This museum is a bit of a mixed bag. The Roman artifacts are well worth a look but in other areas…read morethings get a bit ropey, especially the natural history section. Who wants to look at a badly stuffed dead blue tit? If you want to visit an excellent museum then I'd suggest you make your way to Liverpool and visit the World Museum. If you're in Chester and can't be bothered making the trip to Liverpool then the Grosvenor will have to do.

The Grosvenor Museum provides exactly what you would expect from a museum situated in a historic…read moretown. Which is no bad thing. There is a gallery space which has regularly changing exhibitions, and then upstairs there is the permanent collection. The museum also has rooms full of more recent history and a lot of taxidermy including a stuffed zebra which is worth a look. The museum is free to visit which is good. It's not in the middle of town though, so you have to make an effort to walk there, as it's not really on the way to anywhere else. It's not the most interesting of places for children although I expect they would enjoy the stuffed animals, especially the zebra.

This was the main reason I came from Liverpool, but in the end I expected more…read more If you have seen other sites, this is small. It's a piece of ancient history in the Romans took this area first in England. And established a city with walls and a Roman bath. Worth coming a hour by train.

Great spot for a quick visit. Well maintained and clean. Short walk from down town. We really enjoy…read morehistorical sites and this was worth the stop.

A truly unique exploration of Chester's Roman History. This museum offers so much for all ages, at…read morean affordable price. Kids will be instantly taken in by the journey on the ship and everyone will continue to show interest at all the interactive activities on offer here (who doesn't want to try on that shiny armour!) Particularly eye opening is the roman street, which is dark and maybe a little scary for the younger eyes, but that needs to be judged by yours truly, as some kids love this part. Toilets are available and there is also a gift shop, but no cafe. If you have a couple of hours to spare and want to absorb some history, this wouldn't be a bad place to go.

City records first show The Cross (or High Cross as it was known) in 1377 and has been the site of…read morepublic proclaimations since medieval times. In the 17th century the town crier was permitted to keep a stall at the cross and to take the profits. During the Civil War it served as a rallying point for Royalist citizens but with their surrender in 1646 to Parliamentary troops after a long siege despite earlier re assurances the cross was destroyed with ornate upper section being lost without trace. The base of the Cross being discovered at Plas Newydd in LLangollen, North Wales circa 1817 where it remains. What was left was hidden under nearby St. Peter's Church until its discovery in 1820 after which it spent some 60 years in a Handbridge garden before being acquired by the 1st Duke of Westminster for the newly open Grosvenor museum. The city council re-erected the Cross in the Roman Gardens in 1949 before it was finally restored to its original site at the intersection of Chester's four main streets namely: Northgate, Bridge, Eastgate and Watergate in 1975. Perhaps it was a typical council job as it had only taken 329 years to complete!!!!!!!!!!!!

Very interactive and interesting exhibits…read more FREE admission will get you into 90% of the actual museum. Variety of exhibits so it has a little something for everybody. The first floor was the Dive In! Aquarium. It had a very nice anemone tank and a variety of other tanks that had sea life. The second floor is the Bug space, and the beginning of the Natural History space. Both are very interactive and have plenty of kid friendly space. The Return of the Gods exhibit (which costs 8 GBP to visit) was on the third floor, but you could also see what I thought was the most interesting part of the museum which was the World Culture exhibit. The exhibits themselves are nice, but this museum has a novel approach to explaining how Liverpool got its items. Comedian Daliso Chaponda was narrating the process of how the museum procured the majority of its items through good ole colonization (kidding, not kidding). He brings to light the appropriation process through comedic discussion, novel and palatable. The 3rd floor also has the Egyptian Exhibit, which is very good. It's probably the jewel of the museum. The history of the pieces are well explained, and the mummies are displayed wonderfully, some in layers, some in narrative, and plenty of interactivity for the little ones. I didn't spend much time on the fourth floor (Dinosaurs) or fifth floor (Planetarium/Space). The fifth floor wasn't as impressive, but gave those genre's some space for those that are interested. It was the meh portions of the museum. If you have a few hours to burn, consider this museum a good choice for kids of all ages and interests.

Visited the museum especially to see the current special exhibition on the Chinese terracotta army…read morewhich was well worth the cost of the tickets. The building contains a large cafe on the ground floor that was well stocked with good quality food and deserts, this area also has access to free Wi-Fi. The next floor has the Aquarium and treasure house theater. The 2nd (3rd in US) floor has the special exhibition and the Bug House. Next floor contains World Cultures, Ancient Egypt and Western Discovery Center (only open weekends & school holidays. 4th floor holds Dinosaurs, Endangered Planet and Clore Natural History Center. Finally the 5th floor holds exhibits on Space and Time along with a Planetarium - tickets needed from the information desk on the ground floor. The staff were extremely friendly and helpful and could not be more accommodating, well worth the visit. I should also add the this museum is free except for the special exhibit which needs tickets purchased either online or at the entrance with limited time slots available each day.

