Great for kids to learn about the roman settlement in Ribchster and that is was the HQ for the…read morenorth of England. There are some ruins here of Roman Baths and it is interesting to explore them. the river is ajacent to the museum and the views accross to pendle hill are fab.

I love to visit museums to go back in history. The Ribchester Roman Museum was a great experience…read morebringing back ancient Rome to me. It is a visual treat for everyone.

Gawthorpe Hall is an Elizabethan stately home with extensive grounds on the outskirts of Burnley,…read morenow in the care of the National Trust in partnership with Lancashire County Council. It is well worth visiting if you are in the area. The origins of the building lie with the Shuttleworth family, who had owned a nearby manor since the 12th century. They erected a "pele" or "peel tower", a simple but strong defensive structure to defend against incursions by the Scots. In 1600, Richard Shuttleworth began building a new hall, using the original tower as its core (it now forms the staircase). The architect was reputedly Robert Smythson, better known for houses such as Longleat and Hardwick Hall. In 1849, Sir James Kay-Shuttleworth commisioned Sir Charles Barry (the architect behind the Houses of Parliament) to restore the house and add modern amenities. The present house is therefore a blend of 17th and 19th century elements. The exterior is an impressive example of an Elizabethan hall, marking the transition from Gothic to Renaissance architecture. The main areas of interest inside are the dining room and drawing room on the ground floor, and the Elizabethan long gallery upstairs. These are largely in their original form, with the drawing room and gallery retaining impressive 17th century panelling, fireplaces, ceilings and friezes. The bedrooms also have some original furnishings, including an impressive Elizabethan four-poster bed. The rooms and hall are home to paintings on loan from the National Portrait Gallery from the 16th-18th centuries - the largest such collection in the north west of England. The house also contains a selection of the extensive historic textile collection of Miss Rachel Kay-Shuttleworth. These are displayed museum-style, alongside changing exhibitions. The hall is set in extensive grounds, with lovely views down to the River Calder. The extensive outbuildings include an impressive barn and farmhouse, both contemporaneous with the house, although they are not normally open to the public. There is a tea-room - check website for opening times, which vary through the year. The house is open Wednesday-Saturday. There are 4 steps up to the entrance and thereafter level access to the ground floor rooms only: the staircase to the upper floors is narrow - large bags and pushchairs need to be folded and lodged at reception. Light levels are kept low to preserve the fabric of the building; large print and braille guides are available. The reception in the house has a small retail area selling guides and souvenirs. The grounds at Gawthorpe Hall are open every day. There are toilets (including a disabled toilet) in the outbuildings and a large free car park.

A good atmosphere for studing/working on things when your out in nature. You can also fish on the…read moreriver and explore there is a lot to do here

this is quite amazing and I am sure that so many local people have not seen inside Queen Street…read moreMill. Tucked away in Briercliffe, Queen street Mill is one of the last weaving mills in the world. Although it is not now working as a mill there is examples of a victorian steam engine, looms and boilers from a bygone age. To live in this area which had a big contribution to the weaving industry this is a day trip not to be missed, although my kids hated it! It is not open all the time so you will have to ring to check opening hours

I'm a hoarder. That's I'm a hoarder not I'm a heifer, how very rude. One of my main sins is keeping…read moretoys and quite frankly tat from the age dot. I'll never be parted, so it's nice to visit the Ilkley Toy Museum and see what other toys from yesteryear have escaped my memory. Oh and are there plenty. It's a treasure of all things tiny (and not so tiny) and is one of the finest collections of toys in the North. The many exhibits feature dolls, dolls houses, teddy bears, tin plate toys, lead figures and a selection of games together with wooden and paper toys. You'll also see stuff dating back from 350 BC, that's just about older than me. The bears are wicked and are how "proper" bears were made. Lovingly crafted and made to last not mass produced. You'll also be able to don your silly "me lady" voice at the fine Thunderbirds section. You'll really have a trip down memory lane here but if you don't like toys then don't bother. That'd be like Mary Whitehouse going to an Anne Summers party.

Hmmm this is a funny one for me, I will try my bestest to remain objective and give an all rounded…read morereview, and not let the fact that things like this by and large give me the eeeby jeeebies and make me want to run behind the nearest adult taller than me by about 5 inches. Of course in the company of kidlets you have to suck it up, and they generally like all this creepy stuff. So what is it that's so creepy? Toys, lots of them, old ones, ones with realistic features, ones that move, wooden ones, furry ones, plastic ones, bears too. I never boded well with The Nutcracker, but taking a couple of bra...children around Ilkley Toy Museum brings out some kid corkers...when telling one of them that this particular doll was from over 2,400 years ago, she replied, "wow, did you have one?" why I oughta... From an education meets fun standpoint, it's interesting to show and see for yourself the progression of toys and dolls throughout my own lifetime, and that of my parents, through traditional dollhouses, the gallery includes English and German structures, traditional boys toys and then traditional girls toys, toy soldiers, dolls, a full minature fairground activated on payment, and Steiff bears too, all complete with a history of their existence. Entry is £3 for adults, £2 for kidlets, free for under fives, and £8 for two adults and three kids on a family ticket, so it's really reasonably priced. It's ok for a poke around, and to break up the day with the kids, but it's not a place you could spend all day.

