Ah, the Atkinson. Again, just another Southport landmark full of childhood memories for myself…read more Yep, my father used to bring me here regularly to ensure I had a lovely cultural upbringing, and it's a marvellous gallery housed in a terrific building right in the centre of the seaside town itself, opposite Lord Street and the band stand. Admission is free but donations are encouraged as every gift helps, no matter how small. And once you've walked around this spectacular yet strangely humble gallery you'd have to have a heart of ice not to want to give a little something. It has a varied and rather extensive collection, ranging from LS Lowry to John Piper, John Collier to Ernest Normand and many more. The Friends of the Atkinson Gallery are an organisation which helps to drum up even more interest for the gallery. It's currently closed for refurbishments but plans to reopen bigger and better than ever as part of a Southport cultural overhaul, so get involved as it's bound to increase in popularity after its makeover. Southport might not quite rival Brighton yet in the seaside artsy stakes, but it's getting there, and with the help of the Atkinson it'll get there a lot faster!

This is now an entertainment/cultural centre, with the art gallery, an auditorium, civic hall and…read morebotanic museum all within the grade 2 listed building. The entrance/foyer is welcoming and strikingly clean - statuary and paintings being the first things I saw. The bookings and information desks are unobtrusive, yet easy to find as the signage throughout is very clear. There are interesting display cases throughout. Up the impressive staircase are the toilets, the superb but expensive bar and the entrances to the auditorium. As I was there for a music concert, this is the area I saw best. A superb setting for Fairport Convention as they attract a fair number of fans, yet like to connect with their audience as intimately as possible. The seating was comfortable and gave us all a good view of the band. The sound was just superb.

Take no notice of the mini-map - it is wrong. The museum is located on Grand Parade. The address is…read morecorrect. We visited on a drizzly June Sunday in 2010 and were pleasantly surprised. Admission was cheap and it passed an hour or so. The exhibits remind you of a bedroom quickly tidied with the arrival of visitors. There is no logic to the displays, they simply are. Famous names sit next to anonymous teddy bears. Virtually every type of toy is represented. Modern toys and games sit alongside favourites of days gone by. We were able to show our 11 and 8 year olds toys which we had as children. The museum is well worth a visit.

nice rainy day museum, interesting on the Barrow history, free too ,w plenty of parking.read more

A museum focused on the nautical. The museum descends into what used to be part of the docks with a…read morelarge screen at the bottom showing various films, depending on the current exhibits. There is a small cafe, and a well used play area for the children. Entry is free, and the play area is free to use. Model Ships dominate the first floor of the museum and some historical information about the development of Barrow in Furness.

Interesting museum showing history of Leyland trucks and commercial vehicles.read more

Excelent museum run by enthusiasts and retired truckers with stories galore. There is a good…read morearchive and many exhibits from the earliest days to modern commercial vehicles. Well worth a visit. Parking is free outside, and there are many cafes, supermkts,shops etc. in Leyland town centre next to it.

Bowling Hall is a large museum in a medieval building, it is set in a leafy garden with a large…read morepark across the road. It was a stronghold in the 'siege of Bradford' and where a ghost requested that we 'pity poor Bradford'! The exhibits are quite 'traditional', but this doesn't detract from the charm of the museum, in fact quite often you can be the only people in the attraction which gives it a certain atmosphere, especially when you are wandering around the haunted rooms! The museum is large enough to while away an hour, but not too big that it would be boring for younger visitors. The promise of a play in the park and an icecream should keep them quiet and on their best behaviour too - the park opposite the museum is large and well kept and has something for everyone.

This is a lovely old house situated in the Bradford 4 area…read more The ground floor where you enter is slighlty darker than the rest and can frighten some younger children. There is many things on show, that can teach young children and older children about how people used is to live. This place is said to be haunted and appeared on most haunted. It has different events happening through out the years and is a good place to vist.

A fascinating perspective on the contributions by the people of the Manchester area to major…read moreinnovations in science and industry throughout history. Numerous displays and examples of equipment and machinery large and small. Steam engines to electron microscopes on display, with emphasis on Manchester's relationship with the cotton industry, both good and bad. Something for everyone here, young and old. Free to enter, donations appreciated. Reservations will make sure that you don't need to wait for entry. A must-see if you are in the area.

Fantastic place for families with children! Adults can enjoy the many exhibits while young ones can…read moreenjoy the hands on displays. We liked watching the textile demonstration in the Textile area. This place has so much to see and do. And it's free! Contributions are gladly accepted to keep this fabulous museum operational.

