Schoolhill
Aberdeen, United Kingdom

One of the city's perennial attractions since its founding in 1885, this classical granite structure was designed by Scots architect Alexander Marshall Mackenzie. Today, it draws over 200,000 visitors yearly to see the outstanding array of national and international art. Among the highlights of the gallery's collection are 18th-century portraits by names such as Joshua Reynolds, William Hogarth, Allan Ramsay, and Henry Raeburn. More modern creative stars from Britain include Damien Hirst, Gavin Turk, Gwen Hardie, and Kenny Hunter, while the 20th-century collection features Henry Moore, Stanley Spencer, and Francis Bacon. If you're only interested in global figures, don't worry, Aberdeen Art Gallery's stacked on that score too, with French Impressionists represented by Edgar Degas, Claude Monet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Alfred Sisley, and Henri Toulouse-Lautrec. Other displays include a sterling collection of silver and a memorial room remembering the Piper Alpha oilrig disaster in 1988, in which 167 men died. Closed Mondays.

Shiprow
Aberdeen, United Kingdom

Though its gray buildings have earned it the nickname of the Granite City, Aberdeen's economy has been built not on land, but upon the North Sea. Fishing, trade, whaling, shipyards, and oil have been its great financial lynchpins, and this thoughtfully designed museum (closed Mondays, admission free) unravels centuries of history to reveal how the city has lived and died according to its maritime interests. Ship models and other pieces of nautical tackle bring the earlier parts of this story to life, from the shallow water fishing industry to the great clipper ships that hauled tea back from India and opium from China. A pirate character named Granite Jack leads younger visitors through the museum, with quizzes and other interactive options on offer. But it's the modern era where the museum really scores, with its displays on the oil and gas industry, and the eight-meter replica of a North Sea rig, the Murchison Oil Platform, which stands three floors high in the central atrium.

Old Granada Studios, Quay Street
Manchester, England, United Kingdom

Artzu is the highest profile gallery of contemporary and avant-garde art in Manchester. The atmosphere is open and relaxed, and there is a democratic flavor to the art on display-the artists who created it range from newbies to established masters of the form. Photographs of Rome, Achisar, and London share the space with abstract sculptures and water installations. Work by Stephen Farley, Flavio Rossi, Matt Wilde, and Ed Chapman demonstrates Artzu's dedication to promoting hard-hitting figurative painting. Artzu is also a consultancy that has been responsible for commissions for Emaar Properties, Abu Dhabi, Christies Cancer Hospital, and solicitors Irwin Mitchell. Gallery exhibits tell the compelling stories behind these projects.

University of Birmingham
Edgbaston, Birmingham, United Kingdom

For a small gallery, the Barber Institute packs a punch. Visitors who examine only its 19th-century collection of paintings will find works by Delacroix, Turner, Rousseau, Monet, Degas, Van Gogh, Gauguin, Bonnard, and Manet. Though its founder left her husband's collection to the gallery on the stipulation that it wouldn't purchase 20th-century art, the policy has shifted, and the Barber now holds works by Léger, Ernst, Schiele, and Picasso. Prefer older painters? Try the Renaissance section, featuring altarpieces and paintings by Veronese and Bassano, plus drawings by Fra Bartolomeo, Holbein the Younger, and Albrecht Dürer. Collector William Henry Barber wasn't done there. Having made his money building Birmingham's ever-expanding 19th-century suburbs, he amassed one of the grandest British collections of all time. Other painters adorning these modest galleries include Brits Reynolds and Gainsborough, plus Venetian stars Guardi, Sebastiano Ricci, and Canaletto.

Chamberlain Square
Birmingham, United Kingdom

Although best known for its Pre-Raphaelite collection, this long-standing civic gallery holds a globe-spanning collection. You'll find works by Italian masters Giovanni Bellini, Guardi, Canaletto, and Botticelli. French masters on display include Pissarro, Renoir, and Degas, and a handful of Flemish pieces adorn the walls as well. As you'd expect, British painters feature prominently, with paintings by Thomas Gainsborough, J.M.W. Turner, William Hogarth, and John Constable. A section of industrial art, encompassing metalwork, jewelry, and ceramics, pays homage to Birmingham's artistic and commercial histories. A whole room focuses on the work of local artist Edward Burne-Jones, respected for his stained glass windows; including in the collection is the monumental watercolor Star of Bethlehem. Members of the Pre-Raphaelites on display include Ford Madox Brown, John Millais, Holman Hunt, and Dante Gabriel Rosetti.

