CIVIC dignitaries including the Mayor and MP joined volunteers and history buffs for the formal reopening of Purfleet Heritage and Military Centre on Sunday (1 March).

The museum, housed in a Grade 1 listed former Royal Gunpowder Magazine on Centurian Way (RM19 1ZZ) closed at the beginning of December last year to allow completion of work that started 18 months ago to make the building sound, secure and watertight and to catalogue and rearrange the huge number of exhibits it contains.

But the doors are now open on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays when the public can visit and tours can also be facilitated by special arrangement. Click here to make arrangements for talks, walks or visits. Admission is £5 (concessions £4) and children and students £2.50.

Among those present to enjoy the opening speeches and ceremonial blast from the museum's Boer War vintage Mountain Gun were borough MP Jen Craft., Mayor Cllr Sue Shinnick and Thurrock Council leader Lynn Worrall.

Upcoming Dates at the Centre

Saturday 14th March 2026, 7pm: Ghost and Folklore walk - FULLY BOOKED

Saturday 6th June 2026, 9pm: Ghost and Folklore walk

Saturday 12th September 2026, 9pm: Ghost and Folklore walk

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Sunday 25th October 2026, 12 noon and 4pm: Dracula walk as part of our Dracula Day event

Saturday 5th December 2026, 5pm: Ghost and Folklore walk

The next scheduled RSPB Rainham Marshes Military Walk will be on the 22nd March 2026, details here. Note that this event will be run as part of the centre's partnership with the RSPB and will need to be booked through them at their website. The cost for this is £12 to £15 with profits shared between the RSPB and the Heritage Centre.

Contact volunteers to book walks and presentations. Heritage Walks can be run any Wednesday, Thursday or Sunday when we are open provided there are sufficient numbers.

The centre also caters for organised groups on other days of the week provided these are pre-booked and have sufficient numbers. School, Scouting, Cadets, U3A and other adult groups welcome.

Two evenings have been set aside in April for local teachers to enjoy open evenings and learn about using the centre as a history resource. They will take place on 22nd & 23rd April for teachers to come and look around the Centre and discuss how the centre's enthusiastic team can help schools share and understanding of local and miltary history.

Teachers can contact the centre to book a spot on the preferred evening.