This is an amazing 2 story museum with all kinds of artifacts from old wedgewood to Egypt's tomb…read moreand artifacts Teapots and tea cups old coins to everything in between. 2 nd floor loads of paintings to look at. Entry is free which is always a plus.

The Fitzwilliam Museum offers a well rounded and varied collection. It is sure to please most…read moremuseum visitors regardless of interests. If you're a fan of the work of Georges-Pierre Seurat, you're sure to enjoy the 1884 Neo-Impressionism painting, "The Couple" (original title: Un dimanche après-midi sur l'île de la Grande Jatte). Does it somehow look familiar? This was a study for A Sunday on the Island of la Grande Jatte! "This work is one of many that Georges-Pierre Seurat made in preparation for a much larger painting. The woman's stiff posture is accentuated by her tightly buttoned jacket and the exaggerated bustle of her skirt, which echoes the curve of her parasol. Given that the area of Paris depicted here was known for prostitution, it has been suggested that the woman is a sex worker on the arm of a male client." Give yourself several hours if you plan to take in the entire collection. If you are fortunate enough to live nearby and can visit often, take your time and you're sure to fall in love with one of the many wonderfully curated items found within the museum walls.

What a great experiential aircraft visit in a historically significant place. The displays span the…read morecentury including spitfires, P-51's, B-52's, A-10's, SR-71, U2, and commercial aircraft like the SST. Two major display building with several hangars of planes WW2 operational planes or in process of being restored. For you yanks, this on the quality of the Smithsonian Aircraft exhibit in DC, with out all the outer space stuff.

It had been years since my last visit to Duxford. A Christmas present of tickets and an In the…read moreCockpit Spitfire Experience made a return visit a 'must do'. On arrival, and wandering around, I immediately noticed so many changes. More outlets throughout the grounds for refreshments. Prices are more than reasonable and the food very fresh having been made on site. My last visit there was only one restaurant. Also, it may sound silly, but many more toilet facilities. All a very big plus to this wonderful museum. We decided to start our visit in the Land Based War area at the very furthest point on the runway. Although there is a bus service we decided to slowly stroll the 15 minutes. This idea worked out perfectly as we finished our visit in the main hangar near the exit, tired, but having visited every area on our way back. The whole experience was an education and extremely enjoyable. The aircraft are an impressive display and the planning in setting out these huge vehicles in such small spaces incredible. This, especially, in the American hangar. Seeing the old passenger planes on the runway brought back memories of DanAir, BEA, BOAC, Monarch......all planes and companies I have flown with. Finally, my Spitfire experience was outstanding. An informative talk for 20 minutes before climbing into the cockpit of N3200. Still wonder how those pilots in flight jackets, boots and parachute managed to even move. Shown all the controls in a hands on way. It was so interesting, A fabulous day out and a would definitely advise a visit of a few hours.

An interesting hour spent studying all sorts of scientific instruments from Babbage's difference…read moreengine, hand held calculators and a cool section of hands on experiments and instruments for kids.

This place is fantastic for people of all ages and it's free which is even better. Did you know…read morethat the nursery rhymes humpty dumpty and twinkle twinkle little star are both from Colchester? Well you can find out why and much more at this museum - well worth a visit

A free museum and somewhere worth visiting. Not only are there lots of interesting artifacts but…read morethere are things the children and adults can play around with whilst learning about the local history.

Beautiful property that even the Queen visits some times during her travels in the UK. I did not…read morehave time to see the inside of the property unfortunately, however the outside is beautiful and it has amazing gardens. They even have a train going around one of the gardens for children. It is open longer hours in the summer and you can spend 2-3 hours here.

This is a fantastic day out for young kids, my 1 year old and 3 year old loved it. Audley House…read moreitself and the grounds are spectacular, and there is a car park right next to the train station. Tickets for the trains are very reasonably priced, and the trains go roughly every 20 mins. The 1.5 mile trip is great, the engines are wonderfully maintained and there are lots of teddy bears dotted around the wood that the kids love pointing out. Crucially you need to check the opening times before planning a trip here. For the 2012 season the railway was only open at the weekends and school holidays, and even then only from 12 noon to 4.45pm (with the last steam train departure at 4pm). It's also the sort of venue that suits decent weather. The train carriages are covered, however there is also a large open 'Picnic and Play' area beside the terminal that has great play equipment, but would be much less pleasant in rainy weather. Other nice touches are the cafe and the guided Fairy Walk that kids can take through the woods. Overall a fantastic afternoon, just make sure to check the timetable and weather forecast.