Great Russell Street
London, England, United Kingdom

With a collection of over 13 million exhibits, the British Museum, one of the finest in the world, has documented the history of human culture over a period spanning two million years. Established in 1753 in the Montagu House at Bloomsbury, the museum has expanded to accommodate its ever-growing collection of exhibits, which include ancient and modern representations from cultures all over the world. The Natural History Museum and the British Library are its branch institutions. The latest addition to the museum is the Great Court of Queen Elizabeth II, designed by architect Lord Foster.

Off of Constitution Hill and Spur Road
Westminster, London, United Kingdom

The palace, which is the centerpiece of Britain's constitutional monarchy, traces its roots to Buckingham House, a modest family house bought by George III for his wife. In 1820, George IV, who succeeded his father, expanded the house in French neoclassical style, with an Edwardian façade, and by the turn of the century, several additions and restorations had been made. At present, there are more than 1,000 rooms around the central quadrangle, and the palace houses a rich collection of art. Besides being the official London residence of the British monarch, the palace is the venue for royal ceremonies, state visits, and investitures, as well as the famous Changing of the Guard.

Linden Road
Bournville, Birmingham, United Kingdom

Formed by two Quaker brothers to offer drinking chocolate as an alternative to alcohol, Cadbury's became an institution in 19th-century Britain. The family even built a town to support their rural factory at Bournville Village, a revolutionary move a century before strip malls. Nearly two centuries later, Cadbury remains the nation's most popular chocolatier. Cadbury World attracts 500,000 chocolate-hungry visitors annually. Exhibits include an exploration of the history of chocolate, a replica of John Cadbury's original 1824 Bull Street store, a series of the company's best-loved commercials and advertisements, and a sneak peek at the packaging machinery. Chocolate lovers will be pleased to find a huge chocolate store with all the company's favorite products at factory prices.

Castlehill, The Royal Mile
Edinburgh EH1 2ND, Scotland

Established in 1835 along Edinburgh’s Royal Mile, this museum is the city’s oldest purpose-built attraction. For more than 150 years, tourists have spied on Edinburgh using the 18th-century telescopic lens on the museum's rooftop, high up on Castlehill. The technology was originally produced by the Short family, who were makers of lenses and scientific instruments. The device projects the scene outside into a darkened room (camera obscura means "dark chamber") and onto a screen. It's slightly weird watching people wander around unaware they are being spied on, but the views of Edinburgh are panoramic. In addition, the museum features more than 100 interactive exhibits spread across five floors. Visitors can explore mirror mazes, optical illusions, puzzles, a vortex tunnel, three-dimensional cityscapes, and other hands-on activities.

Market Buildings, 13 Thomas Street
Manchester, United Kingdom

Manchester has the second largest Chinese population of any British city, and this arts center is a fitting tribute to the cultural and creative connections that exist between the city and Chinese culture. The permanent exhibitions and workshops here rank as some of the best in the North of England. The unique "Breathe" residency supports Chinese artists by providing them with a living space and the use of a studio. Artists work towards putting on an exhibition, thus allowing visitors to come and enjoy the fruits of their residency. The CFCCA shop sells a wide range of books, prints, artists' materials, and souvenirs.

350 Sauchiehall Street
Glasgow, United Kingdom

Founded in 1992, this fashionable cultural hotspot unites Glasgow's old and new. Located within the shell of the Grecian Chambers, a Victorian complex designed by celebrated architect Alexander "Greek" Thomson, the CCA is a shimmering exhibition space that sparkles with steel and glass, the product of a three-year makeover by Page and Park Architects in 2001. Metal stairways link the various spaces across four distinct buildings, while a buzzy café featuring DJ beats draws a cool crowd on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. What does the CCA show across its five exhibition spaces and 75-seat cinema. A cultural cocktail of exhibitions by Scottish artists, as well as new works by international artists, filmmakers, and designers. Admission to the gallery and most of the shows is free; the CCA is closed on Sunday and Monday.

13–15 Fleet Street
Birmingham, England, United Kingdom

Opened in 1882, Newman Brothers Coffin Works was operated by Alfred and Edin Newman. The two brothers were known for producing the finest coffin decorations, particularly brass castings of hinges, crucifixes, handles, and other adornments. Their works were included in the final resting places of Winston Churchill and Princess Diana, among many others. After closing in 1999, the business was preserved as a historical attraction. Today, visitors can tour the factory and see much of the original machinery, some of which still works.  

