Historical Interest

1066 Battle Abbey and Battlefield

Battle

An abbey founded by William the Conqueror on the site of the Battle of Hastings. The church altar is on the spot where King Harold was killed. Battlefield views and exhibition.

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Amberley Working Museum

Arundel

Open-air industrial history centre in chalk quarry. Working craftsmen, narrow-gauge railway, early buses, working machines and other exhibits. Nature trail/visitor centre.

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Appuldurcombe House and Isle of Wight Falconry Centre

Wroxall

Ruins of 18thC house and garden. Park landscaped by `Capability' Brown. Front of house re-roofed and windows reglazed. Home of Isle of Wight Owl and Falconry Centre.

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Arundel Castle

Arundel

Fortified castle and stately home since 1067. Fine works of art. Medieval Keep. Fitzalan Chapel. Grounds, kitchen and flower gardens. Special events programme.

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Basingstoke Canal Visitor Centre

Camberley

Canal visitor centre offering information, boat trips and tearoom.

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Blenheim Palace

Woodstock

Home of the 11th Duke of Marlborough. Birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill. Designed by Vanbrugh in the English baroque style. Landscaped by 'Capability' Brown.

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Bodiam Castle

Robertsbridge

One of the most famous and evocative castles in Britain, Bodiam was built in 1385, as both a defence and a comfortable home.

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Booth Museum of Natural History

Brighton

Comprehensive collection of British birds in recreations of their natural environment. Galleries of skeletons, butterflies, Sussex geology and nature conservation.

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Brattle Farm

Tonbridge

Visitors can see agricultural tractors, machinery, horse- drawn and hand implements, tools and domestic bygones. There are also vintage cars and blacksmiths' displays.

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Breamore Countryside Museum

Fordingbridge

Farm buildings in a walled garden provides a fascinating insight into the days when a village was self-sufficient. Great British maze.

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Brede Steam Engine Society - The Giants of Brede

Rye

Varied collection of water pumps mainly from the steam era including 1904 Tangye and 1940 Worthington Simpson triple expansion engines located in their original buildings.

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Brighton Pier

Brighton

A Victorian pier with various food and drink outlets, fairground attractions and Palace of Fun arcade.

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Brighton Toy and Model Museum

Brighton

An Aladdin's cave of toys and models for all ages.

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Brooklands Museum

Weybridge

Original 1907 motor racing circuit. Features the most historic and steepest section of the old banked track and 1- in-4 test hill. Motoring village and Grand Prix exhibition.

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Buckler's Hard

Brockenhurst

Bucklers Hard Story reflects the history of the village. Displays in the historic cottages recreate 18thC life.

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Bygones Museum

Banbury

Private farming museum, including tractors and stationary engines from the time of Victoria to the 1950s. Collection of domestic, dairy and blacksmith's tools and gift shop.

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Canterbury Roman Museum

Canterbury

A museum around the preserved remains of a Roman town house with fine mosaics, hands-on area and computer generated reconstruction images, market place and kitchen.

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Canterbury Royal Museum, Art Gallery & Buffs Regimental Museum

Canterbury

Canterbury's art museum displaying fine arts, rare porcelain and antiques. Art gallery for major exhibitions. Adjoining is museum of local regiment, The Buffs.

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Carisbrooke Castle

Carisbrooke

A splendid Norman castle, where Charles I was imprisoned. The governor's lodge houses the county museum. Wheelhouse with wheel operated by donkeys.

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Chichester District Museum

Chichester

Find out about Chichester and district from earliest times to the present day. There are changing exhibitions throughout the year.

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Dinosaur Isle

Sandown

In Britain's first purpose built dinosaur attraction walk back through fossilized time, and meet life sized replicas of dinosaurs including an Animatronic Neovenator.

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Dover Castle and Secret Wartime Tunnels

Dover

One of the most powerful medieval fortresses in Western Europe. St Mary-in-Castro Saxon church. Roman lighthouse, secret wartime tunnels, Henry II Great Keep.

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Dover Museum

Dover

Dover Museum tells the story of the town's history since pre-historic times using original artefacts, fine arts and models. Also home to Dover Bronze Age Boat Gallery.

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Eastbourne Pier

Eastbourne

A fine example of a Victorian pier, which opened in 1872 and now has an amusement centre, night club, sports bar and a Victorian bar serving food. Boat trips from the pier.

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Explosion! Museum of Naval Firepower

Priddy's Hard

The amazing story of naval firepower, from gunpowder to the Exocet, in an exciting new visitor experience for all the family on the shores of Portsmouth Harbour.

