Culture
English culture encompasses everything from vintage fashion to futuristic architecture crowned with swish rooftop restaurants and bars. Culture old and new fuses effortlessly in our big cities, where Victorian museums host cutting-edge modern artists. And you’ll find hoards of cultural activities in the countryside and along the coast too. Follow sculpture trails hidden in woodlands, walk in the footsteps of your favourite fictional characters on a film or literature tour, catch a film screening in the grounds of a Tudor mansion and stop by one of numerous art galleries popping up in seaside resorts on your cultural holidays.
Discover the mystery of the Rosetta Stone
Visit the British Museum for free and see the famous Rosetta Stone. Dating back to ancient Egypt, the stone was key in the deciphering of hieroglyphs.
Location: London, Greater London
Learn about Jack the Ripper at City of London Police Museum
This museum offers a fascinating insight into the lives of the men, women and animals who have guarded the City since 1839.
Location: London, Greater London
Visit Europe's largest library
The Library of Birmingham houses a million printed volumes, the largest number held by any public library in the UK.
Location: Birmingham, West Midlands
Rainy Day Activities: Discover military history at The Royal Armouries
Britain’s national museum of arms and armour is home to a fascinating and unique collection, including the only existing suit of armour built for an elephant.
Location: Leeds, West Yorkshire
Rainy Day Activities: See famous works in the Royal Albert Memorial Museum
With numerous famous artworks and historical artefacts on display, the award-winning Royal Albert Memorial Museum is a must-see indoor attraction in the heart of Exeter.
Location: Exeter, Devon
Walk in Roman footsteps at Arbeia Roman Fort
Britain’s biggest and best reconstruction of a Roman fort is the perfect place to immerse yourself in an ancient way of life.
Location: South Shields, South Tyneside
Rainy Day Activities: Visit the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford
All the great civilizations of the world are represented in the Ashmolean Museum’s collections; escape the rain for a whole day, or pop in for five minutes for a quick browse.
Location: Oxford, Oxfordshire
Discover Charles Dickens’ Broadstairs
Go to the quaint part of Kent that was inspiration to novelist Charles Dickens and drew him to return time and time again.
Location: Broadstairs, Kent
Rainy Day Activities: Sunderland Museum
Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens is a great place for the whole family to spend the day – and it’s free.
Location: Sunderland, Tyne and Wear
Investigate the origins of Sherlock Holmes at Portsmouth Museum
Discover more about the creator of the iconic detective Sherlock Holmes at Portsmouth Museum.
Location: Portsmouth, Hampshire
Saxon Heritage at Sutton Hoo
See one of the greatest archaeological discoveries of all time at Sutton Hoo.
Location: Woodbridge, Suffolk
Barnard Castle in the Durham Dales
A walking architectural history lesson.
Location: Barnard Castle, Durham Dales
Imperial War Museum North
Get an insight into the wars and conflicts that have shaped both England and the world at the Imperial War Museum North.
Location: Manchester, Greater Manchester
Take your pick from Liverpool’s rich cultural gems
Liverpool is a thriving capital of culture with museums and galleries for every taste, many of which are free to explore. Dip in and emerge inspired.
Location: Liverpool, Merseyside
Rainy Day Activities: Explore Earth and space at Liverpool’s World Museum
Need ideas on things to do when it rains? Visit one of North West England’s oldest museums and get a hands-on look at our planet from the oceans to the stars.
Location: Liverpool, Merseyside
Rainy Day Activities: Get spooked at Tudor World
Delve into Tudor life with a series of rainy day activities at this interactive indoor museum, found in one of England's most haunted buildings.
Location: Stratford-Upon-Avon, Warwickshire
Rainy Day Activities: Explore Oxford's Museum of Natural History
Delve into Oxford University’s scientific archives, housed inside one of the city's most beautiful neo-Gothic buildings.
Location: Oxford, Oxfordshire
Explore the magnificent ruins of Kirkstall Abbey
This atmospheric 12th-century abbey is one of the most complete Cistercian monasteries in Britain, surrounded by tranquil tree-filled parkland.
Location: Leeds, Yorkshire
Rainy Day Activities: Beware the animal mummies at Bristol Museum & Art Gallery
From Egyptian relics and biplanes, to works of art and stuffed deer, there’s something to excite everyone at Bristol Museum & Art Gallery.
Location: Bristol
Climb Broadway Tower
Have a pre-Raphaelite holiday retreat in the Cotswolds.
Location: Broadway, Worcestershire
Explore Alexander Fleming's Laboratory
Discover the story of the father of penicillin in his lab in Paddington.
Location: Paddington, London