Holyrood Road
Edinburgh, United Kingdom

A visit to Dynamic Earth is a chance to experience the primeval forces of nature as they shaped our planet, to journey through space and time. You'll be embarking on the interactive adventure of a lifetime. Travel back to the beginning of time in our Deep Time Machine or rocket through the universe in a spaceship, seeing stars explode on the other side of the galaxy. Feel the ground shudder as a molten lava flow speeds straight towards you. The Polar ice caps are brought to within your reach giving you the chance to touch an iceberg for yourself. Man the periscope and search for whales or simply marvel at the incredible creatures that live where life wasn't thought possible. Watch a 9.1 meter (30 foot) wall of waves tell the moving story of the oceans. Experience films as you've never seen—or felt them—before in planetarium with its 360 degree digital technology and thunderous surround sound. Special exhibits and events, as well as a cafe and shop, round out the offerings at Dynamic Earth, which also hosts private events.

– Information provided by Dynamic Earth

Royal Exchange Square
Glasgow, United Kingdom

The history of this classical city center structure is nearly as varied as its brightly colored collection. Originally, it was an ostentatious 18th-century townhouse built for William Cunninghame, a man who'd made a fortune from the Virginia tobacco trade. In 1829, it was redesigned by David Hamilton to become a meeting place for Glasgow's merchant class. Hamilton slapped a traditional Greek portico on the front, with a neoclassical cupola on the roof (it looks fantastic at night, when the lights illuminate the colonnade). Later, the building was used as a library, and, in 1996, it became the Gallery of Modern Art. Among the temporary exhibitions are shows of Scottish and international artists spanning painting, sculpture, video, prints, and photography. The collection also features many British works, ranging from paintings of Glasgow karaoke nights to a low-key depiction of the Queen, complete with slippers and dressing gown.

First Floor, 30 Bell Street
Merchant City, Glasgow, United Kingdom

This free museum offers insight on those who are called to serve and protect. The Glasgow Police Historical Exhibition contains artifacts and text boards which provide a historical insight into the people, events and other factors which contributed to the founding, development and progress of Britain’s first Police force, the City of Glasgow Police from 1779-1975. The International Police Exhibition in the museum illustrates the spread of policing throughout the World. Over 2000 items of insignia, headgear and uniforms from every country in the World are on display. Historical talks and group tours are offered.

– Information provided by The Glasgow Police Museum

167 Renfrew Street
Glasgow, United Kingdom

As well as being a celebrated and prestigious art school, this Garnethill structure is hallowed ground for international architects. It is the most famous work by Charles Rennie Mackintosh, the wunderkind designer who won the commission to plan this structure before his 30th birthday. Why is it so special? Because everything in the building is unified, from the desks in the library to the lampshades above them, from the shape of the skylights to the iron rose decorations attached to the walls. Even the streetlamps outside the building (streetlamps!) were designed by Mackintosh. Although this is a working educational institution, it is still possible to take guided tours (call ahead to confirm times). The art school's list of alumni is nearly as impressive, including an array of creative Scots such as actor Robbie Coltrane, painter Peter Howson, and director Alexander Mackendrick (The Ladykillers).

50 Pacific Quay
Glasgow, United Kingdom

Ever wanted to go face-to-face with Madagascan hissing cockroaches, learn to walk on stilts, launch your own homemade hot-air balloon, or hone your investigative skills as a detective? Scotland's pre-eminent science center is both educational and exciting, a high-tech playground for kids since its opening in 2001. The exterior of the building is clad in titanium and shaped like a tortoise's shell (or even like a hissing cockroach). But it's the interior that packs in the crowds, drawing thousands daily to exhibits like the Climate Change Theatre, Science Show Theatre, and IMAX cinema. Don't miss the Glasgow Tower, a 127-meter (416-ft) free-standing structure that's designed to minimize wind turbulence by rotating its airfoil shape. The ride to the top takes more than two minutes, during which visitors get amazing views from the great glass elevator.

79 Balgownie Road
Aberdeen, United Kingdom

On an ordinary street in Old Aberdeen is the house of a man who became a Japanese hero. Born in Aberdeenshire in 1838, Thomas Blake Glover, the son of a local coast guard official, made his fortune in trade. He started his career buying tea, but it was in munitions that he really profited, supplying Japan's warring factions with arms and gunpowder during the 1860s. Glover traded in opium, coal, railroads, and founded the shipbuilding company that eventually became Mitsubishi. Although he eventually went bankrupt, he is respected as a modernizing figure in Japanese history. The house and garden where he once lived in Nagasaki attracts millions of visitors every year. Its Aberdonian counterpart is built of gray stone and is crammed full of eastern treasures, from Japanese artworks to a full suit of armor, an appropriate legacy for the man known as the "Scottish Samurai."