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Fishbourne Roman Palace

Chichester

Remains of the largest Roman residence in Britain. AV presentation, beautiful mosaics, Roman gardens, hypocaust, new Collections Discovery Centre and Museum of Finds.

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Fort Amherst Heritage Park and Caverns

Chatham

Britain's finest Napoleonic fortress with 2500ft of tunnels and 14 acres of gun batteries. Redoubts and bastions. Working gun battery. Variety of displays. Ghost tours.

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Fort Brockhurst

Elson

A 19thC fort and museum with exhibition illustrating the history of Portsmouth's defences.

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Hastings Castle and 1066 Story

Hastings

Fragmentary remains of Norman Castle built on West Hill after William the Conqueror's victory at the Battle of Hastings. 1066 Story interpretation centre in siege tent.

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Hastings Museum and Art Gallery

Hastings

Displays of dinosaurs, wildlife, Native Americans, paintings, ceramics, features on John Logie Baird and Robert Tressel, temporary exhibitions and the Durbar Hall.

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Heaven Farm Museum, Stable Tearooms and Nature Trail

Furners Green

Visitors can see agricultural tools and equipment. There is also parkland, a prize-winning nature trail, wallabies, deer, pigeons, chickens and cattle. Large bird aviary.

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Hever Castle and Gardens

Edenbridge

A moated castle once the childhood home of Anne Boleyn. Restored by the Astor family, it contains furniture, paintings and panelling. Set in award-winning gardens.

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Hollycombe Steam Collection

Liphook

Britain's largest Edwardian steam fairground, with several unique rides. Three steam railways, one ascending to spectacular views. Traction engine rides, steam farm.

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'How We Lived Then' Museum of Shops and Social History

Eastbourne

One hundred years of social history (1850-1950) depicted by well over 100,000 exhibits displayed in street scenes of authentic old shops, room settings and displays. Open daily from 10:00.

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Knole

Sevenoaks

One of England's 'Treasure Houses', dating from 1456. Important collections of portraits, silver, tapestries and unique 17thC Royal Stuart furniture. Set in deer park.

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Leeds Castle and Gardens

Maidstone

A castle on 2 islands in a lake, dating from 9thC. Furniture, tapestries, art treasures, dog collar museum, gardens, duckery, aviaries, maze, grotto and vineyard.

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Manor Farm (Farm and Museum)

Bursledon

Traditional Hampshire farmstead - range of buildings, farm animals, machinery and equipment, pre-1950's farmhouse and 13thC church set for 1900 - living history site.

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Mechanical Music and Doll Collection

Portfield

An extensive collection of fully-restored and working mechanical musical instruments and over 100 Victorian and Edwardian dolls.

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Michelham Priory

Hailsham

An Augustinian priory incorporated into a Tudor mansion. There are 7 acres of moated gardens, a working watermill, an Elizabethan Great Barn, smithy and a rope museum.

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Museum of Army Flying

Stockbridge

Award-winning and unique collection of flying machines and displays depicting the role of army flying since the 1870's including the national collection of army assault gliders,

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Museum of Canterbury with Rupert Bear Museum

Canterbury

Interactive displays including a Medieval Discovery Gallery, Elizabethan objects treasure chest, wartime Blitz displays, Rupert Bear Museum, Bagpuss and the Clangers.

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Museum of English Rural Life

Reading

A national collection of material relating to the history of the English countryside.

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Museum of Kent Life

Maidstone

Kent's award-winning open-air museum is home to a collection of historic buildings which house both static and interactive exhibitions. Livestock centre and gardens.

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Museum of the History of Science

Oxford

Displays include scientific instruments, fine Islamic and European astrolabes, early chemical apparatus, clocks, medical instruments, original penicillin apparatus.

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National Motor Museum Beaulieu

Brockenhurst

Motor museum with over 250 exhibits showing history of motoring from 1896. Also Palace House, Wheels Experience, Beaulieu Abbey ruins and a display of monastic life.

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Natural History Museum

Portsmouth

Wildlife dioramas and geology of the Portsmouth area and full size reconstruction of Dinosaur 'Iguanodon' and other fossil remains.

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New Forest Museum

Lyndhurst

Museum covering the traditions, history and wildlife of the New Forest. Interactive displays, quizzes and changing exhibitions.

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Newhaven Fort

Newhaven

A Victorian coastal fortress covering 10 acres and overlooking Seaford Bay. The fort has barrack rooms housing military and wartime displays and dioramas.

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Nostalgia Toy Museum

Ventnor

Models 1945-1970, including toys by Dinky, Corgi, Matchbox, Triang, Hornby and Star Wars.

