Southend Central Museum

Local history museum in a former Carnegie library with archaeology, natural history and the Prittlewell Princely Burial gallery.

Opening hoursFree admission Partially accessible

Website Directions

About the museum

The building that houses Southend Central Museum was put up in 1905 and 1906 as a free public library, paid for by the philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. When the library moved to a new building on Victoria Avenue in 1974, the old premises were listed Grade II, and in 1981 it reopened as the town's Central Museum. The council museum service had its beginnings in 1906, when archaeological finds were collected by the library.

A planetarium on the first floor was added in 1984. The museum shows local archaeology, natural history and social history of Southend, and holds a collection of Ekco radios made by a former Southend company. In 2003 an Anglo-Saxon burial was found during road works at Prittlewell; its finds, thought to date from about 580 AD, are now shown in a permanent gallery that opened in 2019 and is a major draw for visitors.

The museum is part of Southend Museums, run by Southend-on-Sea City Council together with Prittlewell Priory, Southchurch Hall and Beecroft Art Gallery. It also hosts a yearly programme of temporary exhibitions.

Highlights

Permanent Prittlewell Princely Burial gallery
Local archaeology, natural history and social history
Ekco radios made in Southend
Southend Planetarium on the first floor
Grade II listed Carnegie library building

Permanent exhibitions

The Prittlewell Princely Burial – A permanent gallery showing finds from an Anglo-Saxon royal-style burial chamber discovered at Prittlewell in 2003.
Local archaeology, natural history and social history – Collections that trace the story of Southend and its surroundings, from the earliest finds to the town's seaside heyday.

Founded: 1981
Operated by: Southend-on-Sea City Council (Southend Museums)

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

Entry is free according to the Southend tourism and rail guide and Art UK.

Accessibility

Partially wheelchair accessible
Elevator: not available
Accessible restroom: no information
Accessible parking
Service dogs welcome: no information
Tactile models & exhibits: no information
Sign language tours: no information
Easy-to-read materials: no information
Audio description: no information

The ground floor is fully accessible via the disabled entrance on the right side of the building, where visitors ring the bell for assistance. There is no lift, so the first floor, including the planetarium and the main toilets, cannot be reached without stairs. Disabled toilets are next door at the Beecroft Art Gallery. Limited disabled parking is at the rear, reached through the Beecroft staff car park.

Kids & families

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Getting there & parking

By public transit

Southend Victoria station · 2-min walk

Southend Victoria station (Greater Anglia from Liverpool Street) is about a two-minute walk away; the c2c line from Fenchurch Street serves Southend Central. A bus hub is just outside Southend Victoria station.

By car

Paid parking

The closest car park is the pay-and-display Beecroft Art Gallery car park off Great Eastern Avenue; the Victoria Shopping Centre car park (SS2 5SP) is an alternative.