Bateman's - National Trust

Burwash
Etchingham TN19 7DS

nationaltrust.org.uk

Jacobean house, home of Rudyard Kipling: * Left just as he left it, reflecting the author's exotic oriental tastes * Original illustrations for The Jungle Book, drawn by Detmold brothers * Delightful gardens run down to the River Dudwell and a working water mill.

Battle Abbey - English Heritage

Battle TN33 0AD

english-heritage.org.uk

Stand at the centre of the landscape where England's future was fought. Imagine the battle as you follow in the footsteps of King Harold and William the Conqueror. Uncover the stories of the day, all vividly brought to life in the exhibition and audio tour. Start planning your attack on the country's most famous battlefield and abbey ruins, and experience the atmosphere for yourself.

Battle Museum of Local History

The Almonry, High Street
Battle TN33 0EA

battlemuseum.co.uk

The Battle Museum was born from the preparations to celebrate the 'Festival of Britain' in 1951. From this 'Battle District Historical Society' was formed. Artefacts were given to the society who set up a small permanent museum in 1953. Various venues housed the museum until it moved to Langton House in 1965.

Bexhill Museum

Bexhill Museum, Egerton Road
Bexhill on Sea TN39 3HL

bexhillmuseum.co.uk

The Bexhill museum was started in 1914 by a small group of dedicated enthusiasts who specialised in natural history, archaeology and ethnography. It has since developed into a fascinating and comprehensive collection. Fossil dinosaur and teeth bones and foot prints are on display at the museum and new examples are still regularly being found in and around Bexhill.

Bodiam Castle - National Trust

Bodiam
Nr Robertsbridge TN32 5UA

nationaltrust.org.uk

When you think of a castle, you think Bodiam. Built by Sir Edward Dalyngrigge in 1385, Bodiam is one of the most beautiful and iconic medieval castles left in Britain today.

Booth Museum of Natural History

194 Dyke Road
Brighton & Hove BN1 5AA

boothmuseum.org

Over half a million specimens, natural history literature and data extending back over three centuries are housed in this fascinating museum, including hundreds of British birds displayed in recreated natural settings. Plus butterflies, skeletons, a whale and dinosaur bones.

Brighton Fishing Museum

201 King's Road Arches
Brighton & Hove BN1 1NB

brightonfishingmuseum.org.uk

The main museum arch is the focal point of Brighton's fishing quarter. It contains a 27ft beach boat, prints, photographs and memorabilia of Brighton seafront life from the Regency days to the post-war boom in pleasure boat operations.

Brighton Museum & Art Gallery

Royal Pavilion Gardens
Brighton & Hove BN1 1EE

brighton-hove-museums.org.uk

Brighton Museum & Art Gallery, with its rich and diverse collections, creates a vibrant cultural centre in and around the Royal Pavilion estate in the heart of the city of Brighton & Hove. Dynamic and innovative galleries provide greatly improved access to the museum's nationally and locally important collections. Objects are displayed in stimulating contexts with a wide range of interpretative techniques, including interactive information technology.

Brighton Toy & Model Museum

52-55 Trafalgar Street
Brighton & Hove BN1 4EB

brightontoymuseum.co.uk

Brighton Toy and Model Museum is a treasure trove of toys and models that extends over four thousand square feet of floorspace, through four of the Early Victorian arches supporting Brighton Railway Station's forecourt. Founded in 1991, it has over ten thousand toys and models in its catalogue, including priceless model train collections and many period antique toys.

Charleston

Near Firle
Lewes BN8 6LL

charleston.org.uk

'It is not so much a house as a phenomenon' Quentin Bell once said of Charleston. It was in 1916 that the phenomenon came into being, as Duncan Grant, Vanessa Bell and David Garnett made the move from Suffolk to Charleston, where Clive Bell and Maynard Keynes were also to be regular visitors. Collections: Charleston is the only surviving complete example of the decorative work of Bell and Grant, with walls, doors and furniture painted in their exuberant style. The house shows an evolution in decorative style throughout its different rooms.

Ditchling Museum of Art & Craft

Lodge Hill Lane
Ditchling BN6 8SP

ditchlingmuseumartcraft.org.uk

The rich collection of art, craft, and applied art reflects the important place that Ditchling holds in the tradition of 20th century art and craft. Famous artists and craftsmen represented in the museum include Sir Frank Brangwyn, Ethel Mairet (weaver) and Edward Johnston (calligrapher). Unique collection of work from the arts and crafts community established by Eric Gill and Hilary Pepler.