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Penshurst Place and Gardens

Tonbridge

A medieval manor house with Baron's Hall, portraits, tapestries, armour, park, lake, venture playground, toy museum and with Tudor gardens. Gift shop.

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Petworth House and Park

Petworth

A late 17thC mansion set in 'Capability' Brown landscaped park. The house is noted for its paintings, Gibbons carvings and fine collection of furniture and sculpture.

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Portsmouth Historic Dockyard

Portsmouth

A fascinating day out - Action Stations, Mary Rose, HMS Victory, HMS Warrior 1860, Royal Naval Museum, Harbour Tours, Dockyard Apprentice exhibition.

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River & Rowing Museum

Henley-on-Thames

A unique, award-winning museum with galleries dedicated to rowing, the River Thames and the town of Henley. Special exhibitions run throughout the year.

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Rochester Castle

Rochester

One of the finest, best-preserved keeps in England. Also the tallest, partly built on the Roman city wall. Good views from the battlements over the River Medway.

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Royal Armouries - Fort Nelson

Fareham

Wonderfully restored Victorian fort home to the Royal Armouries collection of big guns. Daily guided tours and dramatic performances with special events throughout year.

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Royal Engineers Museum

Chatham

There is something for all the family. Zulu War items, Boer War, World Wars I and II, planes, trains, tanks, bridges, bombs, 25 galleries.

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Royal Marines Museum

Southsea

History of Royal Marines 1664 to present day. Jungle and trench warfare sight and sound exhibitions. D-Day, Falklands' cinemas and supporting exhibitions.

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Royal Navy Submarine Museum

Gosport

Dive into the past and the future and explore the challenges of the deep! Discover all about submarines and the men who fought in them. A story of remarkable bravery, exciting adventures - understanding the science and dangers of the sea.

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Royal Pavilion

Brighton

The Royal Pavilion is the magnificent former seaside residence of King George IV. It is decorated in Chinese taste and has an Indian exterior.

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Rural Life Centre Old Kiln Museum

Farnham

A museum with a comprehensive collection of farm machines, implements, wagons, displays on past village life, small arboretum and a woodland walk.

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Shipwreck Heritage Centre

Hastings

Maritime museum with 3000 years of historic treasures from local shipwrecks. Audiovisual show 'A Shipwreck Adventure', push button videos, live RADAR, weather satellite pictures.

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Southsea Castle

Southsea

Henry VIII built Southsea Castle in 1544 as part of a coastal defence system to defend England from attack. `Time Tunnel' experience and audio visual presentation.

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Spinnaker Tower

Portsmouth

The Spinnaker Tower is a new national icon. It is a striking viewing tower on the south coast offering the public spectacular views from 3 platforms.

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Sussex Farm Museum and Nature Trails

Heathfield

An expanding museum with nature trail and countryside interpretation. The woodland walk in Amenity Wood allows visitors to experience and understand the changing woodland.

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The 1642 Living History Village

Little Woodham Lane

A representational Hampshire village set in the year 1642. Timber and thatched buildings, occupants dressed and speak in 17thC style.

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The D Day Museum and Overlord Embroidery

Southsea

The magnificent 83m long `Overlord Embroidery' depicts the allied invasion of Normandy, 6 Jun 1944 with sound guides available in 4 languages.

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The Historic Dockyard Chatham

Chatham

Maritime heritage site with stunning architecture and displays including Britain's last World War II destroyer and a spy submarine. RNLI exhibition and 18thC adventure.

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The Roald Dahl Museum

Great Missenden

The Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre is in Great Missenden where Roald Dahl (1916-1990) lived and wrote many of his well-loved books.

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The Story of Rye

Rye Heritage Centre

Not just a model, but a complete sound and light show that brings the history of Rye alive. Follow the smugglers' footsteps and experience the life and times of bygone Rye.

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Weald and Downland Open Air Museum

Singleton

Over 45 historic buildings rescued from destruction and rebuilt in a 50-acre downland site, bringing to life the rural heritage of South East England.

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Windsor Castle

Windsor

Official residence of HM The Queen and royal residence for 9 centuries. State apartments, Queen Mary's Doll's House.

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Wish Tower Puppet Museum

Eastbourne

Number 73 in chain of Martello towers built against possible Napoleonic invasion. Displays of puppets from all over the world. Early shadow puppets to modern TV puppets.

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Yesterday's World

Battle

Discover a magical journey through British history with over 100,000 nostalgic artefacts on display at one of the south's best loved family attractions.

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