The new site for the Laurel and Hardy Museum was opened on…read more April 18th 2009, at what was the Roxy Cinema behind the Coronation Hall. Entry is £4 Adults, Children under 12, OAPS, and Student Union members are £3 and if you are 2 adults & 2 children under 12 you can have a Family ticket for £8. The new venue is not yet wheelchair acessable, but they are working on it. I will let you know when this is finished. I will add photos of the new venue soon.

You would be a blockhead if you neglected to visit this museum if you were way out west in the…read morewilds of Cumbria. Staffed by one of the Sons of the Desert, this is a perfect day out for parents and brats. A real Utopia located in Ulverston, the museum is guaranteed to leave 'em laughing. This big business has a treasure trove of delights, from Hollywood artefacts to personal letters. The cinema is the finishing touch, with a non-stop series of films. Unaccustomed as we are to see the films on the tv these days, this is a double whoopee for fans. Hats off to the manager. So, pack up your troubles and head for them thar hills. With love and hisses Oliver the Eighth

Very interactive and interesting exhibits…read more FREE admission will get you into 90% of the actual museum. Variety of exhibits so it has a little something for everybody. The first floor was the Dive In! Aquarium. It had a very nice anemone tank and a variety of other tanks that had sea life. The second floor is the Bug space, and the beginning of the Natural History space. Both are very interactive and have plenty of kid friendly space. The Return of the Gods exhibit (which costs 8 GBP to visit) was on the third floor, but you could also see what I thought was the most interesting part of the museum which was the World Culture exhibit. The exhibits themselves are nice, but this museum has a novel approach to explaining how Liverpool got its items. Comedian Daliso Chaponda was narrating the process of how the museum procured the majority of its items through good ole colonization (kidding, not kidding). He brings to light the appropriation process through comedic discussion, novel and palatable. The 3rd floor also has the Egyptian Exhibit, which is very good. It's probably the jewel of the museum. The history of the pieces are well explained, and the mummies are displayed wonderfully, some in layers, some in narrative, and plenty of interactivity for the little ones. I didn't spend much time on the fourth floor (Dinosaurs) or fifth floor (Planetarium/Space). The fifth floor wasn't as impressive, but gave those genre's some space for those that are interested. It was the meh portions of the museum. If you have a few hours to burn, consider this museum a good choice for kids of all ages and interests.

Visited the museum especially to see the current special exhibition on the Chinese terracotta army…read morewhich was well worth the cost of the tickets. The building contains a large cafe on the ground floor that was well stocked with good quality food and deserts, this area also has access to free Wi-Fi. The next floor has the Aquarium and treasure house theater. The 2nd (3rd in US) floor has the special exhibition and the Bug House. Next floor contains World Cultures, Ancient Egypt and Western Discovery Center (only open weekends & school holidays. 4th floor holds Dinosaurs, Endangered Planet and Clore Natural History Center. Finally the 5th floor holds exhibits on Space and Time along with a Planetarium - tickets needed from the information desk on the ground floor. The staff were extremely friendly and helpful and could not be more accommodating, well worth the visit. I should also add the this museum is free except for the special exhibit which needs tickets purchased either online or at the entrance with limited time slots available each day.

Great day out packed full of interesting things to see. I've been coming here since I was a kid,…read moreand always enjoy a visit, learning something new about the local history each time. With free entry, and in town, it's definitely worth including it in your day travels.

Another nice and interesting museum in Newcastle, definitely a city of cultural delights. The…read moreDiscovery Museum mostly focuses on telling the story of the city and of the Northeast in general. It goes through the good times and the bad times in the city, including the coal mining boom, the poverty, the World Wars, the politics, everything is covered. There are real life examples- interviews with real Newcastle people over the years, and plenty of interesting memorabilia as well. It's a very cool place. There are also sections devoted to science and technology, and the discoveries made by people from the area. There is a good café with excellent prices, and a nice little shop too. A big advantage of this museum for families is that the exhibits are quite interactive, and should keep children interested as well. Best of all, it's all free. However, if you can, please do donate to keep important institutions like this one accessible to all.

The place is okay, but the altitude ! Urrrgh! The lady from gift shop ORDERED me to throw my drink…read moreaway before entering the shop. She could have asked nicely and explained that. Instead, she forced me to throw it away and when I asked if I can leave it at the counter, so that I can continue my purchase, she said that the counter (which the cashier and some pamphlets are on) is too valuable and forced me to leave instantly. Does customers look like shit to her, or she is just being racist? Either way, I would definitely not recommend this place to anyone I know. Very bad experience.