Eastbourne Heritage Centre

2 Carlisle Road
Eastbourne BN21 4BT

eastbourneheritagecentre.co.uk

The Eastbourne Heritage Centre is housed in a delightful Grade II Listed Victorian tower house, 2 Carlisle Road Eastbourne. It was fomerly the residence of the Devonshire Park and Baths Manager.

Grange, The

The Green, Rottingdean
Brighton & Hove BN2 7HA

goo.gl

The Grange Museum has a wide range of exhibitions and displays of interest to all ages. Old Rottingdean is captured in the large collection of photographs showing how the village has changed over time.

Hastings Fishermen's Museum

Rock-a-Nore Road
Hastings TN34 3DW

hastingsfish.co.uk

The Hastings Fishermen's Museum is one of the biggest attractions in Hastings. Over 140,000 people come through the doors every year to see the many photographs, paintings and historic objects - and to climb aboard the last of the local sailing luggers, built in 1912.

Hastings Museum & Art Gallery

Johns Place, Bohemia Road
Hastings TN34 1ET

hmag.org.uk

Hastings Museum contains a rich and varied mixture of local history, Sussex pottery, paintings, dinosaurs and British wildlife. There are displays on local personalities such as Grey Owl, John Logie Baird and Robert Tressell, and on seaside holidays, Mods and Rockers and Native Americans.

Hastings Old Town Hall Museum of Local History

High Street, Old Town
Hastings TN34 3EW

hmag.org.uk

The Old Town Hall Museum provides an introduction to the history of the Old Town of Hastings. The museum reopened in 1999 following a major refurbishment project supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Hove Museum & Art Gallery

19 New Church Road
Brighton & Hove BN3 4AB

goo.gl

Permanent collections of toys, film, local history, paintings and contemporary craft. The collections of decorative arts include the Regency furniture and silver-gilt displayed in the Royal Pavilion, the Macquoid furniture at Preston Manor, the Willett Collection of ceramics illustrating popular history, and outstanding holdings of British and European 20th century decorative design and craft.

Hurstpierpoint Museum

Village Centre, Trinity Road
Hurstpierpoint, Hassocks BN6 9UY

sussexmuseums.co.uk

Hurstpierpoint Museum consists of two unmanned display cabinets in the foyer of the Hurstpierpoint Village centre, Trinity Road, Hurstpierpoint. Themed displays, usually with a local connection, in the large free standing cabinet are changed about four times a year, and that in the wall mounted cabinet to the left of the main display is of a more permanent nature.

Lamb House - National Trust

West Street
Rye TN31 7ES

nationaltrust.org.uk

Fine brick-fronted house with literary associations: * House dates from 18th century * Home to writer Henry James from 1898-1916 * Later home of authors EF Benson and Rumer Godden * Some of James's personal possessions on display * Charming walled garden.

Lewes Castle & Barbican House Museum

Barbican House, 169 High Street
Lewes BN7 1YE

sussexpast.co.uk

Lewes Castle is one of the oldest castles in England, built soon after the Norman Conquest of 1066. Over the years it was extended and altered and its high keep and towers still dominate the town. Barbican House Museum, which stands opposite the castle, tells the story of Sussex from the Stone Age to the end of the medieval period. Displays include stone axes, Roman pottery and beautiful Saxon jewellery.

Michelham Priory

Upper Dicker
Hailsham BN27 3QS

sussexpast.co.uk

Michelham Priory is an historic house, gardens, forge and watermill with 800 years of history and the longest water filled moat in England. The museum explores rural life in Sussex as a Medieval religious house, through the Tudor period and into the 20th century.

Mill Toy & Pedal Car Museum, The

The Mill, Station Road
Northiam TN31 6QT

themilltoymuseum.com

The Mill was built between 1900 and 1910 and operated for many years as a gas powered flour mill, 100 years later the building has been lovingly restored and converted into a toy and pedal car museum which is widely considered the largest and finest collection of pedal cars in Europe. With exhibits dating from Victorian times, visitors of all ages will enjoy a trip down memory lane as a world in miniature awaits discovery.

