England Family-Friendly Sightseeing, Attractions & Activities

magnificent building housing 80 million specimens from across the natural world, arranged in four zones around a giant central hall

major family-friendly attraction with walk-through historic street scenes, theme park rides and special exhibitions

well-presented railway museum, largest in the world, with a wide-ranging appeal beyond the railway enthusiast

famous for its interactive exhibits, this museum has seven floors of exhibits covering the development of science and technology

packed with over 1000 years of history and set in splendid grounds, there is plenty to see and do including State Rooms, dungeons and falconry

spectacular setting atop the White Cliffs of Dover, this large fortress includes a Roman lighthouse and secret wartime tunnels

multi-media ride through a realistic reconstruction of the sights, sounds and smells of the 10th century Viking settlement on this site

famous waxwork museum, displaying effigies of celebrities, royalty, historic figures and sports stars, with photo-ops alongside your favourites

diverse collections, mainly relating to Cornwall's heritage including the Rashleigh mineral collection

Imaginatively displayed with interaction exhibits telling the story of this favourite ship of Henry Vlllth, featuring weapons, tools and possessions of the men who sailed her

beautifully restored first world class ocean liner with First Class Dining Saloon, steerage quarters, Engine Room and audio visual exhibits of passengers' lives

rescuing and conserving historic buildings, teaching traditional trades and crafts to ensure their preservation and sharing the untold stories of rural life

Victorian international telegraph cable hub, once the largest telegraph station in the world, now a communications technology museum

unique china clay mining museum with "historic" or "nature" trails and view into working pit, with interactive displays with Cornwall's largest working waterwheel. children's trail and play area

authentic 18th century scythe works with waterwheels and tilt hammers. The house, workshops, crucible steel furnace, waterwheels and dam create a unique atmosphere of life in centuries long past

dating back to the fourteenth century and closely associated with many historical events. Now best known as one of the locations for the Harry Potter films

lots to keep all the family busy here. From transport and industrial heritage to nature trails and craft workers

Cromford Mills is the home of Sir Richard Arkwright’s first mill complex. Boasting powered machinery, a large workforce and factory village, this site became the model for others throughout Britain and abroad

one of the UK's leading science and discovery centres. The hands-on science centre Explore, and its planetarium, offer an amazing world of hands-on discovery - where exploration and education go hand in hand with an unforgettable, fun day

with a wide range of farm animals, exotics and birds of prey, with indoor and outdoor play to keep all ages happy

covering 125 million years of history, with displays including dinosaur footprints and a Saxon battle-axe believed to be a unique relic from the Battle of Hastings

maintained by the RAF, visitors can admire the only flying Lancaster Bomber in Europe, as well as Spitfires, Hurricanes and a Douglas Dakota

a living working experience of life as it was in the early 1800s and 1900s complete with shops, pubs and horse drawn carriages and trams

designed in 1825 and completed in 1827 for William Beckford. The 120 foot tower, has uninterrupted views of the countryside, and was was constructed as a study retreat and to house Beckford's precious collection of art and rare books

experience an evocative and intimate insight into living in Back to Back housing from the1840s to the 19790s

vast collections, telling the story of the last 400,000 years of history. The art galleries include the world-famous Pre-Raphaelite collection, the largest in the country

collections covering fine art, decorative art, Egyptology, coins, manuscripts, natural history, social history and South Asia with hands on interactive displays for children

situated in the beautiful parkland of the Blaise Estate at Henbury, the Museum is housed in a late eighteenth century mansion. Here you can see all sorts of familiar - and not so familiar - items from homes through history

part of the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust, where all the staff dress in period costume, with a host of restored Victorian buildings including shops, factories and schools

mentioned as far back as 300BC and is strongly woven into the lives of the Cornish people. This is the sole tin mine still producing tin items

fascinating displays of military weapons, uniforms, medals, badges. The collections ranging from the Battle of Waterloo to the Berlin Wall

from minerals and fossils to a representation of a Cornish kitchen, WWII, the fire service, wildlife and law and order

with over half a million specimens, such as dinosaur bones, butterflies and stuffed birds. There are many hands-on activities, and several temporary exhibitions.

piston aircraft - military jets - Vulcan bomber nose section - helicopter - engines - flight simulator - regular events

