Visited the museum while in Oxford for the day. Lots of history and neat exhibits to visit. We…read moresaw insects, fossils and tons of other things, almost too many to list. The day of our visit, there were a few schools visiting but everyone we encountered from the staff to the young preschool students were friendly and considerate. Definitely worth a visit if you're in Oxford.

A museum of natural history would generally be on my list of "museums I don't wish to visit" but…read morethe Oxford Museum of Natural History proved that I barely know myself. First, it's free of charge which automatically makes it attractive. But though free may get me in the door it won't guarantee I'll enjoy it. This museum isn't just free but it is also gorgeous and interesting, a real home run. And, in the event that Natural History isn't your jam even here, this place contains the portal to the almost indescribable Pitt Rivers Museum (also free). One of these is bound to be your happy place.

We had a great time exploring the Pitt Rivers Museum! There is SO much on display it's almost hard…read moreto take it all in. If you're an anthropology buff, this is your place. So many neat things to see and everything you can imagine, too many to list. From clothing to masks to weapons to toys all from different cultures and different times. We even saw a Totem Pole! Overall a fascinating place to visit, just wish we'd had more time to explore!

What you think of Oxford's Pitt Rivers Museum likely depends on how you like your museums. With…read moremore than 500,000 objects on display, Pitt Rivers is ripe for exploration. There's multi-level display cases everywhere, each seemingly containing more than the last. And don't get me started on the drawers; they're everywhere too, and when you pull them out you'll find hundreds more items in each. So if you like your museums with a few paintings on each wall this might not be your jam but you'll still probably be happy you went. You've likely never seen anything like this. A young woman in a shop mentioned, several days before my visit, that she particularly liked this museum and the way she described the entrance intrigued me. As it should: the entrance to this museum is found when you're already inside another museum (The Museum of Natural History; both are free of charge). Officially, the Pitt Rivers Museum displays both the archeological and anthropological collections of the University of Oxford. But unofficially, it's like entering someone's giant garage, very well organized but also packed to the rafters. One could spend months in here and only skim the surface.

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."

For only £3.50 admission to this large former aircraft hangar that is on the site of the former…read moreWoodley Aerodrome, you have the opportunity to see aviation history going back to WWI and up to quite recent technologies. Chock full of aircraft, both full size restorations and many model dioramas and walls covered in articles, stories and various implements of flying history. There are also two full-size planes parked outside which may or may not be visitable depending on weather and mood. There is also a small jet "trainer" suitable for children to ride and play with, supervised carefully by staff. A nice visit for kids, if they are interested in planes and flying, and especially if it is part of a school project. This one has been in my bookmarks list for a few months and only now with my bicycle have I been able to make the trip. It was well worth the wait.

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.

The Ashmolean was a wonderful surprise during our stay in Oxford. I had heard of the museum and did…read morea little research so I knew what to focus on, but it far surpassed my expectations. There's archeological artifacts, art, and so much more from so many varying parts of the world and times. Best of all, it's FREE! If you're planning a visit to Oxford, carve out some time and be sure to visit the museum. (Great rooftop restaurant to boot)

We were visiting Oxford as part of a tour and had several hours of free time to explore on our own…read more My wife convinced me to that we should visit the Ashmolesn Museum and she wasn't wrong. As with most of the museums we visited in Britain, this one was also FREE. The Ashmolean was fantastic. In some respects it reminded me of the British Museum but it was a much more manageable (enjoyable) size. The exhibits were superb yet not overwhelming. We enjoyed the 2 hours we had to spend here and were sorry we didn't have more time.

