Beaney House of Art and Knowledge, Canterbury (must see)

The central museum and library for the city of Canterbury are located in the Beaney Institute building. Admission to the museum and galleries is free, and a trip inside is well worth your time.

The Tudor Revival-style building was designed by city surveyor A.H. Campbell and built-in 1899. It was known as the Beaney Institute until 2012.

The cost of the ornate building was gifted to the Canterbury City Council by Dr. James George Beaney. Beaney was a colorful character in the town's history. He was beset by controversy from the medical establishment.

The museum houses a collection of English and European ceramics and art, along with oriental porcelains. Of course, many items in the collection are of local interest, including the Chair of Saint Augustine and Canterbury pilgrims tokens.

Items on display in the museum span the region's history from prehistoric implements to Roman and Anglo-Saxon antiquities. If you're interested in the Roman period, don't miss the museum's other facility--the Canterbury Roman Museum.