Think less mainstream and more fun, and you'll find this hidden gem museum, defying the ordinary as it goes on to be Europe's only museum dedicated entirely to this one sea creature08:40, 29 Jun 2026Away from the boredom of wandering galleries, long queues and hours upon hours spent learning about history, there's a new kind of museum that's a real breath of fresh air.‌It's no natural history museum, that's for sure, yet its focus is resolutely on one particular creature. And one which does not receive much of a spotlight – the humble crab. That's right, the Crab Museum in Margate, Kent, took home the crown as Time Out's number one museum to visit in 2026, beating many hefty institutions to the top prize.‌It may come as a surprise, but the more you learn about the place, the clearer it becomes that it is a museum for those bored of the ordinary and keen to try something new. Bursting with facts, fun and plenty of jokes, the Crab Museum puts aside traditional museums as we know them and flips the idea on its head.‌You can find the site in the very heart of Margate Old Town, in a modest building that many passers-by wouldn't notice. And yet, inside, it explores everything there is to know about crabs, from their evolution to their medical uses and their sexual reproduction.Visitors learn all of this through hilarious and educational drawings and designs that reach beyond crabs and touch on many socio-political themes in a family-friendly manner. The entire thing was put together with the care and dedication of brothers Bertie and Ned Suesat-Williams and Chase Coley, back in 2021.‌After briefly speaking with one of its co-directors, I realised nothing about the museum is serious. But what is, is the science behind it all. According to its website, the founders are all titled "Crab Enthusiasts" and have backgrounds within science and education that fuel their love for learning and teaching.Ned Suesat, co-director at the Crab Museum, is listed as "an archaeologist by training", and it's his "lifelong passion for sea life" that informs this endeavor. Yet the answer he gave when asked about the museum's inspiration was slightly different."We wanted to demonstrate the interconnectedness of all things - knowledge, humans, non-humans, crabs, fart jokes, politics and... stuff. A museum is the perfect vehicle for this, and so is the humble crab."‌Despite his passion for the crab, he did iterate that, really, it could have been about "anything".Timeout helped to put the science hub on the maps earlier this year, although Ned claims they were "too busy talking about crabs to notice". All he hopes to prove to visitors is that "perhaps learning about science can be as fun as any other day out."‌A recent visitor to the museum shared their own experience on TripAdvisor, where the attraction has a 4.6-star rating. They wrote: "Who knew crabs could be so funny!? Had no idea what to expect, but what we experienced was such a joy!"Had my friend and I roaring with laughter. Quirky little crabs litter the walls and take you on a journey of discovery. If you have a funny bone that needs tickling, make sure you visit the crab museum!"The baffling display is available to see from Friday to Sunday, with opening hours 11am-5pm. It is completely free to visit, with special events and performances often ticketed.Article continues belowAs for the future of the Margaret Museum, Ned shared: "We're excited for a future where loving crabs and supporting weird museums is mainstream. Other aspects of the future remain terrifying - climate apocalypse and far right dictatorship especially - but we plan on staying crabby or dying trying."