Milestones is located just outside the town centre and only a few minutes from Junction 6 of the…read moreM3. It is clearly sign posted and easily found. The museum is housed in a odern purpose built building that is looks deceptively small. It was opened in 2000, and still looks new. It is on two levels, well three but the middle level is just a cloakroom and offices I believe. The top floor (confusingly called Upper Ground) consists of the entrance lobby, toilets, gift shop and restaurant. The gift shop carries a wide range of products with a historical theme. These range from books to sweets and from toys to ornaments. The restaurant serves hot meals and snacks, and is moderatley sized. There are also a few tables in the entrance lobby where picnics can be eaten, as well as a picnic area outside. The main part of the museum is on the Lower Ground and this is accessed either by stairs of lift. The museum is fully accessible to the elderly or disable, and they even have their own electric chairs. However care should be take by those who have mobility problems as the streets are cobbled and in places there are tram tracks. The museum tells the story of how people lived and worked over the past 200 or so years. It is consists of several mock streets and buildings, along with real vehicles and other items. At the start of the museum you are given a personal audio guide and map. This provides commentary on all of the scenes and is a very good idea. It allows people to walk around at their own pace, even children, and deters them from just walking straight past exhibits. They are backed up by numerous films and display boards scattered around the exhibits. The tour starts in a mock up of an Taskers ironworks in Andover in the 18th century. It tells the story of how they made steam engines (not trains, but stationary engines and traction engines). From there the visitor walks out in to the High Street and can visit a saw mill, the station and all kinds of shops that would be found in a typical town at the end of the 19th or begining of the 20th centuries. For example there is a greengrocers, a co-op and even a working pub, where I was reliable informed you could by a pint of ale. Eventually the visitor goes through a time tunnel which takes them in to the 1930's or 40's. Again this is represented by rows of shops and vehicles of that era including a sweet shop where you could buy sweets of a bygone age. There are also two seperate areas for specialist collections and displays which don't fit into the main part of the museum. For example when I visited there was a display of how the home has changed over the decades since the 1920's. The final part of the museum is a mock up of the Thoneycroft factor which was a large employer in the area. This is a living history museum and there were several costumed interpreters walking around, who were more than willing to talki to visitors about the exhibits. Various activities for children are also arranged, such as dressing up in costumes, a victorian school lesson and as mentioned above buying sweets from the sweet shop. To be able to buy the sweets, the children had to have two old pennies and a ration card, just like in Granny's day! These were on sale at the entrance for 60p. The museum state that you need three hours to go round, well it took us three and a half hours, but could easily have taken more. This is a very good museum, well thought out and obviously designed with children in mind. If you plan to go, I can recommend it and would suggest arriving early and plan to spend the whole day there - you won't be disappointed.

I worked at this museum for a few months a while ago, and it's a good place to visit. It's in a…read morelovely modern building and has an excellent range of historical exhibits, all in a recreated street scene from the past. A wonderful idea for a museum, and it's been executed wonderfully staff are friendly, the exhibits are detailed and interesting, and the whole thing provides a fascinating insight into Basingstoke and Hampshire's past. Admission prices are pretty high, admittedly, but I think in this case they are justified for what is an excellent, interesting and very worthwhile place to visit.

I'm perhaps a bit biased about this museum since it features the house I grew up in. However, I've…read morevisited it recently in order to entertain the kids, and my parents house didn't really feature in their opinion as the most enjoyable bit! I think the museum offers enough interactive exhibits to keep younger kids who will tolerate a museum. They show what life was like for soldiers over the years, there's a tank simulator (definite hit), a lorry driving simulator (not as good as it sounds) and a tunnel that the kids can crawl through. For the adults, there are easy-to-read panels enabling you to digest information about the hisotry home of the British army without going into so much detail that you get lost. Outside, and in the outbuildings, there are approximately 20 military vehicles including the impressive Chieftain tank, an old army ambulance and a couple of troop carriers (one of which they allow you to climb inside). If you're lucky, you'll see some of the maintenance crew working on a vehicle. They we're happy to answer questions and reveal the history of the vehicle. All in, an interesting place for the kids and adults who want to learn more about the history of the relationship between the army and Aldershot.

It was very intresting originally I wanted to see the airbourne museum but is now closed as is most…read moreof the garrision. Worth a visit.

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!