Huge crowds and it wasn't even a weekend. Reason: free…read more This is equivalent to Natural History ones in US. However, there are historical contexts with british roman empires and other inclusions that makes this place distinct in a variety of ways. There are also kid packet activities- ask front desk. Some areas have uneven heating and cooling so you may be prone to fainting / esp if the ennui alone is not enough to get you there- ha! Place is great for history buffs, though, as it is free- do not expect high end bathrooms and overall exceptional service. Otherwise, 5 stars for being free and for a very elaborate set up.

British Museum, London, April 5…read more Our family of four with kids ages 9 and 10 spent part of the afternoon at the British Museum as an easy cultural stop during our London stay. Entry to the permanent collection is free and straightforward, with no reservation required, which made it simple to drop in. There are paid special exhibitions, but the main museum itself is open access. Arrival and First Impressions Entry to the building was very easy, and once inside the scale is immediate. The Great Court sets the tone right away, and everything feels larger and more layered than expected. Even just orienting yourself takes a moment because of how expansive the space is. Getting in was smooth and flexible, and the museum handles steady crowds well without ever feeling restrictive, which helped a lot with kids in tow. The Highlights The Egyptian galleries are one of the first moments where the scale really lands. The large stone sculptures and statues are far bigger in person than photos suggest, and they create a dramatic backdrop as you move through the space. The Rosetta Stone was another key highlight. Seeing it in person adds a different level of context, especially knowing its role in unlocking ancient Egyptian writing. It is not large or flashy compared to some of the other artifacts in the room, but it carries a quiet importance that draws attention naturally. The Samurai exhibition was a standout and required a paid entry ticket. It was absolutely worth it. The display of full armor sets, helmets, weapons, and artwork created a complete and visually rich picture of samurai life. The craftsmanship in the armor in particular held everyone's attention far longer than expected, and it felt more immersive than a typical museum exhibit. We also spent time in the hands-on style learning stations, which were a strong break in pace. These included real artifacts like a flint knife that was thousands of years old and a Roman cosmetic jar believed to have been used for eye makeup. Seeing objects like that up close made history feel very tangible for the kids in a way that glass cases alone do not. There is also a family area tucked away downstairs that worked well as a short reset point. It felt quieter and more relaxed, and it gave the kids a chance to decompress before continuing, which made the overall visit more sustainable. The museum works best as a series of short, flexible stops rather than a structured route, and we naturally moved based on interest and energy levels. The Challenges The main challenge is scale. It is very easy to underestimate how large the British Museum is, and even with breaks built in, pacing becomes the key factor in how enjoyable the visit feels. Trying to cover too much quickly would likely be overwhelming, especially for kids. Would We Return Yes, but with a more focused plan and specific sections chosen in advance rather than trying to see everything broadly again. Final Thoughts The British Museum is best experienced in segments rather than as a single continuous visit. The Egyptian galleries, the Rosetta Stone, the Samurai exhibition, and the hands-on artifact stations all offered very different but equally strong experiences. It is free, accessible, and incredibly rich, but the real value comes from slowing down and treating it like a collection of smaller discoveries, with breaks built in, rather than a single museum to "finish."

