Unexpectedly interesting tourist attractions

[StillCoughingandLaughing]

Just thinking about it because it came up in my ‘On This Day’ on Facebook… a few years ago, I went to Stockholm, and someone I’d met just before told me I absolutely had to see Vasa. (It’s a perfectly preserved 17th Century warship, for those of you who, like me then, haven’t heard of it!) He said it had been a recommendation from a friend and he would never have thought of going otherwise, but found it fascinating.

He was absolutely right. I’d never even heard of it, but was so glad I went. So now I’m wondering, what other ‘hidden’ or underrated gems should I see?

The pilchard museum in cornwall! I don't know if it's still there, I was a teenager when I went and it was very interesting!

HMS Belfast in London by the tower bridge was fantastic even if you're not a military or maritime kind of person.

Remembered another couple.

There is (or was) a pub in Worth Matravers in Dorset which looks out over the sea, where you can buy a pint and look at their cabinets of archaeological bits and bobs. Unexpected and right up our street.

Like someone upthread said about Pompei, it’s actually quite disconcerting seeing the plaster cast bodies in their death poses. I say that as someone who is very used to archaeological human remains.

Ercolano is smaller, quieter and very well preserved.
Oplontis was was a little gem though.

Fortunately we visited in that order!

I’d love to go to Ostia, and might get a chance next year.

The Pen y Gwyrd hotel in Snowdonia has a room, The Smoke Room, where all sorts of mountaineering artefacts, diaries, equipment, personal effects etc of old and famous mountaineers are displayed. Stuff from the first ascent of Everest and many later expeditions. The Alpine Club used to (maybe still do) meet there. It’s fascinating to have a look if you’re staying or drinking there.

A a non-Londoner I really enjoyed the Museum of London.

Hadn't beeen on my radar like the Nat History/British etc. Absolutely fascinating geographical and social history of London and I'm not a history buff. Spent ages there.

The porridge museum just outside Dumfries. It's not about oats but explosives. We've been three times. First time we just went with no research and I did think it was going to be very boring and about oats... It's only small but we love it.

The Verdant museum in Dundee excellent history about the jute trade. Didn't sound that exciting but was really lovely!

Pannett Park museum in Whitby. Set in lovely gardens.

The Skansen Open Air Museum in Stockholm and National Civil Rights Museum in the Lorraine Motel(where MLK jnr was assassinated), Memphis are both awesome experiences worth anyone's time.

But both are big and well known, so I'll go for the Village de Poul-Fetan in Brittany as my most unexpected surprise. An honourable mention also to the tiny but so so interesting Slave Haven Underground Railroad Museum, again in Memphis.

Another vote for the Horniman museum in SE London. It is small with interesting temporary exhibitions as well as the permanent stuff. I particularly remember one with tents including a yurt about 35 years ago when my daughter was small.

The Designpanoptikum in Berlin - surrealist art using industrial objects eg iron lungs and aeroplane parts. Absolutely fascinating

Another vote for The People's Palace in Glasgow. The stories behind some of the exhibits are so moving.

@CaptainMyCaptain

Another vote for the Horniman museum in SE London. It is small with interesting temporary exhibitions as well as the permanent stuff. I particularly remember one with tents including a yurt about 35 years ago when my daughter was small.

And a "Walrus (badly stuffed)" 😁

Ostia Antica near Rome. It's like Pompeii except nothing terrible happened. It's so quiet (unlike Pompeii which is heaving) and you can wander around imagining people living their lives thousands of years ago without feeling sad or guilty. It felt magical.

I loved Ostia Antica too. Some of the buildings are two storeys high so you get a real feel for what it was like walking through the streets. There are also some fabulous mosaics in the market area.
And there's hardly anyone there because people don't seem to know about it, unlike Pompeii.

Lincoln prison is really interesting as is the guided tour of the cathedral roof. The Alchemy and Communist museums in Prague are really good as well.

@JingsMahBucket. I’ve just read The Rose Code by Kate Quinn, which was based on Bletchley. Really good book.

Also loved Ostia Antica, and, I agree, so quiet compared to how busy the main tourist attractions in central Rome were. It was a great day if you are interested in Ancient Rome. We should probably stop talking about how great it is or it won't be so quiet anymore!

@BikeRunSki - we did the same with the Western Approaches museum in lockdown!
Madurodam in Holland which is actually a war memorial miniature village.
Riverside museum in Glasgow is great.
National museum of flight in East Lothian - being able to go on Concorde.

The porridge museum just outside Dumfries. It's not about oats but explosives. We've been three times. First time we just went with no research and I did think it was going to be very boring and about oats... It's only small but we love it.

That’s The Devil’s Porridge museum all about the Royal Ordnance Factory at Gretna in WWI.

You’d also like the Royal Gunpowder Mills at Waltham Abbey.

The Hooge Crater WW1 Museum in Ypres

The funeral museum in Houston. Had some time to kill before going to the space centre. It was fascinating.
Elvis' boyhood home in Tupelo.

Miniatur Wunderland in Hamburg was great. Wasn’t expecting a great deal as was a last minute rainy day activity but really enjoyed it.

Eden Camp, North Yorkshire. I haven’t actually been there for years but I used to absolutely love it.

Kilmainham Gaol in Dublin. Really interesting.

The Museum of Lincolnshire Life
Tintagel castle
Budapest pinball museum

Also recommend the Museum of English Rural Life - well worth a follow on Twitter.

Highgate Cemetery is great. The west side with catacombs is fascinating. You have to do a guided tour. The east side is beautiful. So peaceful.

@BikeRunSki

I’m also a big fan of the pencil museum in Keswick, but I preferred it before it was flooded and had to move.

We spent an unexpectedly long time in the “Oban at War” museum.

I've been about 4 times (it rains a lot in Keswick) 😂.

The other one which has shut now was Cars of the Stars in Keswick. They had the Dolores .

The Haynes (as in the car manuals) Motor Museum in Somerset is also excellent. I don’t know how well known it is it not, as DM lives nearby so we’ve always known of it, but it’s great!! Even if you’re not that into cars it’s interesting. They have the ambulance from Ghostbusters.

Cliffe castle in Keighley, West Yorkshire

National museum of Scotland, Edinburgh

Transport museum in Coventry

And best of all ... The gnome land place somewhere in Devon!