from Kent Attractions's post

Thanks for visiting us & for your lovely review.
24/08/2022

Thanks for visiting us & for your lovely review.

Where will you visit?
23/08/2022

Where will you visit?

The Kent Big Day Out is back. The ballot is open and there are thousands of tickets for free days out throughout autumn. Enter now. https://bit.ly/3bSLx38

We’re so grateful to have been part of their special day.
22/08/2022

We’re so grateful to have been part of their special day.

🌈We’d love to say a huge congratulations to the new Mrs & Mrs Pinnick!

After getting married at The Guildhall Museum, Carly and Mandy partied at Medway Pride on Saturday (20 August) before going to their wedding reception.

Carly said: “We couldn’t have planned for a better day and weren’t expecting the amazing reception we got at Medway Pride. We want to thank everyone for making our day so special, not just for us but for our family and friends also. Most of our family members haven’t experienced a pride event before and they absolutely loved it.”

📸 Rachel Evans

Find out more about getting married in : https://orlo.uk/zKBZd

🌈

All about the Iron Age!The wonderful people at Canterbury Archaeological Trust are joining us for a special day on Thurs...
19/07/2022

All about the Iron Age!

The wonderful people at Canterbury Archaeological Trust are joining us for a special day on Thursday 28 July. Find out all about the recent work at Rochester Airport ⛏🦺.

https://www.canterburytrust.co.uk/post/one-day-event

17/07/2022
Start Your Adventure

Visit all 5 of our heritage sites this summer to collect your badges & to be in with a chance of winning tickets for attractions across Medway.

Today is the final day to enjoy our Great Expectations trail around the museum. Enjoy Medway Visit Medway Visit Kent
19/02/2022

Today is the final day to enjoy our Great Expectations trail around the museum.

Enjoy Medway Visit Medway Visit Kent

An amazing day all around! It was a pleasure to have HRH The Duchess of Cornwall at the museum today Visit Medway Visit ...
02/02/2022

An amazing day all around! It was a pleasure to have HRH The Duchess of Cornwall at the museum today Visit Medway Visit Kent Enjoy Medway

Wonderful experience for local pupils today
02/02/2022

Wonderful experience for local pupils today

Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cornwall joined schoolchildren from St Margaret's at Troy Town C of E Primary School and read an extract from Great Expectations with Gerald Dickens – Charles Dickens’ great, great grandson!

Her Royal Highness then answered questions from the children and talked about her passion for books, the importance of reading and why authors such as Dickens are so important in bringing our country’s history to life.

A very exciting afternoon the Guildhall Museum today
02/02/2022

A very exciting afternoon the Guildhall Museum today

We’re delighted to welcome Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cornwall to ’s Guildhall Museum this afternoon (2 Feb).

Her Royal Highness was greeted by characters in Victorian costume from The Rochester and Chatham Dickens Fellowship.

Her Royal Highness will be opening a new permanent exhibition at the museum which tells the story of one of England’s finest and most celebrated writers and Medway resident, Charles Dickens.

The Making of Mr Dickens exhibition opens to the public on Tuesday, 8 February.

Timeline photos
20/01/2022

Timeline photos

Just over three weeks to go until Rochester becomes a spectacular festival of light!🎉💫

Wander along Rochester's historic high street and delve into what's on offer. From a lantern parade, film projections, artworks, dance performances and live music, plus lots more https://orlo.uk/OS5HB 💫

🕐Local businesses including the Visitor Information Centre, Eastgate House, The Guildhall Museum will be open later than usual on these nights.

📆Friday, 11 and Saturday, 12 February from 6 to 9pm (performances start at 6pm)

Wishing all our visitors a very Merry Christmas!
25/12/2021

Wishing all our visitors a very Merry Christmas!

Looking for Christmas gift ideas? Look no further than our heritage shops for lovely & unusual gifts for all the family ...
06/12/2021

Looking for Christmas gift ideas? Look no further than our heritage shops for lovely & unusual gifts for all the family at Eastgate House, Rochester Castle, the Guildhall Museum & the Visitor Information Centre.

Plus there’s a 10% discount voucher in the Winter Medway Matters What’s On guide (p25) so don’t miss out!

Enjoy Medway Visit Medway Visit Kent

Welcome to Rochester! We look forward to seeing you at the museum today
04/12/2021

Welcome to Rochester! We look forward to seeing you at the museum today

Don’t forget to visit us if you’re out and about for the Rochester Christmas Market today & the Dickensian Christmas Fes...
03/12/2021

Don’t forget to visit us if you’re out and about for the Rochester Christmas Market today & the Dickensian Christmas Festival this weekend. We hope you enjoy all the festivities!

Visit Kent Visit Medway Enjoy Medway

The Rochester Dickensian Festival kicks off this weekend ✨

With costumed characters from the works of Charles Dickens, parades, street entertainment, open-air carol concerts and a host of Victorian delights to look forward to, yule be sorry if you miss out on this!🎄

Find out more ➡️ https://orlo.uk/JPliL

01/12/2021

Our colleagues at Eastgate House have something you might like to see during the festive season!