Interesting museum showing history of Leyland trucks and commercial vehicles.read more

Excelent museum run by enthusiasts and retired truckers with stories galore. There is a good…read morearchive and many exhibits from the earliest days to modern commercial vehicles. Well worth a visit. Parking is free outside, and there are many cafes, supermkts,shops etc. in Leyland town centre next to it.

A fascinating perspective on the contributions by the people of the Manchester area to major…read moreinnovations in science and industry throughout history. Numerous displays and examples of equipment and machinery large and small. Steam engines to electron microscopes on display, with emphasis on Manchester's relationship with the cotton industry, both good and bad. Something for everyone here, young and old. Free to enter, donations appreciated. Reservations will make sure that you don't need to wait for entry. A must-see if you are in the area.

Fantastic place for families with children! Adults can enjoy the many exhibits while young ones can…read moreenjoy the hands on displays. We liked watching the textile demonstration in the Textile area. This place has so much to see and do. And it's free! Contributions are gladly accepted to keep this fabulous museum operational.

Ah, the Atkinson. Again, just another Southport landmark full of childhood memories for myself…read more Yep, my father used to bring me here regularly to ensure I had a lovely cultural upbringing, and it's a marvellous gallery housed in a terrific building right in the centre of the seaside town itself, opposite Lord Street and the band stand. Admission is free but donations are encouraged as every gift helps, no matter how small. And once you've walked around this spectacular yet strangely humble gallery you'd have to have a heart of ice not to want to give a little something. It has a varied and rather extensive collection, ranging from LS Lowry to John Piper, John Collier to Ernest Normand and many more. The Friends of the Atkinson Gallery are an organisation which helps to drum up even more interest for the gallery. It's currently closed for refurbishments but plans to reopen bigger and better than ever as part of a Southport cultural overhaul, so get involved as it's bound to increase in popularity after its makeover. Southport might not quite rival Brighton yet in the seaside artsy stakes, but it's getting there, and with the help of the Atkinson it'll get there a lot faster!

This is now an entertainment/cultural centre, with the art gallery, an auditorium, civic hall and…read morebotanic museum all within the grade 2 listed building. The entrance/foyer is welcoming and strikingly clean - statuary and paintings being the first things I saw. The bookings and information desks are unobtrusive, yet easy to find as the signage throughout is very clear. There are interesting display cases throughout. Up the impressive staircase are the toilets, the superb but expensive bar and the entrances to the auditorium. As I was there for a music concert, this is the area I saw best. A superb setting for Fairport Convention as they attract a fair number of fans, yet like to connect with their audience as intimately as possible. The seating was comfortable and gave us all a good view of the band. The sound was just superb.

Hooray for nutters! What state of tedium would the world be in if we didn't have the outer fringes…read moreof the lunacy spectrum brightening the place up with their unique brand of madness? Joseph Williamson was such a man. A 19th-century businessmen, he employed scores of craftsmen and, at great cost to his own fortune, put them to work carving out a vast subterranean system of tunnels, for no real reason. When I visited, the tour guide put great emphasis on the theory that the construction work was solely philanthropic, keeping men employed on a project for the sake of it. However, if that's true, why tunnels? Why not build hospitals or something? I actually prefer the idea that Williamson was just round the bend. As I said, it makes the world seem more extraordinary. Two things disappointed me about the tour. Firstly, there was no Minotaur. Secondly, you are only taken around a small portion of it. I got all excited when the guide showed us a map of the possible extent of the labyrinthine tunnel system (I say 'possible' because the true size has never been determined). My intrigue was kicked asunder when he pointed out where we'd actually be venturing, little more than a short horseshoe-shape, a fraction of the mighty potential. This is quibbling though. The tunnels are everything you want from a day out- fascinating, funny, inspiring and just a little bit eerie. It's not hard to see how Joseph's nickname altered after his death from the 'King of Edge Hill' to the less awesome but more truthful 'Mole of Edge Hill'. Still, a man who hired strangers to scoop out his own private burrow from beneath his house? You can't help but want to honour such a magnificent bastard.

Under Liverpool's Edge Hill is a mysterious underground kingdom of winding tunnels built in the…read more1820's and 1830's. This 40 minute guided tour takes you through a reopened section of this unique labyrinth of tunnels where you can learn about Williamson's motives for their construction and the lives of hundreds of workers employed by one of Liverpool's most eccentric characters. Moreover, the attraction is ever changing, due to its ongoing excavation of the tunnel network. They have a website where they detail some special events during Halloween and Christmas too which I would recommend to anyone, especially younger people. Opening times do vary throughout the year and ticket prices only cost £4 for an adult and £2.50 for a child.