Discover a Brighton of the past: a bustling little fishing village on the south coast which was transformed into a fashionable seaside resort through a series of audio-visual displays, artefacts and exhibits, including several boats

containing an impressive collection of art deco, art nouveau and fine art paintings with many historical artefacts from around the world. The museum also hosts a wide range of temporary exhibitions

the home of the famous Brontë family containing the world's most comprehensive collection of Brontë manuscripts, letters, early editions of the novels and poetry

the only science centre, including museum solely devoted to chemistry and how the products of chemistry are used in every day life - from medicines to meccano, with 4 interactive galleries with over 100 different exhibits to tug, tease and test

celebrates the history of a long lost industry and the stories of the everyday people involved in mining

opened in 1980, the current collection of vehicles is acknowledged as one of the finest in the world, and the largest in public ownership

the mills date from the eighteenth century and the story of how cotton changed our lives is told through interactive displays

with events, demonstrations of traditional crafts and changing exhibitions telling the story of the Yorkshire Dales, landscape and people, past and present

local graphite mining led to the growth of the pencil industry. The museum gives an in depth guide to pencils and pencil making down the centuries

carefully crafted sets and original preserved trawler interiors capture the atmosphere and essence of a remarkable way of life

explore the rich seam of local railway history and discover how the railways have changed all our lives, with a model railway to please all enthusiasts

step back to the 1920s and discover how a grocer's family lived in a Midlands market town through their furnishings and household objects

founded in 1973 to preserve the history of cider making. The extensive collection includes cider mills, presses and advertising memorabilia

Explore Liverpool’s fascinating, diverse history, from port to sport, in this modern, purpose-built waterfront museum.

part of the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust, this is a good place to start your visit which gives an interactive overview of all the World Heritage Site

go 140m underground to England's last deep coal mine, with 14 galleries to explore and blacksmiths to chat to and an adventure playground for children

harbour-side Museum telling the story of Cornwall's rich maritime heritage - promotes an understanding of boats & their place in people's lives

Queen Victoria's palatial holiday home offering a treasured insight with a visit to the private apartments and the Swiss Cottage where the children played

historic narrow gauge railway, located in the Western part of the Lake District National Park with two main stations, Ravenglass and Dalegarth

dedicated to the local, coastal geology which has yielded many of Britains most important dinosaur fossils, with original Victorian exhibits and modern hands on galleries

housing one of the finest collections of fully restored motorcycles in the world, including factory racers and exotic prototypes

experience 200 years of transport history walking down a 1940’s high street, board a tram or enjoy the pleasures of the carriage ride

The heart of the Museum is its central 1930s gauge 0 model railway layout, there are also model airplanes and period slot machines

a treasure trove of objets' d'art including the famous silver swan automaton surrounded by luxurious gardens and parklands with children's play area

formerly a Royal Navy dockyard and now the most complete dockyard museum from the Age of Sail with inter-active exhibits for all ages

world's largest collection of witchcraft-related artefacts and regalia demonstrating the historical beliefs and practices of whithces and magicians

visit an authentic 18th century seaport and the spectacular HMS Trincomalee. See how tradesmen like tailors, printers and instrument makers earned a wage

3 galleries, packed with activities perfect for 6 to 12 year olds. Find out about Roald Dahl's school pranks and peek into the author's original Writing Hut

a family interactive experience where the visitor can learn about cheese, watch demonstrations and try out some cheese

a collection of over 41,000 rugby related exhibits supplemented by a regular programme of special exhibitions

popular museum covering everyday life through the centuries, best known for its reconstructed Victorian street

a family-friendly museum exploring social history and childhood in Victorian era Leeds with a street of shops and workplaces. There are also exhibits explaining the Suffragette Campaigns

set in a former Victorian sewerage works with displays of beam engines, showcasing Leicester's industrial, technological and scientific heritage

featuring artefacts and displays from the Civil War and a section on the history of Bridgewater. Admiral Blake is renowned as the founder of the modern British navy

gain an insight into the Cornish penal life over the centuries. This includes evening ghost walks and a look into the cold, dank cells

telling the story of one of the world’s greatest navigators and mariners through themed display galleries, associated activities and events and a lively education programme

focusing on vernacular buildings – the past houses and workplaces of ordinary people that are gradually disappearing from the landscape

part of the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust, including the national collections of Caughley and Coalport china and where demonstration workshops are given

