Lucy the Elephant
A nineteenth-century roadside oddity survives as an architectural landmark you can tour from the inside.
Artwork inspired by John Marin
Lucy is a building shaped like an elephant, not a statue with a room attached. Built in the nineteenth century to attract attention to seaside land, she became a much-loved Margate landmark through public rescue and restoration. Her wood-and-metal structure makes more sense on the guided interior tour than from the sidewalk alone: the stairs and observation point reveal how a whimsical silhouette becomes architecture.
The grounds and shop are free, while the interior is ticketed. Tours run roughly every 45 minutes, so a short spontaneous stop is possible if space is available. A look at Lucy from the beach side also shows how improbable her scale is against ordinary shore houses.
- Built
- 1881
- Type
- Novelty architecture
- Interior
- Guided tour
Quick guide
- Walk the outline
- Notice how the legs carry an occupied building.
- Go inside
- The guided route reveals the structure behind the silhouette.
Know before you go
- Find the trunk
- Compare the building’s actual anatomy with a drawing.
- Look from the ground
- Her six-story scale changes with distance.
- See the interior
- Structural details are the point of the tour.
- Use the lot briefly
- Complimentary parking is limited to one hour.
Good to know
Tour times can change for events or reservations. The grounds remain a worthwhile free stop even if you cannot join an interior tour.
Notice these
- Elephant-shaped building
- Observation deck
- Margate shore setting