The best museums United Kingdom

The Dumfries Museum tells the story of Dumfries & Galloway from prehistoric times to not so long ago! Fossils, utensils from the early inhabitants, stones carved by Christians, life on a Victorian farm: the visit is a journey into the area's past. The museum hosts temporary exhibitions throughout the year. On the top floor of the museum you will have access to the Camera Obscura (fee: £3.40/adult, £1.70/child), an optical instrument that offers a panoramic view of the town and surrounding countryside.

In the centre of the popular Green Park in the East End, the People's Palace tells the story of the people of Glasgow from 1750 to the present day. Major social events are brought to life through paintings, photographs, films, archives and interactive screens. The industrial past and workers' movements are told in detail. The adjacent Winter Garden provides a little trip among tropical plants to chase away the bad weather of certain days.

The building alone is worth a visit: in a nugget of the Gothic Renaissance of 1890, the Scottish National Portrait Gallery contains some 3,000 paintings and sculptures. It is home to some 3,000 paintings and sculptures, most of which depict the great figures of Scotland's historical and cultural landscape, from Mary Stuart and Sean Connery to Sir Walter Scott, David Hume and Bonnie Prince Charlie. Linger in the superb Great Hall, which precedes 13 galleries, a library and a photo exhibition.

This transportation museum will delight enthusiasts of any motor vehicle! The exhibits have a permanent collection, with some iconic pieces, and collections that change every year. Among the highlights are a 1905 Sentinel steam car, a snowplow made from a World War II American tank, a Rover SD1 used by the local police, a steam tricycle built between 1895 and 1897 by an enthusiast..

Glasgow's gigantic Transport Museum is housed in a beautiful modern space. There are 3,000 items to admire: locomotives, cars, buses, trams, bicycles, skateboards and even a Stormtrooper! You will discover a reconstitution of a street in the city, with shops from 1895 to the 1980s. You will board a train, tram or bus. You will help an interactive firefighter to put out a fire. Between real and virtual, interactivity is everywhere in this immersive museum where you can touch everything.

Scotland's oldest independent museum, the Museum offers a diverse collection, taking visitors on a journey back in time to before the dinosaurs and into the present day. It holds 36,000 items (not all on display), including fish fossils dating back over 450 million years - its fossil collection is recognised as being of national importance - and archaeological finds from prehistory to the Middle Ages. It also has a number of works of art of local and international importance.

This museum presents over 100 years of aviation history. Montrose Airfield, Britain's first operational military station, is now a museum that tells the story of the men and women who served in the Air Force. It traces the origins of aviation, documents life at Montrose in the last century and features a life-size replica of the B.E.2 aircraft flown by the^2nd Squadron of the Royal Flying Corps at the outbreak of the First World War.

Opened in 2007, on the first anniversary of the death of Republican Eileen Hickey who had begun a collection of artifacts relating to the history of Irish Republicans. Volunteer workers were able to pursue her dream of preserving for future generations the memory of those who fought for freedom.

A former prisoner in the notorious Armagh Women's Prison (a cell is reconstructed at the entrance to the museum, with the original door of this prison opened in 1868 and closed in 1999!), Eileen died of cancer. Today, the museum displays a moving collection of artifacts that belonged to those who fought the revolution against British rule. Key books on politics and civil disobedience, memorabilia from the 1798 and 1803 rebellions, medals from 1916-1923, photographs and newspaper articles, and especially crafts made in prison by Irish Republican prisoners and items brought by their families. Indeed, the status of political prisoner, until 1979, gave some advantages such as the right to visit, to read and to create. The period saw the blossoming of a positive spirit of protest that incarceration did not alter. Prisoners wrote poems, read political screeds, sculpted wooden objects, in a few words, were in resistance... Later, London abolished this status, thinking to finally muzzle them by taking away these rights. Note that the museum lives on donations.

This small museum is run by passionate volunteers who are happy to present their superb cars and share their passion. Lovers of cars, especially English models, don't miss this visit. The museum is housed in an old mill. There are parked superb old cars and motorcycles, rare, and very rarely seen in France. Most of them drive and are used for various events such as the famous Goodwood Festival, well known to enthusiasts. At the end of the visit, each visitor notes in the guestbook his favourite vehicle.