Museum of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution

King Edward Parade
Eastbourne BN21 4BY

eastbournernli.org

Housed in the 1898 RNLI William Terris Memorial Boathouse, King Edwards Parade, at the western end of Eastbourne Seafront. The boathouse was built from public donations collected by the Daily Telegraph, to commemorate the life of the well known actor, William Terriss, who was assassinated outside the Adelphi Theatre in 1897. The museum, completely refurbished in November 2011, houses collections and displays showing the history of the Eastbourne lifeboats since 1822, when the first lifeboat came on the scene at Eastbourne. It was given by the well known local eccentric John 'Mad Jack' Fuller. The lifeboat variously known as 'samaritan' or 'The Rose' served until 1863. Various lifeboats served in this boathouse until 1924, when the retiring lifeboat 'James Stevens N06_ was placed within as an exhibition piece. In 1936 it was sold to a local fishing family and became a beach pleasure boat. In 1937 the boathouse became the first RNLI museum in the country. After the war a souvenir shop was incorporated which has now become one of the top performing outlets selling gifts and souvenirs in support of the RNLI. Whilst in the museum read about 'The 'New Brunswick' service in 1833 when due to storms, the lifeboat had to be towed by relays of horses to Birling Gap, some 8 miles away, before it could be launched. The' Jane Holland' at Dunkirk.

Musgrave Collection, The

77 Seaside Road
Eastbourne BN22 3PL

musgravemuseum.co.uk

The Musgrave Collection is a small, independent museum and art gallery dedicated to the works and the collections of George Musgrave. It comprises hundreds of paintings, mini-sculptures, Roman and British coin collections, newspapers from the era of the Battle of Trafalgar, a diorama depicting the changing seasons, cabinets depicting the evolution of writing systems and visuaal aids, ancient Egyptian artefacts and Victoriana.

Newhaven Fort

Fort Road
Newhaven BN9 9DS

newhavenfort.org.uk

Newhaven Fort is an award winning attraction and a fine example of an English fortification, Newhaven Fort has the sights and sounds of the past, offering a truly unforgettable day out for the whole family. Newhaven Fort's on-site military museum demonstates its role through the First and Second World Wars, offering exciting glimpses into England's dramatic wartime past.

Newhaven Local & Maritime Museum

Paradise Family Leisure Park, Avis Road
Newhaven BN9 0NY

newhavenhistoricalsociety.org.uk

A vast collection of photographs of local people / events/ places. Family history records (census, school records, port workers etc).

Observatory Science Centre, The

Wartling Road, Herstmonceux
Hailsham BN27 1RN

the-observatory.org

The Observatory Science Centre is one of the UK's leading science centres. Explore science, space and astronomy with over 100 exhibits, both inside and out, amongst the domes and telescopes of a world-famous astronomical observatory.

Old Police Cells Museum, The

Brighton Town Hall, Bartholomews
Brighton BN1 1JA

oldpolicecellsmuseum.org.uk

The Old Police Cells Museum is housed in the basement of Brighton Town Hall and offers visitors a unique insight into the history of policing in Sussex and is both educational and entertaining. It provides an opportunity to visit Brighton Borough main police station for the period 1830 to 1967 and learn about the murder of Chief Constable Henry Solomon in 1844 by a prisoner. See some of the old cells with their graffiti from the Mods and Rockers era, the policemen's wash room and uniform store areas, police memorabilia and artefacts. The museum also houses a unique collection of truncheons and tipstaves, one of the largest in the country.

Planet Earth & Dinosaur Museum

Paradise Park, Avis Road
Newhaven BN9 0DH

goo.gl

This is the extraordinary life story of our planet from its earliest beginnings. The exhibition is one of the finest of its type in the country and is home to a unique collection of fossils and minerals.

Redoubt Fortress & Military Museum

Royal Parade
Eastbourne BN22 7AQ

eastbournemuseums.co.uk

For nearly 200 years, the Redoubt Fortress has defended the Eastbourne coast. Formerly a barracks and store depot, it formed part of the chain of Martello Towers which stretched from Folkestone to Seaford. Today this magnificent building provides the perfect setting for the largest military museum on the south coast. Collections: The museum consists of several collections, primarily those of two distinguished regiments of the British Army, The Royal Sussex Regiment and The Queen's Royal Irish Hussars. The other major collection is that of the Sussex Combined Services Museum, which records all military ties with the county.

