Explore The Beaney

Get closer to The Beaney and immerse yourself in history, heritage, art and culture.

  • A lady looking at painting hanging in People and Places Gallery.
  • A mummified cat in a cabinet.
  • Paintings on the wall in People and Places Gallery.

The Beaney House of Art & Knowledge is a Museum, Art Gallery, Library and Visitor Information Centre situated in the heart of historic Canterbury.

Whether you are a frequent Library user, a teacher on a Schools Workshop or an inquisitive explorer studying our treasures from the Ancient worlds; The Beaney is a building for everyone.

Enjoy exploring The Beaney online and we hope to welcome you to The Beaney soon.

Listen Here, Listen Anywhere

Explore The Beaney with audio insights into some of the most interesting artefacts and artworks in the collection. A great way to enhance your experience at the museum or explore the collection from somewhere else.

Explore by Room

The Garden Room

Information on the artworks, artefacts, animals and activities you can find in the Garden Room at The...

Colour & Camouflage

Situated between The Smallfilms Gallery and The Study, Colour and Camouflage showcases a selection of animals, birds,...

People & Places

The People & Places Gallery at The Beaney displays a range of artwork relating to the people and places connected to...

Explorers & Collectors

A fascinating and unique collection of collections brought back from travels across Asia, Africa, India and South...

Materials & Masters

For thousands of years artists and craftspeople have taken inspiration from the world around them, creatively transforming raw...

Special Exhibitions Room

Our programming team manages a diverse and balanced programme of Special Exhibitions which complement The Beaney’s permanent...

The Smallfilms Gallery

A temporary gallery space celebrating work by the Award winning Smallfilms duo - Peter Firmin and Oliver Postgate. See old...

The Study

Early collectors were often amateurs who wanted to learn about the world by looking more closely at things. This thirst for...

Learning Lab

With stunning views overlooking the rooftops of Canterbury, our Learning Lab is a modern and vibrant space used for artist-led...

The Library

Find out more about Canterbury Library, part of a large network of public libraries managed by Kent County...

Visitor Information

Our friendly and dedicated staff can provide a wealth of information, ensuring your visit to Canterbury is a memorable...

Search our collection highlights

The museums Collections online has been redeveloped, making it much easier to search to find what you want. Use the search function to discover objects and topics you are interested in, and to learn more about the past.

Discover our ancient Egyptian mummified cat, the original Bagpuss, artworks from legendary Anthony Van Dyke, to Pop Artist David Hockney, and much more.

Found in Milton Quarry, Canterbury in 1988, these skull fragments are from aurochs – an... Read more
This toy bear belonged to Jennifer Baker and was her companion when she was evacuated from... Read more
A hooded crow from our Natural History Collection that now forms part of the new ‘Art,... Read more
This specimen was a much-loved pet for forty years and was given to the museum after it died by its... Read more
These two furry friends have moved from their old residence in The Study to our new ‘Art,... Read more
Found isolated and alone in the Kentish soil, and now residing in The Beaney is a creature so... Read more
The tale of Rupert Bear begins with the story of the Caldwell Family. The Caldwell’s were a... Read more
Created by BAFTA award-winning Peter Firmin and Oliver Postgate through their company Smallfilms,... Read more
The news of Archbishop Thomas Becket’s murder in 1170 spread with ferocity. Shortly after his... Read more

Filters and Search

Collections and Image Enquiries

Canterbury Museums & Galleries can answer your questions about items in our collection and facilitate access to stored collections for researchers.

We can aso supply images of items in our collections for personal or commercial use upon request. You can also purchase unframed prints for a number of our painting via ART UK’s online shop.

More information on Collections and Image Enquiries 

 

Ethical Object Disposal

Between 2011 and 2017 collections staff conducted a series of Collections Reviews which revealed that there were some items that it would be beneficial to dispose of.

More Information on Ethical Object Disposal.

Artefacts in exhibition case The Beaney Museum

Get closer to The Beaney and immerse yourself in history, heritage, art and culture