The best general museums England

As soon as you enter, the legendary Bristol Boxhite aeroplane flies overhead. Housed in a magnificent Edwardian building, the museum is home to archaeological collections, ceramics and porcelain from all over the world, exhibits from ancient and modern civilizations and an impressive natural history section. And don't miss the contemporary art gallery, featuring works by some of the world's most renowned artists. A museum well worth a visit.

The Fitzwilliam museum is the art museum of Cambridge University, founded in 1848 by the great collector Richard Fitzwilliam. It takes the form of a neoclassical temple. It is a real little Louvre on its own: Egyptian, Roman, Greek rooms; Italian and Venetian paintings with paintings of Titian or Veronese; 17th century Dutch painting; self-portrait of Rembrandt; landscapes of Van Gogh; 16th and 17th century Flemish painting (Van Dyck, Van Heemskerck, Brueghel le Jeune, Tristan).

Founded in 1683, it was the first museum open to the public in England. Works of art and archaeology are displayed in a light and airy building. This unjustly overlooked museum presents a fantastic panorama of the history of human civilization, with its first-rate collections and contemporary museography. On the^3rd floor, there are several paintings by the masters of Impressionism and their followers. A collection of paintings by Walter Sickert and the Camden Town Group offers a contemporary vision of English painting.

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.