Museums, galleries and libraries
Immerse yourself in other worlds and cultures, become an expert for a day on the Egyptians or vintage aeroplanes, and stare amazed at art exhibitions the world comes to see. Museums and art galleries in England take you to faraway places. You get to peek into distant lives by travelling just a few footsteps. At the last count there were around 1,600 museums in England, catering to almost every interest you can imagine. Many of them are housed in buildings as impressive as the collections within.
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Celebrate Ryedale's heritage at the Folk Museum
Discover this hidden gem deep in the North York Moors National Park and uncover English antiques and curiosities.
Location: Hutton-le-Hole, North Yorkshire
Be inspired with a visit to Tudor House
Tudor House is one of the most prominent buildings in Broadway which houses objects and artefacts on loan from the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford.
Location: Broadway, Worcestershire
Encounter wildlife on the UK's first boating ring
Set sail on a narrow boat trip on the historic Droitwich Canals to the River Severn and beyond, the Mid Worcestershire boating ring now offers a perfect weekend getaway.
Location: Droitwich Spa, Worcestershire
Discover Jane Austen’s legacy in Hampshire
Celebrate Jane Austen at the Jane Austen Regency Festival in June and visit her much loved home in Hampshire and the countryside that inspired her.
Location: Alton, Hampshire
Walk in the footsteps of the famous Brontë sisters
Visit the Bronte Parsonage Museum and explore the beautiful home and surroundings that inspired classic Brontë novels.
Location: Haworth, West Yorkshire
Explore a living canal village
The Grand Union Canal at Stoke Bruerne is like an outdoor museum with historic canal features to explore.
Location: Stoke Bruerne, Northamptonshire
Kingston Lacy: an Italian palace in Dorset
Home to a rather fabulous collection that includes pieces by Rubens, Van Duyck, Titian.
Location: Poole, Dorset
Climb Broadway Tower
Have a pre-Raphaelite holiday retreat in the Cotswolds.
Location: Broadway, Worcestershire
Explore the rooms and grounds of Snowshill Manor
From suits of Samurai armour to antique bicycles of all shapes and sizes, there are about 22,000 reasons to take a nose round Snowshill Manor.
Location: Snowshill, Gloucestershire
Try traditional trades at the Weald and Downland Open Air Museum
The Weald & Downland Open Air Museum, home to over 50 historic building exhibits, demonstrates how barley and hops are transformed into ale and beer.
Location: Singleton, Nr Chichester, West Sussex
Retrace the Cotswolds’ Arts and Crafts movement
Explore William Morris's Cotswolds as you relive the area's arts and crafts movement in Chipping Campden and Broadway.
Location: Chipping Campden & Broadway, Gloucestershire
Have a close encounter with Daleks and medieval peasants in Essex
Choose to travel back in time to medieval England in 1066, the toys of your childhood or even WWII (though chances are you’ll want to do all three).
Location: Stansted Mountfitchet, Essex
Combine culture with Warwickshire’s great outdoors
Celebrate the Arts and Crafts movement at Compton Verney in Warwickshire.
Location: Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire
See Harry Potter and Downton Abbey sets in Alnwick
Relive scenes from hit TV shows and movies in the magnificent setting of Alnwick Castle, a popular destination for film crews.
Location: Alnwick, Northumberland
Dip into a well of history in beautiful Dukes Wood
Feel the crunch of leaves beneath your feet as you enjoy autumnal walks in Clumber Park and uncover the past of the UK's first oilfield in Dukes Wood.
Location: Eakring, Nottinghamshire
Visit poet William Wordsworth's most famous home
See where the author of ‘Daffodils’ was inspired to write most of his work and take a guided tour of Dove Cottage, his home.
Location: Grasmere, Cumbria