St. Luke's, Viewfield Road
Aberdeen, United Kingdom

In 1897, in the midst of the Afghanistan war, the Gordon Highlanders were unleashed upon the Heights of Dargai, a rocky outcrop that had already cost dozens of British lives. During the assault, a young piper named George Findlater was shot in both legs. Undaunted, he continued to play his bagpipes, inspiring his comrades to a rousing victory. Findlater was later presented with the Victoria Cross, one of 16 awarded to the men of this storied Scottish regiment. This museum unfurls the history of the Gordon Highlanders, from their service in British India through campaigns in the Crimea, South Africa, Malaya, and the D-Day landings. With such an appetite for battle, it's no surprise that there's even conflict over the regiment's motto. "Bydand" is said to derive either from the Lowland Scots phrase for stand and fight, or originate in the Gaelic word for steadfast, a kind of Scottish semper fidelis.

2 Great Victoria Street
Belfast, United Kingdom

You can't miss this ornate opera house when walking down the Golden Mile on Great Victoria Street. Standing just across from the famed Europa Hotel, Belfast's Grand Opera House is a historic theater. Designed by theater architect Frank Matcham, the Grand Opera House opened in 1895. Round white turrets jut playfully up from the top of the building. While it's possible to appreciate the building's beauty from the outside, you may wish to purchase tickets to a performance so you can experience the lavish interior as well.

57A Newton Street
Manchester, United Kingdom

Manchester's past has a dark side-it was once a city of slums, poorhouses, and dangerous back alleys, conditions that have produced some colorful criminals over the years. The exhibits at the Greater Manchester Police Museum have an interactive flavor to them, as visitors are invited to enter tiny cells that used to hold up to 20 prisoners at a time and lie on the hard wooden bunks. You can also find out what it felt like to be in the dock at a genuine 1895 Magistrate's Court, complete with stained glass and wood paneling. On view in the Gallery of Transport are some of the stranger and more eccentric methods of transport used by the police of past eras.

Barnett Demesne
Belfast, United Kingdom

The Malone House is a historic Georgian mansion situated in the grassy Barnett Demesne parkland in South Belfast. Though the original house dates to the 1820s, it actually burned down in the 1970s and was completely restored. Upon completion of the renovation, the Higgin Gallery opened its doors on the first floor of the house. The gallery hosts numerous art exhibitions throughout the year, focusing on classic media and subject matter like watercolor and landscape paintings. The beautiful grounds and period-decorated rooms make the Malone House a popular choice for weddings as well.

100 London Road, Forest Hill
London SE23 3PQ, United Kingdom

There is a lot to see at Horniman Museum and Gardens, with something of interest for every age. The museum has around 350,000 objects in collections focused on natural history, anthropology, and musical instruments. Its living collection is featured within an aquarium, butterfly house, animal walk, and gardens. Some of the creatures on display include alpacas, goats, sheep, chickens, rabbits, guinea pigs, jellyfish, frogs, and fish. In addition, hundreds of butterflies and moths fly freely within a tropical indoor garden. A café and kiosks offer refreshments.

Palace of Westminster, off of Bridge Street
Westminster, London, United Kingdom

Born out of anti-royal rebellion against 13th-century King John, the British Parliament is one of the birthplaces for modern democracy. The current buildings were designed by Charles Barry and Augustus Pugin, and built in the Gothic Revival style. Construction began in 1840, and although most of the site was completed by 1870 (by which time both leading architects were dead), some of the interiors were still being finished in the 20th century. Parliament Square includes statues of Winston Churchill, Benjamin Disraeli, and Abraham Lincoln, while the heritage collection includes World War II timber from a jetty used to evacuate British troops from Dunkirk. Visitors can attend parliamentary debates, watch committee sessions, and tour Parliament on Saturdays and during the summer opening (usually around August). 

