Hotels near the Southend Discovery Centre

Part of Southend's Central Museum, the Southend Discovery Centre promotes a hands-on approach to delving into all aspects of the area's local history. This makes it as fascinating for adults as it is for school children.

The Centre houses an impressive Image Database, a compilation of images of local history that the public are able to access under specific titles such as period and area. The Video Microscopes examine Southend objects from all eras in detail, including coins, insects, fossils and more, and visitors are also encouraged to bring in their own objects to study through the lens and project onto a large screen.

The Topic Tables and the Handling Collection continue along the same investigative vein, with the latter allowing the exhibits to be handled under supervision, instead of simply being peered at through glass.