UK travel experts reveal Britain’s top unusual museums

Here in the UK, we love the weird and the wonderful, and if you’re seeking a day out with a difference, the experts holidaycottages.co.uk have recommended 10 unusual museums filled with eccentric collections. Perfect for a memorable day out whatever the weather, the museums that made their list span a variety of interests.

Derwent Pencil Museum, Keswick, Cumbria

Located where graphite was first mined for pencils, stationery lovers will enjoy a trip to the Derwent Pencil Museum, which covers the history of pencils and offers art workshops alongside its unusual collection. Among the highlights here are the world’s biggest pencil, measuring 8 metres long, and a secret pencil collection from World War II.

Cuckooland Museum, Tabley, Cheshire

Visitable by appointment only, take a tour through time (literally) with Cuckooland’s collection of over 600 cuckoo clocks. Spanning over 300 years of history, some of the clocks are among the rarest in the world.

Museum of Witchcraft, Boscastle, Cornwall

If you’re fascinated by the occult, a visit to Boscastle’s Museum of Witchcraft is not to be missed. Visitors will be enchanted by the displays of spell books, potions and the darker side of magic, with Ouija boards and voodoo dolls also on show.

House of Marbles, Bovey Tracey, Devon

Unleash your inner child at the House of Marbles in Devon. After learning about the glass-making process and admiring some of the world’s most dazzling marbles, big and little kids alike with be hypnotised by the interactive marble runs.

Teapot Island, Maidstone, Kent

As a nation of tea lovers, what could be more quaint and British than a museum dedicated to teapots? There are over 6000 beautiful teapots to cast your eyes over, including rare and novelty designs, before having a go at painting your own.

Purton Ship Graveyard, Berkeley, Gloucestershire

For those who love exploring shipwrecks and ruins, head to the Purton Ship Graveyard, where over 80 ships have been stranded on the banks of the River Severn. This ‘accidental’ museum is the largest inland ghost fleet in the UK, with some ships having washed up over a hundred years ago.

Hippodrome Circus Museum, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk

The UK’s only surviving purpose-built circus building, the Hippodrome Circus Museum celebrates this artform which has entertained generation after generation. Here you’ll find unique circus props, costumes and posters, and you can also catch circus shows here year-round.

Lawnmower Museum, Southport, Lancashire

How does your garden grow? The Lawnmower Museum helps tell the story of gardening through the ages, and has a quirky collection of lawnmowers to boot, from those owned by the rich and famous to racing lawnmowers and even a solar-powered robot mower!

The Smallest House in Great Britain, Conwy

Recognised by the Guinness Book of World Records, most visitors won’t even be able to stand fully inside this tiny house. But it’s still worth a peek to see its historical items inside, as well as its extremely compact living quarters, which have been lived in since the 16th century.

Museum of Childhood, Edinburgh

Evoke memories of days gone by at the Museum of Childhood, where you’ll find a huge collection of toys, dolls, figurines, vehicles and more from through the ages. It offers the perfect hit of nostalgia back to times before Fortnite and Minecraft, with many rare collections of toys featuring here too.

Shannon Keary, PR and Communications Manager at holidaycottages.co.uk, said:

“With many of us planning to continue staycationing in 2022, there’s no shortage of great places to visit on your holidays, and these museums are no exception. It’s so great to have these unique museums right here in the UK, which not only offer a memorable day out, but an educational one too.”