In this particularly well reconstructed setting, we find ourselves in the midst of the ^15th century in the home of a wealthy merchant. Virtually intact, the Tudor Merchant's House houses three floors of Flemish fireplaces, period furniture and curios. A journey back in time! Don't hesitate to ask the very knowledgeable and competent staff. The museum is very well designed for children, with interactive games to keep them entertained! As with many museums, there's also a pretty souvenir store on site.

This handsome red-brick Gothic building was built in 1897. It became the administrative center of the Port of Cardiff in 1947. Since 2010, it has been a venue for events and conferences open to the public. It's also a museum, providing an insight into the history of the country and Cardiff Bay. From the golden age of its port, linked to iron ore and coal exports in the ^19th century, through the crises of the 1920s and 1950s, to the revival of the city since the 1980s.

A museum largely dedicated to the memory of Oratio Nelson, Admiral of the Royal Navy born in 1758 and who became a national hero following the Battle of Trafalgar (1815) where he lost his life. There is also a fine collection of engravings, paintings and drawings relating to the region, as well as a biography of Charles Stuart Rolls (1877-1910), co-founder of Rolls-Royce and who lived near Monmouth.

Royal Museums Greenwich brings together the following institutions: Royal Observatory, Cutty Sark, National Maritime Museum and Queen's House. It is an essential part of organizing visits to Greenwich's many and unmissable museums. Their office is located within the National Maritime Museum. It is possible to buy a day ticket, a day explorer, which includes otherwise paid tickets to the Cutty Sark and the Royal Observatory and audio guides, cheaper online. It is also possible to book guided tours.

Immerse yourself in the history of Carmarthenshire at this small but comprehensive museum. You'll find many life-size reconstructions of life in the county at different times. Life in the mines, the first telephones, an early ^20th-century classroom - you'll find all these stories and more. For adults and children alike, this free museum is a great place to have a good time. The surrounding park is also well worth a visit, with a charming pond ideal for family walks.

The Dick Institute's exhibition program is very diverse. The main gallery hosts travelling exhibitions provided by national institutions, as well as regular shows. The other galleries are semi-permanent and showcase East Ayrshire's social and natural heritage. In 2023, the museum celebrates the 10th anniversary of the spring exhibition. On this occasion, it will showcase the work of regional artists, allowing visitors to get a glimpse of contemporary practices through the finest works.

This place is a must for those who are interested in the country's heritage or for budding genealogists. It has many resources on the history of the region, with newspapers, maps, photographs, books, official and unofficial archives. If you need to do genealogical research, you've come to the right place. At its heart is the statue of Robert Burns, the centerpiece of the original monument erected in 1879. It is the only place in Scotland to have archives dating back over 500 years. For £15, you can even do genealogical research.

Sanquhar is known worldwide for its knitting and the traditions that go with it. That's what you will discover in this museum, and much more. Dedicated to the local life of Upper Nithsdale in the 18th century, it describes the traditions and history of the town. You will be immersed in the life of the miners of the past, when they worked in the surrounding mines. You will also see that it was not enviable to be a prisoner in the city jail

This place does double duty. It is the starting point for walks and hikes in one of Aberdeenshire's most beautiful and well-known natural areas. From the summit of Oxen Craig (528m) or Mither Tap, to the trails through the beautiful forest of the Grampian Mountain Range. In the Visitor Centre you will find leaflets on possible tours and a permanent exhibition on the heritage of the area: how the hills were transformed, their flora and fauna, forestry..

The prison in the old town can be visited on a guided tour with an actor in costume, taking turns playing different roles. Immersed in the gloomy atmosphere of the building, designated as one of the worst prisons in Britain, you will discover the history of crime and punishment in the Stirling of yesteryear. You will meet the executioner Jock "The Happy Hangman" Rankin, but also the murderers and the tortured. From the top of the tower you will enjoy a beautiful view of the historic town and the surrounding countryside.

If you are in Dumferline on a Sunday in the summer, you should visit this original museum. It is dedicated to buses, coaches and public transport. It is possible to visit the museum alone, but guided tours include a ride in one of the vintage vehicles. The museum area is home to more than 100 buses or coaches, trains and a horse-drawn tramway. The oldest date back to the 1920s. Numerous animations are organized: consult the website.

