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?

@DinaofCloud9
I randomly ended up following the Western Approaches Museum on FB at the start of lockdown. They did some superb homeschooling support sessions, which completely floated DS’s history obsssed boat. We’re a couple of hours away from Liverpool, if that, must go back.

Also the museum of Spam in Minnesota.

The famine ship experience in New Ross, County Wexford. I found it moving to think of all those people leaving Ireland with no hope of ever seeing their family again.

I've been to a lot of these! The Crossness Pumping Station in Bexley is well worth a visit - it's not open all that much, but it has stained glass, mosaic, engines named after Queen Victoria and her family and facts you would never have thought would be so fascinating about sewage. The modern pumping station next door does smell a bit. I also like London Canal Museum. The quirkiest small museum I ever visited was in Amsterdam and was a collection of player pianos that a very earnest and rather bonkers man played for us. I also enjoyed a trip to the Pentagon - I was on a school trip and didn't think I'd find it interesting, but it really was, partly because it's a workplace. I also very much liked the International Spy Museum, also in DC and the Newseum. I've been to a lot of museums, but the latter two are distinctively different from anything we've got in the UK.

One of the nicest small UK museums is Mary Anning's former house in Lyme Regis. I would also second the recommendation for Tolpuddle Martyrs - it's very well done and the bookshop was excellent (it's online too). The Black Death Museum in Eyam is also very moving and they used to sell excellent plastic rats in the shop.

The gold mine museum in Wales. Really good, you get to go in the caves which is always exciting, then you get to pan for some!

Best thing we learnt was that gold is loads heavier than lead, so Gold ingots are super, super heavy and you can’t actually chuck them around like in the movies.

National atomic Testing Museum in Las Vegas . Brilliant.

Spinalonga in Crete. The history of the place as a leper colony was something else, such an interesting guided tour

@Caramellatteplease

Royal artillery museum in gillingham. Everything from medieval castles to modern tanks. Went for an hour or two ended up staying the day.

House of Marbles in Devon

Another vote for Beckonscot model village.

Kelveden nuclear bunker

King Arthur's labyrinth in north Wales.

Kelveden nuclear bunker - totally agree.

The Old OperatingTheatre in London. A few doors down from the Shard.

Love Honister slate mine in the Lakes. Also the Woodhorn museum - about coal mining - in the north east. Found Woodhorn very emotional and I have no mining connections whatsoever.

Came on to say the pencil museum in Keswick! It's brilliant and then there's a shop full of exquisite pencils to splurge on :o

Yes I've been to Spinalonga. So sad though. Beautiful place

It's been said earlier but I've gone to the national history museum in Tring lifelong (nearly 50 yrs)...Many a school trip and rainy day. Dodos!
And handsdown my favourite exhibit has always been the same thing..the dressed fleas.
I love the Hellfire Caves (not too far from me) but I suppose that doesn't count as unexpected... you do expect them to be intriguing.

'The Williamson tunnels', Liverpool.....an extensive (many miles) network of tunnels and caverns constructed c1820 -40. For what purpose....is uncertain.

The Tunnels War Museum in Jersey

House of terror in Budapest. Very interesting and cleverly designed museum dedicated to the occupations of Hungary. Spent a long time there and was very very moving

Agree and also the Hospital in the Rock in Budapest. Absolutely fascinating.

@FricasseeTurnips

The Waltzing Waters on the Isle of Wight.

I was devastated when it shut

It was truly a thing to behold. If I remember rightly, the leaflet claimed to be the eighth wonder of the world. It was glorious.

Beaumaris jail
Quarrybank Mills

If you ever go to Washington DC can recommend heading out of town to Mount Vernon - George Washington’s estate.

Sat on the porch on a rocking chair watching eagles over head. The slaves’ quarters were in also fascinating and so sad.

In Oslo the Fram Museum - polar expedition ship. That was amazing.
The viking ship museum was also pretty impressive.

The Norwegian Resistance Museum in Oslo was also fascinating.

And the Vemork museum in Rjukan - heavy water plant sabotaged by Norwegian saboteurs in WW2 which played a major part in preventing the Germans developing the atom bomb.

The Bata Shoe Museum in Toronto. Surprisingly fascinating.

The Guards Museum in London. We wouldn't have gone if we didn't have free tickets but it was really interesting and we learned a lot.

I was going to say that! We must have bed. 3 times, and did the canal trip once too. Then on to the Kelpies.

I just don’t understand why people find these such a good day out. Maybe the wheel as they have added some more stuff, but the kelpies are just a walk round some big metal horse statues. What’s so interesting about that?

@BingBongToTheMoon

The Falkirk Wheel. I loved it!

I hated the Falkirk wheel! Thought it was boring and pointless, but my sister thinks it's amazing and has been several times.

Each to their own

@RampantIvy

Yes to the Vasa and the Royal Yacht Britannia.

Can I add The Thackray Medical Museum in Leeds, Weston Park Museum in Sheffield, Wentworth Castle Gardens in Barnsley and Wentworth Woodhouse in Wentworth near Rotherham. All hidden gems and well worth visiting.

Yep you've names 2 of mine so I will check out the others!

The Jamieson distillery tour in Dublin. Much better than the Guinness Storehouse IMO.