Join us for  this week for bags of fun with our trail & crafts. Plus there’s activities Rochester Castle, Upnor Castle, ...
28/10/2021

Join us for this week for bags of fun with our trail & crafts.

Plus there’s activities Rochester Castle, Upnor Castle, & Eastgate House, which is reopening today!

Visit Medway Enjoy Medway Visit Kent English Heritage

Something to note if planning a visit to Upnor Castle, Medway over the next two days
27/08/2021

Something to note if planning a visit to Upnor Castle, Medway over the next two days

***Important changes to our opening times for visitors for Friday 27 & Saturday 28 August***

Due to events in the castle, visitor opening times will be limited to the following times on the following days:

Friday 27 Aug: open 10am to 12.30pm last entry 11.45am

Saturday 28 Aug: open 2.30pm to 5pm last entry 4.15pm

We are sorry for any inconvenience caused. We will be open as usual on Sunday 29 August, 10am to 5pm and on Bank Holiday Monday too.

Visit Medway Enjoy Medway Visit Kent English Heritage

Medway is competition ready and we’re proud to be supporting Medway 2025's bid to become UK City of Culture 2025 🎇🎉Medwa...
20/08/2021

Medway is competition ready and we’re proud to be supporting Medway 2025's bid to become UK City of Culture 2025 🎇🎉

Medway has so much to offer and shout about 📢

👀 Who is ready to ?

Find out more - https://orlo.uk/ULXzG

If you're joining the mischievous sprites of Changeling Theatre for this evening's performance of A Midsummer Night's Dr...
10/08/2021

If you're joining the mischievous sprites of Changeling Theatre for this evening's performance of A Midsummer Night's Dream at Rochester Castle, please note that there will be NO REFRESHMENTS/DRINKS ON SALE at the castle. Please also remember to bring your picnic, blanket, chairs, warm clothing, dancing shoes(!) to make your evening as enjoyable as possible.

Are you joining Alice for her adventures in Wonderland at Upnor Castle today? Don't forget to bring something warm to we...
06/08/2021

Are you joining Alice for her adventures in Wonderland at Upnor Castle today? Don't forget to bring something warm to wear, something comfy to sit on, and maybe a flask of something hot to drink (we only have ice creams for sale at the castle this evening).

Exciting news from Upnor Castle, Medway
28/07/2021

Exciting news from Upnor Castle, Medway

We are very excited to be reopening today! We look forward to welcoming visitors from 10am. The site is looking lovely, our shop is stocked with lots of gifts, & we have a great range of ice creams & lollies to enjoy.

Visit Medway English Heritage Visit Kent Enjoy Medway

If you're joining the mischievous sprites at Upnor Casle for this evening's performance of A Midsummer Night's Dream, pl...
27/07/2021

If you're joining the mischievous sprites at Upnor Casle for this evening's performance of A Midsummer Night's Dream, please note that, apart from a selection of ice creams and ice lollies, there will be NO REFRESHMENTS/DRINKS ON SALE at the castle. Please also remember to bring your picnic blanket/chairs/warm clothing to make your evening as comfortable as possible.

Address

17 High Street
Rochester
ME11PY

Opening Hours

Tuesday 10am - 5pm
Wednesday 10am - 5pm
Thursday 10am - 5pm
Friday 10am - 5pm
Saturday 10am - 5pm
Sunday 10am - 5pm

Telephone

01634 332680

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Guildhall Museum Rochester posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Videos

Category

Nearby museums


Other History Museums in Rochester

Show All

Comments

We are very excited to be attending The Wedding Experience at Detling Showground. We will be there promoting our beautiful venues at Upnor Castle, Eastgate House, Guildhall Museum & the . Looking forward to meeting brides to be and booking your big day with us!

Visit Medway Enjoy Medway
To learn more about the fascinating life and work of the talented and irrepressible Gillingham-born writer Rosemary Tonks, watch this talk with Jeremy Clarke from the Guildhall Museum Rochester at Gillingham library.

https://youtu.be/FhYgDNeX2MY
One day Canterbury Archaeological Trust event at the Guildhall Museum Rochester 👇🏻
We can’t forget to mention ’s rich history! is home to Rochester Castle, the finest & tallest Norman castle keep in the country & Rochester Cathedral, the second oldest cathedral in England & much more including Historic Dockyard Chatham Fort Amherst Guildhall Museum Rochester. If you visit one of our brilliant heritage attractions tag us in your photos and use 📸
Thank you for attending our fascinating talk about the life and work of the irrepressible Rosemary Tonks.

A recording of the event will be available on our YouTube channel soon.

Thank you to Jeremy from the Guildhall Museum Rochester , Lizzie for her sterling performance, to the staff at the library, to Penguin Books and Bloodaxe Books for allowing us the permissions to share some of Rosemary's works.
Hi, I have an interesting very much of the period water colour of Charles Dickens, unsigned, my limited research has led me to believe that its "in the circle of Dickens" I wonder do you have someone to cast an eye over this work and give an opinion
Best regards
GUILDHALL MUSEUM

Popped to the Guildhall Museum Rochester today where there’s a new exhibition called “The Making of Mr Dickens”, well worth a look!