The Engine Shed invites you to explore Scotland's built heritage. Classical and interactive exhibitions provide an understanding of architecture over the centuries, capturing its history and becoming the ultimate in learning about Scotland's built heritage. The museum spaces are very modern: 3D theatres, augmented reality, participatory workshops... This very concrete visit puts you in a situation and makes you discover the buildings in all their states: plans, materials, know-how, engineering, technologies, and even practical advice.

The Stirling Smith Art Gallery and Museum holds in its collections some 40,000 objects and works of art - paintings, photographs, sculptures, and miscellaneous art objects - representing Stirling around the world and showing what Stirling is all about. Three galleries alternate temporary exhibitions. You may meet Oswald Clingan-Smith, the master cat, in the museum spaces or in the library. The place also has a café and a shop.

This museum invites you to discover the Highlands and daily life in the last centuries through the prism of childhood. He's inviting us on a trip back in time. You enter a large room where a path is traced in an organized heap of heterogeneous objects, explanatory signs, omnipresent toys, dolls, board games, disguises... Some are on display and others are made available to the children for their enjoyment.

This museum invites you to discover the past and the culture of the Gaelic and Nordic ancestors once present in this part of Scotland. Housed in the former parish church of St. Columba, it contains a rich heritage of artifacts from excavations and the volunteer work of local scholars, as well as a collection of artifacts that belonged to the Mackay clan. It also tells the story of the Clearance in the Highlands. Temporary exhibitions are also offered over the years, based on the research of volunteer historians.

Find out how barrels are made. Essential to the maturation of whisky, their manufacture is the fruit of an ancestral know-how, transmitted from generation to generation by passionate craftsmen. You will be plunged into this world through a cinematic audio-visual presentation, followed by a visit to an exhibition gallery where you can see coopers at work. A perfect visit to complete a distillery tour! Don't miss the coffee shop.

The Garioch Heritage Centre was established in October 2017. It brings together and exhibits the collections of the Garioch Heritage Society which, since 1987, has been researching the history of the region and collecting objects from the past, bearing witness to the professional and domestic life of the past. The museum tells the story of life in this region of Scotland from the early 20th century to the present day: life in a locomotive assembly and manufacturing workshop, on a dairy farm, the trades specific to the region, all under the watchful eye of a 20-tonne crane.

Created in 1967, this museum has become a must-see site for history lovers from all over the world. It deals with the life of this small port and even more, it evokes Scottish fishing in a broad way. Examples of boats are exhibited, but also old fishing systems and gear. Fishing communities are honoured through retrospectives on their lifestyles, but also the technical, social and environmental aspects of their separate profession.

This completely free cultural centre was born in association with the Carnegie Library, the first in the world to be opened by local philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. It therefore has a library, but also a free museum equipped with large exhibition rooms where themes are regularly renewed, a library dedicated to children and adapted to families, and a friendly café with a breathtaking view of Dunfermline Abbey.

In a sumptuous late 18th century manor house, the life of a provincial bourgeois family was staged. The rooms are beautifully furnished with the furniture, tapestries and accessories of yesteryear giving a very realistic picture of what a domestic interior looked like at the time. Certainly one of the most beautiful historic houses in the country. The impressive gardens, crossed by a canal, respect the style of the 18th century flowerbeds. Spectacular.

The Llangollen Museum is a collection of photographs and archives that teach about the history of the city. It contains, among other things, maps, period newspapers and handwritten documents that bring the region's past to life in bits and pieces. You can also discover the many fascinating legends around here, especially those relating to King Arthur, who seems to have passed through here. This people's museum, opened in 2002, also provides information on agricultural life, education and religious history. An exciting visit for young and old alike.

A 16th century Tudor-style mansion transformed into a museum, which offers a fabulous journey through time in a very playful way. Be aware that the place is haunted and that ghost watching sessions are organized there! Do not trust its peaceful landscape... which hides a history marked by war. According to legend, many ghosts lurk within the walls of the mansion, and paranormal phenomena such as the appearance of ghosts or smells of food spreading for no apparent reason.

