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."

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.

A small but beautifully formed area with a dress up as period you like it area!…read moreNot expensive to get in and areas of interest all around. If you have not been to museum before it might be a good place to wet your feet.

We'd been here before when the boys were small. I wanted to bring them back because of the…read moreexcellent Electricity and Communications exhibits. Not to mention the hilarious walk through vintage TV and Radio sets. Try explaining cassettes and black and white TV to a 7yr old! The rest of the museum is pleasant; bit quiet and some of the working exhibits were closed which is a bit disappointing on a bank holiday weekend. On the whole a nice 4hrs.

I had to drag some of the other families along here, but I think they were pleasantly surprised! A…read moremuseum of local industry on an old chalk pit does sound dull but there is lots of interactive elements and a wide range of exhibits. For kids the narrow gauge railway is fun and they got a lot of fun and learnign out of the interactive aspects of the electricity and telecom exhibitions. I liked the old bus collection. Its worth tryign to ensure you go here on a day when their will be lots of the volunteers working the various old machinery as this brings it to life. There was printing and pottery and a couple of other 'machines in action' when we were there. A full day out.

Small lovely museum, funded mainly by donations with lovely staff. Educational and mind opening…read moreexperience. I hope the museum gets the opportunity to expand and have more exhibits. When we came they had an exhibit about menopause. I think more people need to learn about the vagina in general and as a whole and understand what it is like to have one and all the burdens that come along with it and without it in the end.

A soon as I saw the name on the sign outside I HAD to go in. They have a wide variety of products…read moredisplayed from information pamphlets, books and jewellery that looks like ummm well I'm not sure what word Yelp will consider PC or risqué so just read the name of the business and you'll know exactly what I'm messing. You can wear them on your ears with a knitted sweet or on a chain around your neck made of an plastic type material, they had bold showing every size, shape and colour. You can also get t-shirts. The staff stayed behind the desk but they were friendly and greeted everyone that entered. I realised like myself most people seemed to be coming in out of curiosity and don't make any purchases but b they staff took that in stride and continued greeting everyone with the same courteous smile. Kudos to this company for celebrating woman so boldly

A lot of information extremely laid out. A lot of personal stories too. I was not aware of the…read morepersonal sacrifice. A lot of people made in Southampton for the sea let alone the shipyards and the Titanic. All the staff easy to talk to and encouraged us to keep looking around.

We really enjoyed this museum; not only was it educational it was interactive as well. Well worth…read morea visit if you're in Southampton UK!

I LOVED the Brighton Museum. I was beyond pleasantly surprised…read more The museum is in a lovely building right beside the Royal Pavilion, so there is no reason why you cannot pay it a visit. The collections were rather hodgepodge, and sometimes it was difficult to figure out the connecting theme of what I was looking at, but everything was interesting - from the little alcove about Ancient Egypt to the Main Hall to the exhibits on Clothing as well as Modern Art (and I don't even care for modern art.) This museum also had a quality that escapes most others - it was great for both adults and children. I can easily say that, of all the sights I saw during my day in Brighton, this was definitely my favourite.

I always enjoy a visit to a museum, what's not to love about learning for free?…read moreSet in the heart of Brighton's Royal Pavillion gardens, you can really feel the culture when you visit the area. If you're stuck for ideas on what to do in Brighton when the weather is less than ideal, you could do much worse than making the trip here. Although small, the museum houses some interesting collections. My personal highlights are the Egyptology section and the history of Brighton room. Seeing the old photos of the west pier in all its glory and how the Pavillion looked over the years is fascinating.

Loved loved loved my visit here! I learned so much and saw some beautiful artifacts and jewels!…read moreBreathe taking! My personal favorite was the bible with all the gold carvings. It was the most intricate thing I've seen! I also really enjoyed seeing some artificers about world religions and learning more about other cultures. Free admission. Spend a half day or a full day here and be prepared to learn a lot and see beauty you have never seen before :)

We were in London for a week and we visited more museums than we normally visit in a year. My wife…read morewas especially interested in seeing the Victoria and Albert Museum. So, on our last day in London, we took the Underground to the South Kensington area to see the Victoria and Albert. It was well worth the effort of getting here. The V&A is awesome. And, like most of the museums in Britain it is FREE. We spent about 3 hours here and barely scratched the surface. You could easily spend a day (or days) in this museum.

This is a small, local museum in the centre of the historic fishing town of Shoreham-by-Sea…read more Although Shoreham can feel these days more like a suburb of Brighton, it was by far the more important town for most of recorded history, being an important port from Saxon times, and probably before. Marlipins Museum is housed in a charming old building, dating from the 12th ans 13th centuries. It's one of the oldest secular buildings in Sussex, with a facade decorated with an attractive chequerboard design of Caen stone and flints. Oddly, the Museum's strange name isn't explained anywhere. The museum traces Shoreham's history as a trading town and fishing port from the 11th century onwards, and much of the small collection focuses on ships and shipping, with a fine series of watercolour and oil paintings of the harbour and various ships, and various bits of shipping paraphernalia. But the museum records much else besides: Shoreham was the departure point from which the future Charles II escaped after the English Civil War, and it played a key role in the defences of the South Coast until recent times - the remains of a 19th fort are still visible on the shoreline, as are the more scant remains of the World War II anti-aircraft radar station situated here. Shoreham was also - incredibly - a major centre of the early British film industry, and over a dozen films were made in Shoreham studios in the silent film era. This attracted a suitably bohemian set of actors and hangers on, who established the 'bungalow town' on Shoreham beach. And, of course, Shoreham's famous and beautiful art deco airport was the UK's first licensed airport, still in regular use. But the strangest story belongs to the building itself: recent excavations found an unexplained pit under the oldest part of the building, in which was buried the skeleton of a cat. Further digging uncovered the remain of a another three cats. Theories for these strange burials range from the ancient practice of burying cats to bring good luck, to the more prosaic idea that in mediaeval times the building housed a furrier manufacturer. One of the skeletons makes for a grisly display. The museum is small enough to keep the attention of children as you go around, and is fully accessible for wheelchairs, thanks to the lift in a small modern extension.

Marlipins Museum, on the Shoreham High Street (right next to the Marlipins Pub) is a brilliant…read morecombination of old and new, with one of the oldest lay buildings in Sussex linked to a modern two-storey building in a really tasteful manner. The displays are permanently running and mainly concentrate on Shoreham's maritime history and that of the River Adur. Also, which is a little known fact, Shoreham was once the hub for the UK's silent movie industry! They offer a popular Monday coffee morning so its the perfect place to head after a nice walk around Shoreham to find out some of the area's fascinating history.