The doorway to Dartmoor's industrial past with the sights, sounds and smells of three thundering water wheels powering massive hammers, shears and sharpening stone

this charming hamlet was the inspiration for many of Constable's paintings, famously 'The Hay Wain' and 'Flatford Mill'

surrounded by a picturesque garden, Beatrix Potter's beloved farm house was the source of inspiration for many of her famous stories

enjoy 300 years of history through hands-on exhibits and displays. Discover what family life was life for the rich and the poor. Then be transported back to the days before washing machines to try out a dolly peg and dress up as a servant

set in stunning landscape and famous for its iconic working water wheel, offering an insight to lead mining history, with scenic walks and amazing wildlife

high tech King Richard lll museum exploring the story of the last Plantagenet king including visiting the site of the grave where he was recently found

started as a small private collection, which quickly outgrew its original premises, this new, spacious museum was opened in 2009

housing designated collections of national importance covering agriculture, crafts and rural life with children friendly exhibits

part of the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust, illustrating how ground breaking, Victorian technology smelt iron with coke resulting in the world's first iron bridge

the UK's largest attraction dedicated to space, including the iconic Rocket Tower, the UK’s largest domed planetarium and lots of interactive fun

Penlee House displays works from The Newlyn School of artists, as well as local photography, decorative arts and archaeology collections

with lots of interactive exhibits catering from the serious student to the youngest child covering Reading's history from pre Roman times to the Victorians

during WWl it was a base for pilot training but this airfield is now long gone. Today a team of dedicated enthusiasts have established a treasure chest of military aviation exhibits and archival displays

late 17th Century house with sumptuous interiors including the Museum of Childhood. Explore childhoods of times gone by, play with toys and share stories

The Scott Polar Research Institute's Museum holds a collection of artefacts, paintings, drawings, photographs (including cinematographic film, lantern slides, and Daguerreotypes), and other material

uncover the history of the Potteries including the world's greatest collection of Staffordshire ceramics and a Fine Art collection of Impressionist paintings

un unparalleled opportunity to see the world famous Wedgwood production facility at close quarters including a varied children's programme

birthplace and family home of Sir Isaac Newton and visit orchard where the apple tree gave him inspiration including a 'hands on' Science Centre

the museum honours the British Army from the mid Victorian era up to the present. There is a children friendly assault course and a family picnic area

this early Tudor house has a fine carved oak ceiling and contains exhibits displaying the history of Thetford and Breckland including archaeological and natural history exhibits. There is also a fine herb garden

portraying the history of Arundel through a collection of tools, photographs, clothes & weapons

a local museum with exhibitions of - Dartmoor artefacts - local history & geology - posters, documents - also includes the Paul Endacott North American Indian Collection

located in the Town Hall, this museum contains a selection of coins minted in Malmesbury, along with many other exhibits relating to the history of the area

a romantic fairy tale castle with an intriguing past with a rare, original port culls in the gatehouse

covers the history of Bude and the surrounding area, including natural history, maritime and industrial heritage, and development of tourism

a fine Elizabethan mansion refurbished in the 17th Century with extensive collections of paintings and objets d'art

the 17th apprentice home of James Cook, famous sea captain, with Cook's own maps and letters and wonderful model of his ship 'Endeavour'

the quintessential romantic castle, Carisbrooke has been an Elizabethan artillery fortress, a king's prison and a royal summer residence

a surviving example of a family home built in the 13th century and then modernised in 1618 including period enactments throughout the year

the shelves and workbenches are full of original stock and tools of the trade, including the fittings for the funerals for Winston Churchill and the Queen Mother

19th century working watermill surrounded by outbuildings, now used as estate and craft workshops, short walk from Cotehele Quay

two great beam engines, preserved in towering engine houses with industrial heritage discovery centre

one of the UK's largest preserved mine sites telling the story of Cornwall's industrial mining past and mineral panning for the children

dating back to the sixteenth century, a unique collection of historic artefacts relating to the ancient school and its pupils

set across 11 acres, the visitor can discover the incredible world of Anglo-Saxon Northumbria and the extraordinary life of Bede - the father of English history with plenty of interactive displays and a rare breed farm with rescued animals

a private collection with over 2000 exhibits dating back to 2000BC including a bisque doll presented to Queen Victoria

one of the largest folk museums in the South West, reflecting the social and industrial past of The Lizard Peninsula with regular art exhibitions

housed in one of the old warehouses, this museum covers the history of London's port and its role in the development of a great trading nation

The air museum is located on part of the former World War Two airfield of RAF Winthorpe with a wealth of military aviation history

North East Englands premier aircraft museum with a restoration workshop which is open to visitors

chronicling the history of the Port of Padstow over the past two centuries - interesting collection of artefacts with plenty to interest the children

local museum covering local history with collections covering all aspects of local life including a replica Cornish kitchen