Not Shelly... she would never... but our Birth of a Queen Sip and Paint tonight is officially Sold Out. 🎨🍾
We can’t wait to welcome the iconic Shelly Grotto back to her spiritual home tonight, alongside a room full of artistic masterpieces.
Missed out this time? Find out about upcoming events here: shellgrotto.co.uk/events
Well. We didn't have @kevin.mccloud1 announcing us as having "the most protected genitalia in the country" on our bingo card for 2026. But here we are. 🍆
If you missed us - and our special bits - last night, you can catch the first episode of Kevin McCloud's Listed Britain on @channel4 📺 (Link in bio.)
Filth.
#shellgrotto #margate #channel4 #listedbuildings #listedbritain
Local and visit the Grotto often with family and friends? It might be cheaper for our regulars to become a member of The Friends of the Shell Grotto which grants you free access to the Grotto for a whole year! 🐚👭
To become a member or find out more about the Friends, visit shellgrotto.co.uk/support#friends
It's May Day! The ancient spring festival marking the return of summer. 🌞🌿
Rooted in the Celtic festival of Beltane and the Roman festival of Floralia (honoring the goddess of flowers), it represents fertility, growth, and the midpoint between the spring equinox and summer solstice. 😎
There are dozens of beautiful floral and crop-like motifs in the Grotto, particularly the Rotunda, where, at this time of year, corn stalks appear to creep further up the walls and flower buds magically burst into life. 🌽🌸✨
We're open every day this weekend, including the Bank Holiday Monday! 10am - 5pm. Why not see us in bloom?
For visitor and access information, see shellgrotto.co.uk/visit
In Feb 1835, a Mr James Newlove was preparing to sign a 21-year lease of the cottage and land under which the Grotto was soon to be discovered. But it was left unsigned. 📝 Apparently, Newlove's son overheard two men encouraging his father to buy the land instead. ‘Newlove, don’t lease it, buy it outright!’ 💬
Newlove seems to have taken their advice. The lease was cast aside and he bought the site in 1837, less than a year before the discovery of the Grotto was announced.
But the questions remain. Did the two men have prior knowledge of what lay beneath? And did Newlove continue to keep it a secret until the land was his?
Pictured here, the original, unsigned lease was cut up by Newlove's daughter, Francis, to line her bookshelves and now resides (almost complete...) in our Collection. 📖🔍✨ #FromtheArchive
PAINT & PROSECCO: BIRTH OF A QUEEN 🎨🍾
Inspired by the Birth of Venus, paint an iconic reimagining of Botticelli’s masterpiece with our dazzling resident drag queen and total work of art, Shelly Grotto. It’s giving Renaissance realness meets modern drag excellence. Venus wishes she looked that good! No experience necessary. Materials and prosecco included *hiccups*. 👑 @shellygrotto
📅 Friday 15th May, 8pm
BOOK NOW: Link in bio
18+. Limited availability. Booking required.
Lucky enough to still be on your Easter holidays? Missing the sunshine? Fear not! We're open daily, 10-5, all this week for an underground adventure like no other.
Our lovely shop is brimming with new treasures too, including these beautiful hand-printed linocut cards from @pressedandfolded
All the info to visit is in our bio
We noticed something lovely this morning...
11 April has always been a special day in the Grotto story as it's the birthday of James Newlove - first proprietor of the Grotto - born in 1785. But we'd never made the connection that it's also the day that his son Joshua - discoverer of the Grotto - married Martha Malin up the hill at St John's Church in 1844.
A double celebration for the Grotto's first family!
Of course, we only know these details thanks to the incredible work of our much-missed archivist Chris Pearson. We'll raise a glass to him, and the Newloves, after closing today.
📸 1 The entrance to the Grotto, stereoscope view, c1860. We’ve often wondered… could one of these figures be Joshua?
2 St John's Church, Margate, stereoscope view, c1860. Via the wonderful Margate Local History website, a treasure trove of a place we highly recommend getting lost in.
Oh we do like to be beside the seaside! 🏖 This week, join us at the Grotto to create your own take on the ever-popular seaside fashion accessory - the cowrie bracelet! Pick your cord colour, arrange your shells and dazzle the runways of Margate. 😎✨
📅 Thursday 9th + Friday 10th, drop in 10am - 12pm
🎟 Included free with entry
For information about future events, see shellgrotto.co.uk/events. ✨
PAINT & PROSECCO: BIRTH OF A QUEEN 🎨🍾
Inspired by the Birth of Venus, paint an iconic reimagining of Botticelli’s masterpiece with our dazzling resident drag queen and total work of art, Shelly Grotto. It’s giving Renaissance realness meets modern drag excellence. Venus wishes she looked that good! No experience necessary. Bottle of prosecco included *hiccups*. 👑 @shellygrotto
📅 Friday 15th May, 8pm
BOOK NOW: Link in bio.
18+. Limited availability. Booking required.
We're open every day this Easter, including the bank holiday, 10am - 5pm! ⏰ Visiting Margate for the long weekend? 😎 Why not explore beneath its streets and journey deep into the past?! With 4.6 million shells, 2000 sqft of mosaic and 1 big mystery to uncover, experience the town's truly unique, underground scene (literally). 👨🎤🤘
For visitor and access information, see shellgrotto.co.uk/visit.
The cabinet of conchological curiosities in our museum seems to have inspired this season's shop display, with beautiful walnut woods, curated oddities and a cornucopia of shells, obviously. 🐚✨
The gift shop is, as always, open whenever the Grotto is - currently every day until 19th April, and then every Wed - Sun, 10am - 5pm! 🛍💘 or shop a limited range online 24/7: shellgrotto.co.uk/shop