82 Hillhead Street
Glasgow, United Kingdom

Housed on the University of Glasgow campus, this collection was bequeathed by William Hunter, an 18th-century Scottish doctor. Hunter's medical specialty was obstetrics—his knowledge and precision made him one of the most sought-after doctors in Britain and, in 1764, physician to Queen Charlotte, wife of George III. Hunter's royal contacts in his professional life proved invaluable to his amateur hobby-art collecting. He accumulated a wealth of fine paintings, including works by Chardin, Rembrandt, and Stubbs (an English painter known for his exceptional depiction of horses). His bequest forms the cornerstone of the Hunterian, although many works have been added since, notably drawings by Tintoretto, several pieces by the Glasgow Boys and Scottish Colourists, and the personal collection of James Abbott McNeill Whistler. Massachusetts-born Whistler felt a great affiliation and kinship for Glasgow, the city that had purchased one of his early works and sparked his career.

1 Oozells Square
Brindleyplace, Birmingham, United Kingdom

Housed in a former 19th-century primary school, this striking redbrick gallery stands as one of the most respected contemporary art spaces in Britain. Once slated for demolition, the building received renovations and a steel frame in the late 1990s, turning it into an attractive hybrid of brick Gothic style and modern architectural features, such as the clear glass inner stairwell. With exhibition rooms that spread across 450 square meters (4,843 square feet), the gallery displays paintings, photographs, sculptures, film, sound, and mixed media shows. Its exhibitions include both international and British artists, while the gallery features rising Midlands-area artists. The Ikon also supports a vital community program, offering tours, talks, and workshops for Birmingham residents.

Lambeth Road
London, United Kingdom

Located in a former mental asylum, this military history museum is equally strong on frontline conflict and the social effects of war. There are large sections on First and Second World Wars, outlining the causes, timelines, and results of both. Among the artillery pieces on display are a German Jagdpanther anti-tank gun, an Italian "human torpedo" designed to sink Allied shipping, and a British Mark II tank. There is a sobering exhibition on the Holocaust, which includes a funeral cart used in the Warsaw Ghetto, a concentration camp wooden wagon, and a section from a railroad carriage used to deport Belgium's Jewish population. In the Home Front sector are displays on rationing, air-raid shelters, propaganda, and morale: look out for the celebrated posters of Lord Kitchener exhorting "Your Country Needs You."

Argyle Street
Glasgow, United Kingdom

Regarded as the largest civic museum and art gallery in the UK, the Kelvingrove Museum hosts collections of international importance. The gallery, designed by Sir John W. Simpson and E.J. Milner Allen, reflects a Spanish Baroque style and emulates the Glaswegian tradition of using red sandstone. Many exhibits have come from the McLellan Galleries and the Kelvingrove House Museum. Important exhibits of the gallery include one of the finest collections of arms and armor, an exhaustive collection on natural history, and artworks of many outstanding European masters. After a major refurbishment program spanning three years, the gallery reopened in 2006 with a large basement extension that displays the 8,000 exhibits.

Argyle Street
Glasgow, United Kingdom

Kelvingrove opened in 1901 and is a favorite with locals and visitors. Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum houses one of Europe's great art collections and has stunning architecture and a family friendly atmosphere. Explore 22 galleries and discover everything from art to animals, ancient Egypt to Charles Rennie Mackintosh and so much more. A changing program of temporary exhibitions and displays will have you wanting to visit more than once. Kelvingrove includes a Mini Museum for kids five and under.

– Information provided by Glasgow Life

Aston Webb Building, University of Birmingham
Birmingham, United Kingdom

The Lapworth Museum of Geology has the finest and most extensive collection of fossils, minerals and rocks in the Midlands region. The state-of-the-art galleries boast a range of hands-on activities and interactive exhibits, and it is all free of charge, seven days a week. From rocks and fossils, to volcanoes, earthquakes, and even dinosaurs, the museum has something to interest everyone. With over 250,000 objects, many from the local area, the Lapworth is a treasury of natural wonders. There are beautifully preserved fish, dragonflies, crabs, lobsters and pterosaurs. The mineral collection contains around 15,000 specimens, many of them rare, and displaying stunning colors and crystal shapes. A visit to the Lapworth Museum provides an insight into how the earth formed and changed through time, and how life on earth developed and evolved. Throughout the year, the museum hosts a range of events, from expert lectures and children’s workshops to special exhibitions and museum tours.

– Information provided by Lapworth Museum of Geology

1 Parliament Square
Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Hoax or horror? That's been the question for over 75 years, ever since a London surgeon took a photograph of the "Loch Ness Monster" on holiday in Scotland in 1934. Whether tourists truly believe that there is indeed a beast in the depths of the 23-mile-long Scottish loch (lake), they keep on coming. It's interesting to note that this isn't just a 20th century phenomenon-the biography of St. Columba made mention of an unexplained beast which mauled a Pictish fisherman in Loch Ness 1,500 years ago. This curious museum on the Royal Mile tells the story of that notorious 1934 photograph, the 1,000 "eyewitness accounts," of the monster, the big game hunter hired to catch the creature, and the circus owner determined to snag Nessie.

