DISCOVER THANET’S TOP VISITOR ATTRACTIONS AS PART OF ENGLISH TOURISM WEEK

Thanet District Council invites you to join in English Tourism Week 2013 by visiting one of the district’s fantastic visitor attractions!

English Tourism Week is a week-long celebration of events from 16-24 March which showcase the range of visitor experiences the country has to offer and the value it brings to the nation.

Whether its art galleries that inspire you, exploring the past or discovering a love for planes, trains or automobiles there really is something for everyone to enjoy in Thanet.

To get you inspired we’ve created a list which includes some of our top attractions to visit (see below*).
Why not start off with a trip to the new Pocher exhibition at the Hornby Visitor Centre? Recognised as some of the most complex and detailed automobile kits ever made, the exhibition features 24 rare and sought after model cars including Fiat F2 130HP Racer, Rolls-Royce Torpedo Phantom II, Bugatti 50T Surprofilé Coupé.

http://www.hornby.com/hornby-visitor-centre/pocher-models/

The new ‘with us in spirit’ exhibition at Quex Park is another visitor must. Celebrating the work of Fred Merfield who collected over 70 specimens in Cameroon, including frogs, snakes, scorpions, small chimpanzees and antelopes and preserved them in alcohol. Following a conservation project in 2012 to transfer the specimens out of their old jars and into new alcohol, the museum is proud to display them all for the first time.

http://www.quexmuseum.org/home/copy-of-museum.aspx

Or if it’s a day out by the seaside you’re after you’re spoilt for choice with Margate, Broadstairs and Ramsgate all with their own unique charm and attractions on offer. This includes the world renowned Turner Contemporary, the Old Town and Shell Grotto in Margate, Dickens House Museum and Crampton Tower in Broadstairs and the country’s only Royal Harbour and Maritime Museum in Ramsgate, amongst lots more!

Cabinet Member for Tourism, Cllr Iris Johnston, said: “We’re very lucky in Thanet to have such a broad range of attractions and places to visit, as well as our beautiful coastline and beaches. By supporting English Tourism Week we hope not only to raise the profile of Thanet to new visitors but also to remind the people who live here what fantastic things are on offer, right on their doorstep!”

As part of English Tourism Week visitors also had an opportunity to bid for free tickets to loads of top attractions, right across Kent. The ‘My Kent Big Weekend’ event, which is taking place this Saturday 23 and Sunday 24 March, includes 12 Thanet attractions who offered up between them a total of 1,690 free tickets.

For more information on the attractions available in Thanet, including opening times, please visit www.visitthanet.co.uk

* Top attractions to visit in Thanet:

• Turner Contemporary
• Powell –Cotton Museum, Quex House and Gardens
• Spitfire and Hurricane Museum
• Hornby Visitor Centre
• The Shell Grotto (weekend only) – daily from Easter
• UpDown Gallery
• Pinball Parlour (weekend only)
• Crampton Tower Museum
• Walpole Bay Hotel & Living Museum
• Rock Doc Walk (24^th March)
• Dickens House Museum (weekend only) – daily April to September
• Margate Old Town
• Margate Museum (weekend only)

Don’t forget these attractions as well (some of which will open later in the year)

• St Peters Village Tour
• Ramsgate Costumed Walks
• Ramsgate Maritime Museum
• Strokes Adventure Golf
• Lillyput Mini Golf
• Margate Museum of Monstrosities
• Joss Bay Surf School
• Bleak House
• Revolution Skate Park- open all year
• Pugin’s The Grange & St Augustines Church – Grange Wednesday afternoons throughout the year, Church Wednesdays, Saturday and Sundays during the year
• RAF Manston History Museum
• Monkton Nature Reserve
• Minster Abbey
• Seasearcher, Horizon Sea Safaris and Galleon Cruises out of Ramsgate