Walk in the entrance of this Georgian building and the shop is located there, nice collection of…read morebooks, nick-nacks, and interesting postcards including black and white photos of people and old Lancaster. The rooms to either side are where the temporary exhibitions are located. They have an interesting variety throughout the year. Continue forward and take the stairs, which are lined with paintings and you are in the museum whose collection explains and shows the history of the local area from the Romans (including the recently discovered tombstones) to the 20th Century. Recreation of old Lancaster in part of the museum. It is also the houses the history and objects of the King's Own Lancashire Regiment. Lots of history packed into a small place. Not a piece of space is wasted here.

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.

The Maritime Museum is a small-ish but interesting museum that offers a glimpse into the history of…read moreLancaster as one of the most important sea ports in the North from the late 18th to the late 19th century. Various major and minor items of sea life - and everything that's connected to that, including the slave trade - are on display, and there's a lot of "further reading" on the many, many info boards. Truth be told, there's a whole lot more to read than to see here. That said, it's certainly worth your while on a rainy day - especially considering the very modest entrance fee [UKP 3 for adults, concessions available] and the pleasant presentation. Is it worth visiting when you're in Lancaster? Absolutely. Is it worth travelling to Lancaster for? Not really.

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.

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.

The new site for the Laurel and Hardy Museum was opened on…read more April 18th 2009, at what was the Roxy Cinema behind the Coronation Hall. Entry is £4 Adults, Children under 12, OAPS, and Student Union members are £3 and if you are 2 adults & 2 children under 12 you can have a Family ticket for £8. The new venue is not yet wheelchair acessable, but they are working on it. I will let you know when this is finished. I will add photos of the new venue soon.

You would be a blockhead if you neglected to visit this museum if you were way out west in the…read morewilds of Cumbria. Staffed by one of the Sons of the Desert, this is a perfect day out for parents and brats. A real Utopia located in Ulverston, the museum is guaranteed to leave 'em laughing. This big business has a treasure trove of delights, from Hollywood artefacts to personal letters. The cinema is the finishing touch, with a non-stop series of films. Unaccustomed as we are to see the films on the tv these days, this is a double whoopee for fans. Hats off to the manager. So, pack up your troubles and head for them thar hills. With love and hisses Oliver the Eighth

Excellent Museum depicting the history of Fleetwood and environs, particularly the…read more Fishing Industry, ICI and the Isle of Man Boats. The staff where most helpful and informative and I will definitely visit again when in Fleetwood.

Fleetwood museum, is a great source of knowledge for fishing industry history, and they also have a…read moredoll museum in another section of the building, it's a lovely quiet old building, where they greet and treat you well, giving great information if you require it, at certain times of the year, they do different things for different holidays, such as Easter,Halloween,Christmas and so on, the staff are lovely and polite and always have a smile, the cafe is pretty good value and hot drinks and snacks are served all the time the museum is open and there is never a rush to get you out of their seats, overall highly recommend for a visit at any time of the year. Parking can be outside the museum or just across the road and there is a regular 10 minute bus service all year round with the museum being served by 3 different buses. ( for those with no personal transport ). Admission price is £3.00 for adults and £2.00 for children with concessions and under 5s free.