England Family-Friendly Sightseeing, Attractions & Activities

the world's oldest and largest continuously occupied fortress, one of the Queen's main residences, with impressive state rooms and chapels

200 acres of world-renowned 19th century gardens, now restored after decades of neglect, offering secret corners and stunning displays

Europe's best preserved medieval fortress, inextricably linked with centuries of British history and home to the British crown jewels

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

set on a rocky promontory next to the Castle, one of the great Norman buildings of Europe, boasting a magnificent rose window

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

Island home to a medieval castle, reached by causeway, with Norman church and sub-tropical gardens.

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

set just outside Stratford-upon-Avon, the world famous cottage, with much original furniture, where Shakespeare courted Anne Hathaway

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

largest, best-preserved of several mysterious tunnels associated with Iron Age settlements, thought to date from 5th or 4th century BC

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

magnificent late Victorian country house, with the feel of a wealthy but unpretentious family home, including a rare book collection

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

a fine Georgian villa designed by William Kent with a rich collection of Old Master Paintings and fine furniture. Free entry to the 65 acres of Grade I listed gardens with grand vistas, architectural delights, water features and a children's play area

lose yourself in the world's longest hedge maze, visit the Elizabethan stately home or drive through the world famous safari park

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

set in a magnificent deer park, the ancestral home of the Russell family for nearly 400 years has many attractions, including a famous wild life reserve

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

ancestral home of the Spencer family since the sixteenth century with a fine collection of antiques. Diana, Princess of Wales was laid to rest here

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

former home of The Priors of Nostell and Mayor of York - rediscovered behind modern facade in 1980s - restored to original 15th century splendour - magnificent Great Hall

ruins of Norman abbey, built on the site of the 1066 Battle of Hastings, with battlefield views, visitor centre and Victorian walled garden

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

childhood homes of Lennon and McCartney, now owned by the National Trust, only accessible on a prebooked tour.

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

a wealth of architectural history, with buildings dating from the 14C and a superb 30-acre garden famed for its rhododendrons and unique quarry garden

high above a meander in the River Irthing, in one of the most picturesque settings on Hadrian's Wall. A Roman fort, turret and milecastle can all be seen on this excellent stretch of the Wall.

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

nearly 60 years old, this classic railway has featured in many films and TV programmes. It runs from Sheffield Park to East Grinstead

13 mile steam heritage railway through beautiful countryside creating the atmosphere of a 1950s Cornish branch line

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

collection of thatched buildings - date back more than 200 years - set in a valley that reaches down to the sea - working forge & mill - see the blacksmith in action - enjoy a traditional cream tea in the Old Bakery - explore the woodland or beach

little changed since completion in 1583 - wide variety of paintings - tapestries - porcelain - 17th century needlework - rare James I carpet - period furniture - tea barn

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

Uncover a world of chocolate delights and enjoy a fascinating, fun-packed family day out dedicated to the story of Cadbury and chocolate

a formidable fortress spanning some 900 years of conflicts and sieges. Mary, Queen of Scots, was imprisoned here for some 19 years

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

situated at the Leigh Woods end of the bridge, containing information about the competition to design the bridge, its construction and completion and how it is maintained today

visit this modern masterpiece designed by Sir Basil Spence with the iconic tapestry by Graham Sutherland and the magnificent stained glass windows by John Piper

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 first house in the world to be lit by hydroelectricity crammed full of ingenious gadgets – most of them still working and with one of the largest rock gardens in Europe

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

a secret, wartime airbase now a museum and visitor centre, restored parkland great for walking and with the 18th Century mansion at its centre

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

all aboard for a spectacular journey operating between Kingswear and Paignton along a picturesque route bordering the Dart Estuary

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

stretching across 3,000 acres of ancient woodland, steeped in history, but with delightful contrasts from the picturesque dingle to the remarkable pieces by Moore and Matisse

built in 1888 with a new award winning Bolton Abbey station which is a reconstruction of the original and vintage steam locomotives

a fine Georgian town house, exuding a welcoming feeling, with a richly decorated interior with many objects d'art and a special children's tour

UK's only double track, main line heritage railway. It’s the only place in the world where full size steam engines can be seen passing each other

former home of Agatha Christie with a relaxed 1950s style with a large romantic wooded garden and a shop selling her novels

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

Beautifully situated on the banks of the Thames. Step back in time, walking on the original marble floors and admiring the re-imagined 17th Century garden

a classic lat 18th Century mansion with political, wall paintings by Sir Jame Thornhill and extensive, relaxed gardens and parkland

a family run living heritage attraction with one of the last horse-drawn barges in Great Britain

the most remarkable Roman remains in the country, a real insight into Roman military life and discover the past behind the archaeological remains

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

featured in many films and TV programmes, this preserved railway has large steam locomotives and runs from Alton to Alresford

a lovely 18th Century house with an unusual drawing room pained by Rex Whistler, a permanent 20th Century art collection and magnificent gardens

historic house and grade 1 Cornish gardens with the national camellia collection within 865 acre park on Rame Peninsula

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

with a world class collection of furniture, textiles and wallpaper and priceless paintings inside and room to explore outside - including cycle trails -

surrounded by 250 acres of park and farmland with year round seasonal walks and a colourful Victorian formal garden accompanying the mansion

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

a suburban palace caught between town and country with a lake, magnificent house, elegant gardens and a natural play trail with rope swings and steppingstones

take a trip back in time on this light gauge, period railway with its iconic steam trains that have featured in many films and TV programmes

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

set around Rudyard Lake, this narrow gauge railway runs throughout the year. The Lake is a family centre for picnics, sailing, boating, walking and fishing

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

the much loved country retreat of HM Queen Elizabeth ll. Explore objets d'art collected by the Royal family, or browse the classic cars in the Transport Museum

extensive garden of varied colour, perfume and sound with winding paths, majestic trees with self led family activities

the ancestral home of Patrick Lichfield, the fashion photographer, a glamorous estate mansion with sweeping parkland and a natural play area for children

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

built in 1842 as the last resort for the destitute, the stories of the people who lived and worked here help tell the poignant history

Iconic bridge in the City of London, with spectacular views from the high-level walkways and visits to the original steam-powered engine rooms

the house, home of the quirky Museum of Curiosities, is surrounded by an informal landscape of lawns, lakes, woodland, parkland and farmland

historic village with many buildings of architectural interest including the Hellfire Caves (not National Trust), shops and cafés

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