Regency Town House, The

13 Brunswick Square
Brighton & Hove BN3 1EH

rth.org.uk

The Regency Town House is a Grade 1 listed, 5 storey town house, built in the 1820s. It is currently under restoration and once complete will be open on a daily basis as a museum and heritage centre. Collections: Our archive focuses mainly on Brunswick Town and the greater area of Brighton & Hove between 1790 - 1840. It includes a number or books, prints, plans and drawings from this area and includes a number of works by the architect Charles Augustin Busby.

Robertsbridge Aviation Society

Bush Barn
Robertsbridge TN32 5PA

goo.gl

Robertsbridge Aviation Society founded their collection in 1973. Exhibits cover civil and military aviation, particularly World War II.

Royal Pavilion

4-5 Pavilion Buildings
Brighton & Hove BN1 1EE

brightonmuseums.org.uk

Experience the extraordinary at the Royal Pavilion, an exotic palace in the centre of Brighton. Built as a seaside pleasure palace for George IV, this historic house mixes Regency grandeur with the visual style of India and China. The Royal Pavilion's lavish interiors combine Chinese-style decorations with magnificent furniture and furnishings.

Rye Castle Museum

Gungarden
Rye TN31 7HH

ryemuseum.co.uk

Rye Castle Museum has two sites: the Ypres Tower and East Street. The Ypres Tower is one of the oldest buildings in Rye, being built in 1249 as part of the town's defences.

Rye Heritage Centre

Strand Quay
Rye TN31 7AY

ryeheritage.co.uk

The Rye Heritage Centre provides an ideal introduction to the town bringing together the Story of Rye set within the Rye Town Model, Audio Walking Tours of Rye including Ghost Walks in the restored Old Sail Loft building.

Seaford Museum & Heritage Society

P.O. Box 2132, The Esplanade, BN25 9BH
Seaford BN25 1JH

seafordmuseum.co.uk

Seaford Museum is housed in Martello Tower no. 74, which is situated at the eastern end of Seaford seafront. Collections: Contains records of Seaford's history from its days as a Cinque Port and has many displays including shops, tableaux, collections of domestic appliances and office machinery and a particularly large collection of radios and television sets. The museum has a reference archives of pictures, articles etc.

Shipwreck Museum

Rock-a-Nore Road
Hastings TN34 3DW

shipwreck-heritage.org.uk

The Shipwreck Heritage Centre, opened in 1986, is acknowledged as one of the best of its kind in the United Kingdom. It contains an interesting and varied collection of artefacts from several wrecks, and has on display a unique collection of wooden rudders from the 15th to 18th Centuries.

Stanmer Rural Museum

Stanmer Park
Brighton & Hove BN1 9SE

stanmer.org.uk

The Stanmer Rural Museum displays an amazing variety of rural artefacts, with a reconstructed blacksmith's forge, one of the last remaining horse traves and all sorts of agricultural working and craft equipment. You can also visit the nearby donkey wheel house, where water was drawn to supply the village. Location: Behind Stanmer House.

Sussex Farm Museum

Horam Manor
Horam, Heathfield TN21 0JB

horammanorfarm.co.uk

Sussex Farm Museum at Horam manor is not just a collection of agricultural items, but is representative of all aspects of farming life over the last 100 years. Around the farmyard are carts, ploughs and other machinery; the large drying barn (an interesting building in itself) houses iron and brick items and a stagecoach. The main barn is divided into farmhouse room settings plus cabinets showing hobbies, toys, medicines, wartime relics and much more.

Towner

Devonshire Park, College Road
Eastbourne BN21 4JJ

townereastbourne.org.uk

Towner is the award-winning contemporary art museum for South East England. We present major exhibitions of UK and international contemporary art - and as a museum, we also have a nationally significant collection of art from across the ages. Collections: An internationally renowned collection of around 4000 historical, modern and contemporary works. the Towner Collection is best known for its modern British art.

Winchelsea Museum

Court Hall, High Street
Winchelsea TN36 4EA

winchelsea.com

Inside the Court Hall museum, displays illustrate the history of the Antient Town, since it was built by Edward I as a medieval 'New Town' over 700 years ago, and about Winchelsea's position as Head Port of the Confederation of Cinque Ports. The Court Hall is certainly one of the oldest buildings in the town.