Its not far from home and one of those places you always drive passed the sign to but never go well…read morego! its a nice museum with the cotton industry and local history at heart. My 8 year old daughter enjoyed it, especially the water wheel. Theres lots of information, but not too much to bore the children. Its a good value morning or afternoon out in Lancashire. Would revist in a few years, but not quite a full day. Theres even a shop for the kids to spend their pocket money.

Good little museum, lots of working machinery from wool and cotton manufacturing... Friendly staff…read moreand full disabled access. I did find it a bit on the expensive side.. You can go to the country's top museums for free these days so I kind of resent paying for small museums that only fill around 3 hours.

The independent organisation and registered charity has a lot to offer visitors. Personally I think…read moreit is one of the best museums around and has been going for years. This museum has a lot to offer in history, It has a beautiful setting right next to the Huddersfield Canal and is part of an old Victorian Mill. This is a great place for adults and kids and stuff to take part in. The museum looks at all areas of Saddleworth such as textile industry and family names. It really is good fun learning about the past of this town. Take a look at their website for more information,

It only took me 4 trains to get here from York, but the trek was all worth it. I can die now that…read moreI've finally made a pilgrimage to the Brontë house! I am a huge Brontë fan. Jane Eyre is one of my absolute favorite books and I've enjoyed rereading it over the years. I'm also a fan of Emily and Anne's works. You can see why I needed to make this trip to the U.K. It was such a treat to see where the Brontë sisters lived and wrote. I'm glad I went on a weekday, as I was able to get into the house right away. The corridors in the Parsonage are quite narrow and you can only view the rooms from the corridors, so they may time entry on busy days. They also had on exhibit costumes from the recent production of the biopic To Walk Invisible in various rooms of the house. All the rooms and exhibits are worth seeing so take your time! The museum shop is fantastic! They sell books, totes, scarves, tea towels, jewelry, postcards, local jam and honey, and many more stuff for Brontë fans. I spent $50+ buying stuff for myself and my sisters who are also Brontë enthusiasts. I could have bought more stuff, but I only brought a carry-on for my trip, so I did not have a lot of room for stuff. If you're coming by train, there will be a sign directing you where to walk. It's a pretty steep walk if you go via the high street. If you're coming by car, there is a car park next to the Parsonage. The WC is located at the car park. I hope to be back someday and make another pilgrimage with the hubby! I didn't get to the explore the West Yorkshire Moors (only the North Yorkshire Moors), but I hope to be back in mid-August again so that I can enjoy the heather in full bloom!

They had lots of old letters and poems and things from everyone that I'd not seen before - though…read morethe house is small, it's easy to spend an hour here. It's sooooooooo incredibly dusty though, I wanted to get out as soon as I could. And entrance is expensive! I almost thought I should've just enjoyed the house and surroundings from the outside - it was beautiful enough to. The bookshop had lots of cool books I'd never seen before, including a thick paperback of selected letters Charlotte wrote. There wasn't much else of interest in the shop though.

Bolton Museum is surprisingly great. You imagine that a town like Bolton would have little more…read morethan a big turning steam powered wheel, with locals simply stood around cooing at it. That's because some people have got the wrong idea entirely about this fine town. The truth of the matter is that Bolton Museum has some really wonderful exhibits. One area of expertise surrounds Egyptology. You are advised to go see the stones, pottery and real life mummy. Serious. Elsewhere, there's dinosaur skulls (bloody massive things), a nod to the industrial revolution and stuffed animals. If I remember rightly, there's a snarling fox which could well give you nightmares. And it is all completely free. The art gallery is just as impressive and the exhibitions they've had have been astonishing. In recent years, they've embraced pop-culture with a great look at the '60s as well as focusing on the masters like Da Vinci and Picasso. The aquarium however, is a bit crap.

This is such a great place to go for a free day out. It is perfect for young and old but…read moreparticularly a great place to take the kids on school holidays or at weekends. The museum has different sections in it such as a section for Egyptology. This part is really interesting because it has allsorts of Egyptian artefacts including real mummies and coffins. They usually have some fact sheet type questionnaires that your kids can go find the various information and fill them in which gives them something to do. There are other sections of the museum with exhibits on industrial type things and animal and environmental things. There is even an aquarium at the bottom of the museum which is completely free. There is a good well stocked library with free internet access available. Overall it is a great place to entertain you and your family on a day out for free.