Summer at The Historic Dockyard, Chatham

by | Aug 13, 2018 | Where to go locally

Summer at The Dockyard

In 2018, The Historic Dockyard Chatham is celebrating its 400th Anniversary with the biggest summer of entertainment ever!

The summer of fun begins from Friday 6th July – join The Historic Dockyard Chatham, journeying through time exploring the 13.8 billion year history of the world through LEGO® bricks!

Brick History

LegoFrom the author/creator Warren Elsmore, The Historic Dockyard Chatham is delighted to welcome the unique temporary exhibition, Brick History for the first time.  The exhibition will be on show throughout the Summer holidays as part of our 400th anniversary with fantastic pieces that are key to our own history such as the model of the Battle of Trafalgar with the Chatham made ship HMS Victory.

Visitors will undoubtedly be inspired to try building their favourite moments from history for themselves after seeing these fantastic pieces, and The Dockyard will have a soft play area full of LEGO® bricks and soft play LEGO® to get creative!   This exhibition is on show at The Historic Dockyard until Sunday 16th September.

Summer Fun at the Dockyard

Then, starting from the 28th July, join Doc. Yard with his unique take on science fun.  This year, Doc. and his able Beachassistant Bunsen are trying to detect elements that are difficult to see and smell, but with help from the audience, hands on experiments will show Doc’s assistant Bunsen and everyone what gases feel like!

From helium, gases in air and even the ones made by humans – Doc and Bunsen look at the science behind them this summer with interactive fun and Bunsen’s hilarious tricks on Doc – this may include a whoopie cushion!

Don’t miss out on the final experiment where Doc and Bunsen will perform the Big Bang experiment too!  When we say a big bang – we mean a BIG BANG!

And if that wasn’t enough for family fun this summer, the Pirates will also be back at The Dockyard from the 28th July taking over HMS Gannet! Captain Knotbeard and the rest of his crew will be joining The Dockyard’s biggest summer ever for its 400th birthday with an enormous beach equipped with deck chairs and buried treasure ready for those sandcastles to be made! Storytelling will be daily, and the lower decks of HMS Gannet will show what life as a pirate was like!

All of this included in your annual ticket, the biggest summer of fun in the last 400 years at The Dockyard!

NOBODY’S CHILD EXPANDS STORE PORTFOLIO OUTSIDE OF LONDON WITH NEW BLUEWATER STORE

Fashion brand Nobody’s Child is delighted to announce the opening of its new 1200sq ft store in Bluewater Shopping Centre, at the end of March 2026. The opening marks a significant step in Nobody’s Child’s continued retail growth, bringing the brand closer to its...

‘Holi – Festival of Colours’ returned to Dartford’s Open-Air Theatre in Central Park on Sunday 8 March 2026

'Holi - Festival of Colours' returned to Dartford’s Open-Air Theatre in Central Park on Sunday 8 March 2026, transforming the area into a vibrant spectacle of colour and joy as local residents and volunteers came together to celebrate this much-loved spring...

Dartford: Don’t let homes sit empty

This National Empty Homes Week, Dartford Borough Council is reminding owners of empty properties of the support available to help them. Lots of people in the borough are struggling to find a home and empty properties are not only a wasted resource but can also attract...

GARAGE Opens Its First UK Store at Bluewater

Montreal-born brand GARAGE is officially opening its doors in the UK, launching its first store at Bluewater Shopping Centre on March 20th, 2026 — and it’s just the beginning. After making noise during London Fashion Week, GARAGE is turning momentum into movement. The...

Early work begins on the Lower Thames Crossing

The early work to prepare parts of Essex and Kent for construction of National Highways’ Lower Thames Crossing is now underway. Before the major construction and tunnelling begins in 2028, work will be carried out to protect the area’s utility supplies, heritage, and...

Dartford launches bid to become the UK’s first Town of Culture

Dartford has officially entered the race to become the UK’s first Town of Culture, confirming its intention to submit an Expression of Interest by 31 March in the new national competition launched by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). The Town of...

Air Ambulance Charity Kent Surrey Sussex (KSS) celebrates the women behind lifesaving charity

Air Ambulance Charity Kent Surrey Sussex (KSS) is proud to mark International Women’s Day 2026 by celebrating the remarkable contribution of women across our lifesaving service. This year’s global theme, ‘Give to Gain’, which encourages a mindset of generosity...

Charity brings family more time with their beloved retired police dog

A charity that helps retired police dogs access the best in veterinary care has covered the cost of vital surgery for a Labrador who worked as a search and detection dog with Kent Police. Retired police dog (RPD) Max worked as a passive drugs detection dog with...

CINDERELLA – PANTO MAGIC RETURNS TO THE ORCHARD THEATRE THIS CHRISTMAS

The countdown is on to the biggest ball of the year, and you’re all invited! This festive season, the curtain will rise at the newly refurbished Orchard Theatre welcoming audiences back with everyone’s favourite rags to riches tale with the spectacular family...

Railway through Dartford reopens for Southeastern and Thameslink passengers following major half-term upgrade

£10m of work completed on time with improvements to several stations so that trains can resume. The South Eastern Railway has successfully reopened the railway through Dartford after completing a significant upgrade programme carried out over the February half-term,...