Pure Travel
  • About
  • Destination Inspiration
  • Tips & Advice
  • Guide
  • Travel Writing
  • Cookie Policy (UK)
  • Conservation
  • Privacy
  • Travel Writing Competition 2025
  • Reviews
  • Travel Resources
  • T&C
  • Contact Us
  • Conservation
  • Privacy
  • Travel Writing Competition 2025
  • Reviews
  • Travel Resources
  • T&C
  • Contact Us
Pure Travel
Pure Travel
  • About
  • Destination Inspiration
  • Tips & Advice
  • Guide
  • Travel Writing
  • Cookie Policy (UK)
  • Destination Inspiration

Top 7 FREE and Unusual Museums in England

  • August 9, 2013
  • Jules

It’s time to take a look at some of the more unusual museums and art galleries across England, which all happen to have free entry too!

House of Marbles, Devon, South West England

Long before the Xbox, Gameboy and iPod were invented, game playing with your siblings was an old school affair – think board games, puzzles and marbles! And at the working glass and games factory of House of Marbles in Bovey Tracey (on the eastern edge of the Dartmoor National Park), you can see these old toys in all their glory, such as chess sets, wooden diabolo and spinning tops. Parents can buy some of the traditional toys such as animal-themed skipping ropes, dominoes and table football. Kids will be enthralled with the glass making demonstrations and giant jenga puzzles. The exhibits are quirky and interesting and the on-site café also offers the ubiquitous Devon Cream Tea.

Natural History Museum, Tring, Hertfordshire

This Victorian museum promises amazing animals and birds alongside natural history artefacts. And during the school holidays and weekend kids can get messy at the special craft workshops, making creating and learning all about moths, butterflies and nocturnal creatures. Kids will be transfixed by the giant prehistoric dinosaurs, enormous blue whale and giant sloth. Adults and children alike will be mesmerised by the Wallace trail, to witness the huge array of animals collected by Alfred Russel Wallace.

Coventry Transport Museum, Coventry, West Midlands

If you enjoyed the BBC TV show ‘Das Auto: The Germans, Their Cars and Us’ then you’ll be fascinated by the Coventry Transport Museum.  The programme concentrated on British motor manufacturing from the Second World War onwards and how if tried, and failed, to compete with German motor engineering. And here at the Coventry based museum – where the British motor industry was originally based – and here you can see 240 cars on display that have shaped automotive history. There’s Lady Diana’s red Mini Metro from 1980, the ThrustSSC which holds the World Land Speed Record for reaching 763 mph and there’s the iconic gull-winged DeLorean DMC-12 that fans of the Back to the Future movies will recognise.

Pen Room Museum, Birmingham

Kids will scoff with mirth when they catch sight of the myriad of pens on display. Time to pack the ipads, tablets and mp3 players away and get back to basics. And did you know that in the 19th century three quarters of everything written by pen originated in Birmingham? There are over 5,000 items in display and kids are encouraged to get hand on, especially in the authentic Victorian school room. Adults and children alike can take courses in calligraphy and braille.

Dewsbury Museum, Dewsbury, West Yorkshire

Accompanying children will be fascinated to learn just how much England has changed over the last century. Kids can immerse themselves in the authentic 1940s classroom, as well as following the country through World War II. There is also a really interesting toy gallery. There are special craft workshops running in the school holidays, where kids can make dream catchers and sock creatures within the grade 2 listed building.

National Football Museum, Manchester

The 2013/14 football season is official underway and what better way to celebrate than by visiting the National Football Museum! Kids of ages will appreciate the original football from the 1966 World Cup Final. On display is also the oldest FA Cup trophy and heaps of other interesting memorabilia. See collections from Sir Stanley Matthews alongside UEFA and football league items.

Museum of English Rural Life, Reading, Berkshire

It’s back to basics at the Museum of Rural Life in Reading, where visitors can join the Teddy Bears’ Picnic, get up close to various animals at the Miller’s Ark petting farm and try various traditional craft activities. There’s also an animal garden trail and treasure hunt where kids can spot and identify animals. The craft and tradition workshops include super spinning, felted fingers and various other drop-in workshops. The series of exhibitions houses the national collection of books, objects and archives all about rural life, farming, food and the countryside.

Images Credits; 1; Joe Mabel, 2; Lee Haywood

Share
Tweet
Related Topics
  • Coventry Transport Museum
  • DeLorean DMC-12
  • Dewsbury Museum
  • England
  • England days out
  • family days out
  • family friendly activities
  • free days out England
  • free museums in England
  • House of Marbles
  • Museum of English Rural Life
  • museums
  • National Football Museum
  • Natural History Museum
  • Pen Room Museum
  • Travel Top 7
  • UK
  • unusual museums in England
Jules

Previous Article
  • Travel Resources

Finding Luxury in Egypt

  • August 8, 2013
  • Jules
View Post
Next Article
  • Travel Resources

Africa’s Oldest National Park Under Threat

  • August 9, 2013
  • Jules
View Post
You May Also Like
Charleston
View Post
  • Destination Inspiration

Southern US Cities That Will Light Up Your Instagram Feed

  • Jules
  • June 9, 2025
View Post
  • Destination Inspiration

Choose Your Best Trekking Trail in Nepal

  • Jules
  • June 4, 2025
Family in France
View Post
  • Destination Inspiration

Traveling with Children: Our Best Tried and Tested Addresses in France

  • Jules
  • June 4, 2025
Liverpool Football Club
View Post
  • Destination Inspiration

5 European Cities Every Football Fan Should Visit

  • Jules
  • June 2, 2025
Smoky Mountains
View Post
  • Destination Inspiration

Best Activities for First-Time Visitors to the Smokies

  • Jules
  • June 2, 2025
boat rental san antonio
View Post
  • Destination Inspiration

Ibiza’s Hidden Beaches by Boat: A Guide to Secret Shores

  • Jules
  • May 30, 2025
Must-Do Treks in Nepal
View Post
  • Destination Inspiration
  • Tips & Advice

Top 7 Must-Do Treks in Nepal to Explore the Beautiful Himalayas

  • Jules
  • May 29, 2025
Las Vegas sign
View Post
  • Destination Inspiration

Elopement or Honeymoon? Why Las Vegas Is the Perfect Couples’ Destination

  • Jules
  • May 22, 2025
Pure Travel
  • About
  • Destination Inspiration
  • Tips & Advice
  • Guide
  • Travel Writing
  • Cookie Policy (UK)
A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step

Input your search keywords and press Enter.

Pure Travel
Manage Consent
To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
Functional Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
Manage options Manage services Manage {vendor_count} vendors Read more about these purposes
View preferences
{title} {title} {title}