The House On The Hill Toy Museum is the nuts! If you've got a penchant for all things retro in the…read moretoy department, you will be in heaven in this place. Depending on which way you look at it, and what your interests are, entry to the museum is either a free bonus when going to Stansted Mountfitchett Castle (see my other review!), or the Castle is an interesting diversion once you've been to the Museum. Either way, as you walk up the hill to get there you are greeted by signs on your left showing some of the stuff you're about to see and interesting facts about the museum (like the one that informs you it's the largest toy museum in the world and is 250 feet above sea level). On the right is the 'dinosaur encounter' - there are some pretty big models of dinosaurs and some sound effects as you go up, the kids love it as they are almost hiding in the surrounding grass. On entry you realise that history is just as important to the museum as the toys themselves, as they are complemented by some excellent nostalgia-inducing items. On this occasion I walked straight in to a full size robin reliant bedecked in Trotters Brothers livery and a cabinet with all kinds of signed merchandise and books etc for both Only Fools and Horses and Dad's Army. Peppered throughout the museum are also pieces of WWII aeroplanes that were brought down around Herts and Essex. Couple that with the soon encountered display of WWII artefacts (some very rare) and you get a sense of the passion for history that the owners have. But, what we're all there for is the toys. You will slowly make your way around saying things like, 'Wow! I used to have one of those! and nudging your reluctant visiting partner and saying, Woah, do you remember those?!. Toy after toy after toy will leave you with equal doses of wonderous joy and sad, departed regret, but all will hold your fascination for some time. There are toys from every single generation on display here, so it really is a place for the whole family, and each display has a fact card with some interesting little nuggets to read about the exhibits. Highlights are: The largest single collection (I believe) of Action Men and accessories, including some very rare stuff. A huge collection of Star Wars toys and memorabilia, Barbie/Cindy, Meccano, Britain's figures, TV Tie-Ins such as the A-Team and the Smurfs, Board Games through the ages, Planes, Trains and Automobiles, and a section with some arcade games - new and old. You can buy Old Pennies to use on some of the machines there too which is a nice touch. There are also Lego stations dotted around on one floor to keep the kids amused while you peruse all of the corner-of-the-eye-tear-inducing objects surrounding you. There are nods to the music industry too, with some interesting little trinkets to look at. It doesn't feel that big in the cubic metre sense in here, but with most of the cases being crammed full of stuff it's irrelevant - you will be there for a long time if you really want to appreciate all that you can see. Kids just love looking at all the stuff, adults even more so. This is a pretty well hidden little gem of a place, and if you're in the area, it's a must see. As a final note, car parking in the immediate vicinity is limited to a council-run public car park, so take some change with you (it was £2.00 for 6 hours so not hideously expensive, but needed if you're going to the castle too). There are other parking places but they are a walk away. Also, at the time of writing, admission to the museum is included with your ticket to the castle, and is priced at £8.50 for adults and £6.50 for children.

The collection holds many geological samples collected by Charles Darwin on his voyage of the…read moreBeagle. Quite a few display cases hold personal effects such as equipment and notebooks from the voyage. As for the rest of the museum's collection, most of the rock samples are from the UK, but the most special for me were the Burgess Shale pieces; here the visitor can get a very close view which is a problem at other museums.

This is a lovely museum. It is full of fossils and alike…read more They run lots of events for children. They are also Very child friendly and dont mind excited children. Its also free.

Housed in a grand and impressive building, the NHM is well curated, with impeccable displays, and…read moreit's free. However, a donation of £10 is HIGHLY suggested as you enter. As with all London museums, there is security checking all backpacks, but this museum was checking for alcohol! When you see all the school teens sitting on the stairways (perhaps waiting for parents to pick them up?), then the alcohol check is understandable. Out of all the displays, my favorite was the dimly lit Treasures room. Each piece exhibited tells an important story beyond what you actually see like an Iguanodon tooth from the Mesozoic strata and found by Gideon Mantell (or his wife) and the rivalry that ensued between Mantell and Owen, who later usurped Mantell's contribution in discovering the first known dinosaur species and shaping the early understanding of dinosaurs. While I find the digital text for each display as being the true treasures, only 1-2 people can read at a time so you feel a bit rushed if you're a person (like me) who reads everything, yet people are behind you waiting their turn. In addition to the wonderful displays, there is a photo booth whereby you can have 3 photos taken against a green screen depicting a dinosaur encounter. What they don't tell you upfront is that the photos are NOT free and can be downloaded (depending on the package you choose) from £12 to £22 pounds. When I asked the staff for information on particular exhibits, I found them to be more than helpful and friendly, too. Allow time for this expansive gem.

Lots of bones! Plenty of old stuff! Great turn-of-the-century over-the-top ornate architecture!…read morePlan on an hour unless you're hardcore. Ride the escalator into the middle of the earth to find out what music is playing inside. See extraordinary taxidermy handiwork. Even see a fake dodo bird thought to be an adjacent species that didn't exist. And if you like dinosaurs this is your Mecca. Just don't dare sit anywhere like on some stairs in the corner or some overzealous guard will kick you right out. But otherwise you'll have a great time. Also enjoy the outside grounds for a stroll, and hit up the West entrance for zero lines while the hoards line up on the other side.

Really interesting museum, nice cafe, real cockpit from a Jaguar fighter to get into. great day out.read more