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?

National museum of flight in East Lothian

The docks museum in Ulverston

Cliffe Castle has come up loads!

The Bata shoe museum in Toronto. It shows the history of shoes and is absolutely fascinating!

I live near Bekonscot and go frequently. There is always something new to see, and the trains are fabulous!

@SummerSazz

Oradour sur Glane in France. This is their write up and sounds really not like a great day out but it's fascinating and the atmosphere incredible. Everyone was just silent and taking it in

On 10 June 1944, the village of Oradour-sur-Glane in Haute-Vienne in Nazi-occupied France was destroyed when 643 civilians, including non-combatant women and children, were massacred by a German Waffen-SS company.

Its really worth it isnt it. Really interesting and moving. The fact that everything is left as it was makes everything feel very real

The salt mines near Krakow.
Was not how i expected.

The Devil’s Rope museum in McLean, Texas. I would never have believed the variety of barbed wire there is in the world ! Absolutely amazing. It’s on Route 66 and definitely worth a couple of hours on the way to Amarillo.

"I think the conservatory itself has been added since I was there!"

Possibly, I remember it being there in the mid 80s. Sweltering hot, had plants in it.

Sweltering hot, had plants in it. :o

Memory can play tricks on you but I've googled pics of the cafe and conservatory and they look new, because they are where there used to be aviaries and I think some smaller greenhouses.
(I definitely do remember the talking parrot in the last in the row of cages, he used to say "ta-ta!" when you left!)

There used to be some kind of glasshouse or orangery type thing on the left of the front door near the front desk, where the very small shop was. But that's not where the cafe is now.

I was a teenager in the 80s but I'm sure I still visited it then with younger siblings.

Desperate to go back now!

The Money Museum in Lisbon.

By far and away the absolutely best thing to do in Lisbon. We spent a whole afternoon there.

And it's FREE

@MrsBunHat we need to get emailing Cliffe Castle and find out 🤣

I swear to god I sweated my way through that very same conservatory in the early to mid 80s!

I went to the Vasa a couple of years ago. I was in Stockholm on business and had an afternoon to kill and dropped in idly. It was just incredible, I was in there for hours, got chucked out when they closed and was nearly late for my evening do. It’s genuinely one of the best museums I’ve ever been to.

My top tip is Buscot Park in Oxfordshire. It’s part National Trust and part family owned so opening hours are a bit hit and miss. Somewhere back in the 19th century the owner was big mates with the pre raphaelites and the place is stuffed with their work. The best bit is the Sleeping Beauty room which has a series of paintings telling the story plus the walls have been painted to link it all together (BurneJones, if memory serves). And the gardens are lovely too.

Ooh ooh the Keighley News is our friend! :o

www.keighleynews.co.uk/news/16282229.cliffe-castle-garden-party-new-cafe-opening-draws-crowd/

www.keighleynews.co.uk/news/15071517.new-dome-in-keighleys-cliffe-castle-park-will-mark-milestone-in-45m-restoration-project/

There definitely were some glasshouses in the 80s, but I think they must have been replaced with much bigger new versions and new cafe.

As for "local historian Ian Dewhirst", he was always a well-known local figure and I thought he was old when I was a child in the 70s! I've just googled and he sadly died in 2019.

Ah, that's sad. Yes, funny how you think people are old as a kid when in reality they're about 35

I must've been in one of the old greenhouses or something! I remember buying some rose quartz (museum souvenir of choice) with my pound in the gift shop the same day.

I'm going to take the family, holiday to K town as they call it these days

K town? 😂 That's ridiculous but I quite like it!

A holiday to Keighley takes staycationing to a whole new level!

Another vote for puzzlewood, loved it!

I really really really like the dock lands museum at Canary Wharf. It’s fascinating.

"A holiday to Keighley takes staycationing to a whole new level!"

Doesn't it just? I think it'll be fun (ish)

@denverRegina

Ah, that's sad. Yes, funny how you think people are old as a kid when in reality they're about 35

I must've been in one of the old greenhouses or something! I remember buying some rose quartz (museum souvenir of choice) with my pound in the gift shop the same day.

I'm going to take the family, holiday to K town as they call it these days

Ah quartz! Available in all museum shops, regardless of what the museum is about!

"Ah quartz! Available in all museum shops, regardless of what the museum is about!"

[quote Standrewsschool]@JingsMahBucket. I’ve just read The Rose Code by Kate Quinn, which was based on Bletchley. Really good book.[/quote]
@Standrewsschool ooh, thanks for that recommendation. I'll add that to my Audible account. I have a bunch of credits to use up.

In Malaga there's a fashion and Motor museum with models dressed to match each car.

Ditto to the Vasa. Really enjoyed that.

The Post Office Museum in London was fascinating. I bought tickets for us as a present for dh.

Post started with Henry VIII! - and there are old ‘post’ carriages etc., plus a dedicated underground mini railway that used to whizz all the post around London - you can include a trip on it.
V good IMO for older children and adults.

To everyone who has mentioned Cliffe Castle in Keighley (and anyone who hasn't) ... please go to their cafe and have a Scrumdiddlyumptious ice cream sundae! They are gorgeous. Let's get a run on them going

Ok this thread is seriously making me consider a holiday to Yorkshire / keighley this summer too!

I used to live not far from Keighley but had never heard of Cliffe Castle. I’m now making plans to meet my friend there in the summer as it’s roughly in between where we both live now!