Built in 1500, St. Winefride's Well is a well called "ffynnon" by the Welsh, and is said to cure a number of ailments, including insanity and cancer. You may come across a few pilgrims here: there are still some who make the pilgrimage, particularly on June 22, the feast of Saint Winefride. On the Sunday of that week, several thousand people parade through the streets behind a procession carrying a relic of the saint's bones. St. Winefride's Chapel is open to the public. Watch the video and find out more on the website.

Plas Newydd was the home of two Irish women, Eleanore Butler and Sarah Ponsonby. It was not customary in 1780 for two women to leave their families and countries in order to escape their destiny as "daughters of a good family" and settle together. We discover today the universe of these two aesthetes who surrounded themselves with beautiful objects. Large mirrors, carved dark wood fireplaces and sophisticated furniture give their homes a Gothic feel. Many poets and intellectuals came to visit the "demoiselles de Llangollen".

Copper Kingdom Centre is, as its name suggests, a built heritage centre on the harbour quay where copper, mined from Parys Mountain, was stored. Interactive exhibitions, audiovisual presentations... describe the history of the mine and the working conditions of the miners. It is easy to understand how Amlwch became one of the first industrial areas in Wales. The tour is accompanied by an audioguide to give you a better understanding of this part of Welsh culture. It's well done and very informative for young and old alike.

The Oxfordshire Museum's permanent collection traces the history of the town and surrounding area, as well as its period crafts. This is a great visit to make with children, who are sure to appreciate the museum's practicality. It's also a good stop-off point for understanding the area before exploring it further, or if you're heading to the Cotswolds afterwards. The museum is housed in a historic mansion, Fletcher's House, and is divided into 10 galleries on a variety of subjects, from local history to art and archaeology.

This is the collection of American sociologist and writer Eric Estorick. This tiny museum with its immaculate white walls features 6 rooms of modern Italian art, mainly ^20th-century Futurist works by Giacomo Balla, Umberto Boccioni, Gino Severini... as well as a painting by Modigliani or De Chirico. Two rooms are devoted to temporary exhibitions. A café, store and small garden complete the visit. What's more, the temporary exhibitions offer visitors a constantly evolving artistic experience.

Discover the former priory of the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem, with its ^12th-century crypt, church and Tudor-style portal. The mission of the Knights of St. John, like that of the Knights Templar, was to defend the Holy Land. Returning from the Crusades, the order was granted permission to establish its priory in the City, and was given extensive property holdings in what was then the suburb of Clerkenwell. Today's St John's Gate dates from 1504.

This unique museum is dedicated to fans, their history and manufacture. Housed in two Georgian-style mansions built in 1721, it features 3,500 pieces from the 4 corners of the globe, some of them priceless. Most of the fans, however, date from the ^18th and ^19th centuries, when they were widely used. Frequent temporary exhibitions punctuate the life of this adorable little museum: the fan as an advertising object since the ^19th century, fans from European royal courts, the Art Deco style, etc.

A notorious place in London, which was used as a prison between the 12th and 18th centuries. It was under the jurisdiction of the Bishops of Winchester that thieves, prostitutes, killers and bad boys of all kinds were imprisoned here under frightening conditions. Many heretics were also imprisoned, as were Catholics and Protestants who were not in conformity with the religion of the time. The museum tells this story and evokes the various tortures that were inflicted at the time. Sensitive souls, abstain.

Located under the Victorian arches of Brighton station, this museum houses almost 10,000 items related to the world of toys and childhood over more than 4,000^m2. Aimed at toy enthusiasts and younger visitors alike, it features trains dating back to 1860, dioramas and many other objects from Britain, Europe and the USA. It's the ideal activity to do with your children if the weather doesn't allow you to enjoy swimming and the beach.

Inside the museum, you'll find an appreciable variety of collections, from Art Deco and Art Nouveau objects to Spanish, Flemish and English paintings, costumes and archaeological finds. The museum also offers a rich program of temporary exhibitions. To complement the exhibits, interactive screens are installed, attracting the interest of younger visitors.