It explores the relatively unknown side of Dickens' life including his happy and adventurous childhood in Chatham, the days he spent living hand to mouth in London and his return to Higham, near Rochester, as well as the inspiration he found from living
in Medway.

Visit Historic Rochester
Great restaurants, pubs, Rochester Castle , Rochester Cathedral . The life & times of Charles Dicken's in Rochester: Guildhall Museum Rochester

Rochester City Vintage & Artisan Market
Many of the local community and businesses are getting involved in Medway Light Nights too! 🎉

Here are just a few of the things you can see/get involved with:

Walk along from Chatham to Rochester along INTRA, and you’ll see Chatham Memorial Synagogue all lit up beautifully and an exhibition at INTRA

The Rochester Art Gallery will be open later than usual (6-9pm) for you to see the new exhibition “Unknown Solider” works by David Tovey Rochester Art Gallery

Guildhall Museum Rochester, Visitor Information Centre and other local businesses will also be open from 6-9pm.

Look out for panels in Rochester for the ‘Empty Chair Poetry Trail’ and pick up a map at the Visitor Information Centre to find out more.
Many of the local community and businesses are getting involved in Medway Light Nights too! 🎉

Here are just a few of the things you can see/get involved with:

Walk along from Chatham to Rochester along INTRA, and you’ll see Chatham Memorial Synagogue all lit up beautifully and an exhibition at INTRA

The Rochester Art Gallery will be open later than usual (6-9pm) for you to see the new exhibition “Unknown Solider” works by David Tovey Rochester Art Gallery

Guildhall Museum Rochester, Visitor Information Centre and other local businesses will also be open from 6-9pm.

Look out for panels in Rochester for the ‘Empty Chair Poetry Trail’ and pick up a map at the Visitor Information Centre to find out more.
Many of the local community and businesses are getting involved in Medway Light Nights too! 🎉

Here are just a few of the things you can see/get involved with:

Walk along from Chatham to Rochester along INTRA, and you’ll see Chatham Memorial Synagogue all lit up beautifully and an exhibition at INTRA

The Rochester Art Gallery will be open later than usual (6-9pm) for you to see the new exhibition “Unknown Solider” works by David Tovey Rochester Art Gallery

Guildhall Museum Rochester , Visitor Information Centre, Eastgate House, Rochester and local businesses will also be open from 6-9pm.

Look out for panels in Rochester for the ‘Empty Chair Poetry Trail’ and pick up a map at the Visitor Information Centre to find out more.
Thank you to everyone who welcomed The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall to Kent today! It was fantastic day visiting a range of charities and organisations across the county, and meeting the people behind them.

After meeting local community groups who are supported by Sheppey Matters, The Prince of Wales also visited Elmley Nature Reserve and Historic Dockyard Chatham.

The Duchess Cornwall had the chance to tour Battersea's Brands Hatch Centre, open the new Charles Dickens exhibition at the Guildhall Museum Rochester, and meet the volunteers behind the Medway Aircraft Preservation Society.
Today was a treat as we unwrapped the exquisite Guildhall Museum Rochester funerary treasures selected over a year ago for which opens this Saturday. Massive thanks to the Museum team for all their support & expertise!

exhibition
On 9June 1870, the world lost one of its greatest writers and social commentators - Charles Dickens.

Medway, and in particular Rochester, has long been associated with Dickens and his work, so to mark the anniversary of his death here’s the next in the Medway Heritage Team's 60 Second Histories series giving you a brief insight into the great man’s life.

If you want to learn more, look out for a major new exhibition opening later this year at Guildhall Museum Rochester

TONIGHT from about 8pm on BBC Upload with Leo Ulph, we'll be sharing Larentalia, our piece for this cheeky little household god, the Guildhall Lar.

The music was made for the Ten Songs For A Lar project with Historic Dockyard Chatham, The Beaney, The Amelia and Guildhall Museum Rochester.

Tune into BBC Radio Kent, or search on the BBC iPlayer website...

#7
Larentalia - coming soon from Ten Songs for a Lar 🎶

A great honour to be chosen along with nine other sound artists to explore this tiny ancient fella. Ten Songs for a Lar is in association with Guildhall Museum Rochester Historic Dockyard Chatham, The Beaney and The Amelia, with support from Arts Council England.

Proud to be part of this alongside other amazing sound artists including Quiet Boy, Anil Sebastian, Stergin, Louise Fazackerley- Poet, James Marren, Yeji Yeon, Jan Noble...

x

Other History Museums in Rochester (show all)

Friends of the Guildhall Museums Fort Amherst Events Historic Dockyard Chatham Royal Engineers Museum The old airport garage museum LV21 Maidstone Museums The Bay Museum Save YOUR Thameside Canvey Island Transport Museum Leigh Heritage Centre The Weald Foundation Rayleigh Town Museum Rayleigh Windmill