This museum is dedicated to the history of Cardiff, a small ^14th-century merchant town that became one of the world's largest ports in the 1900s. The first floor features a large exhibition with objects, interactive displays and a few paintings. In the basement, the museum section is more dedicated to children. The Old Library also houses a local crafts store and a café on the^1st floor. Regular temporary exhibitions enhance the visit. Don't hesitate to visit their website for more information.

The Dulwich Picture Gallery is the oldest picture gallery in England. It was also the first public art gallery in the world, founded in 1811. Today, it hosts some of the UK's biggest exhibitions, including "Rembrant's Light". Its holdings, virtually unchanged since the early ^19th century, were created from a number of private collections. Originally assembled by the dealer Noël Desenfans, it was intended as the basis for the Royal Polish Collection. When Poland was partitioned in 1795, it was purchased by the painter Sir Francis Bourgeois, who donated 371 paintings to the museum. The museum is located in a charming old London suburb built around Alleyn's College of God's Gift, a school founded in 1619 by one of Shakespeare's earliest actors, Edward Alleyn - who made his fortune through his monopoly on bear and bull fighting. The building, the work of renowned architect and collector Sir John Soane (1811), stands opposite Dulwich Park, on the grounds of the famous Dulwich College.

The museum boasts an important collection of Dutch landscape painters, French Baroque canvases and genre paintings. One room is devoted to Gainsborough, but there are also paintings by Rembrandt, Reynolds, Rubens, Reni, Watteau, Murillo, Van Dyck, Lawrence, Canaletto, Piero de Cosimo, Raphael and Tiepolo. Workshops, concerts, readings, lectures and debates are also organized.

England is known for the beauty of its gardens; it seems logical then that a museum should be dedicated to them. Created in 1977, it aims to review the history of gardens and their creation in England and to address differences in style and influence with those of other countries. After a visit to the building to discover this history, the visit continues, of course, in the garden, a faithful reproduction of a 17th century garden, created in honour of John Tradescant, gardener of Charles I, buried here.

This fully renovated museum is dedicated to Jewish history, culture and religion. Founded in 1932, it was originally housed in the communal warehouses of Woburn House in Bloomsbury. Over the years, it has amassed one of the finest collections of Jewish art in the world. In 1995, the museum moved to a more elegant Victorian building in Camden Town. Here you can admire the treasures of London's Great Synagogue, destroyed by German bombing in 1941.

The story of the inhabitants of the Torfaen Valley, whose rural life has been totally disrupted by the opening of the mines, is told to us through an audiovisual system. Objects are on display: pieces produced by local industries and craftsmen, 18th and 19th century ceramics, furniture... Many pieces related to domestic life, education, leisure and transportation during the Victorian era are also visible. It is a real people's museum, friendly and very heterogeneous.

M Shed is Bristol's museum of popular culture. Housed in a very long shed on the water's edge, its colorful, interactive exhibition traces the city's social history, and the people and events that have shaped it over the centuries. Nearly 3,000 original objects, 150 films and thousands of photos tell the story of the war years, the industrial sector, means of transport through the ages and cultural events. An interesting exhibition both for its exhibits and for the venue itself.

Freemasonry continues to intrigue non-members. The museum features a large collection of Masonic objects and materials. Some have belonged to famous Freemasons: Winston Churchill, Edward VII... The tour and bookshop provide an insight into the shared values of Freemasonry, its development from the ^18th century to the present day, and the importance of England as the cradle of the organization. A unique opportunity to learn more about this centuries-old tradition.

An important collection of objects relating to the famous Victorian writer Charles Dickens, a specialist in works for young people. In the artist's only surviving home, the museum, opened in 1925, welcomes tourists from all over the world to meet the father ofOliver Twist and Great Expectations . In this seemingly ordinary house, which is indistinguishable from the others from the street, discover paintings, original manuscripts and personal objects that retrace Dickens' life and work and plunge us into his intimacy.

A rather unusual museum, inspired by Isambard Kingdom Brunel, who helped build the world's first river tunnel under the Thames (this was in 1825). The tunnel has since been flooded, but you can still go down into the original hall, some fifteen meters below ground; to do so, you have to kneel down to use the only passage available. When the weather's nice, you can enjoy a cocktail on the garden terrace. The museum also offers interesting guided tours.