St. Martin's Lane
Westminster, London, United Kingdom

Opened in 1904 and designed by the famous theater architect Frank Matcham, the Coliseum is one of London's largest and most modern theaters. The English National Opera bought the freehold of the Coliseum in 1974 and undertook extensive renovations in early 2000, bestowing the building with the widest proscenium arch in London and the first revolving stage in Great Britain. With a seating capacity of 2,358 laid out on 4 levels, the theater’s early repertory was mostly vaudeville (a theatrical medley of songs, pantomime, and dances), which declined in popularity by the 1930s, forcing the theater to turn to the more popular genre of the times, musical comedies.

Covent Garden Piazza, Cranbourn Street
London WC2E 7BB, United Kingdom

London Transport Museum showcases the city’s transportation system, from the 1800s to the present. It preserves over 500,000 items including more than 100,000 photos. In addition, the collection features posters, artwork, maps, signs, drawings, equipment, videos, models, tickets, uniforms, sound recordings, and documents. There’s also vehicles such as buses, trains, taxis, trams, trolleybuses, and bicycles. A shop sells souvenirs and a café serves refreshments. Admission tickets are valid for 12 months and kids get in for free.

Marylebone Road
London, England, United Kingdom

The history of the museum can be traced to Marie Grosholtz of Strasbourg, whose mother was a governess for a Dr. Curtins, a maker of anatomical wax models. As a child, Marie learned the art of wax sculpting with Dr. Curtins and later passed on her techniques to the court at Versailles on the invitation of Louis XVI. After her marriage to François Tussaud, Marie settled in London and presented her exhibits all over the country. Her collections soon became world famous and have expanded to include virtually all the famous and infamous personalities of the past and present. There is a Chamber of Horrors to fulfill people's insatiable desire for increasingly morbid displays.

Mosley Street
Manchester, United Kingdom

Manchester's most popular gallery dates back to 1824 and was the brainchild of Sir Charles Barry, who oversaw the rebuilding of the Palace of Westminster, London. The very first acquisition the Gallery made was James Northcote's A Moor, a dignified portrait of the black actor Ira Aldridge. The Civic Collection consists of artworks that relate directly to Manchester by local heroes such as LS Lowry. International artists-Britons Constable, Hogarth, Valette and Gainsborough, Frenchmen Degas and Renoir and Dutchmen Velde and Snyders-are located elsewhere in the Gallery. Community programs, art clubs, residencies, concerts and lectures also take place on these premises. Furthermore, all of the works of public art in the streets of Manchester-statues, sculptures, etc.-are managed by Manchester Art Gallery. 

Platt Hall
Rusholme, Manchester, United Kingdom

Inside this listed Georgian mansion in Rusholme, you'll find a unique museum documenting the history of fashion. Featuring over 20,000 garments dating back five centuries, the collection is helpfully categorized according to themes such as "clothes for work," "sexuality," and "recycled fashion." The styles of celebrity designers, sports and leisure labels, and Manchester's South Asian community are all represented here. Audrey Hepburn's Givenchy dress is one of the standout exhibits, acquired when the Gallery reopened after refurbishment. Fashion journals and periodicals telling another kind of history of fashion are also available to browse. The gallery is home to the 25,000 images of the Photographic Portrait Archive, which includes photos of Edwardian aristocrats and Welsh iron workers from 1865. 

Broad Street
Aberdeen, United Kingdom

Now occupied by Aberdeen City Council, this educational institution was founded in 1593 by the Earl of Marischal (a title thought by some to derive from the keeper of the king's horses). Over the centuries, it has undergone several facelifts, the most recent at the turn of the 20th century. Elements of William Adam's 18th-century design can be seen in the inscriptions beneath the stairs. Archibald Simpson was the 19th-century architect who created the main building, though today's vision is mainly courtesy of Alexander Marshall Mackenzie, whose complex and rhythmic Gothic Revival granite facade is extremely impressive. Poet John Betjeman, a lifelong architecture buff, referred to "palatial buildings rivaled only by the Houses of Parliament at Westminster. You have to see them to believe them." The museum is worth visiting if you want to discover this region's history, or the fine collection of Egyptian and classical antiques. 

42 High Street
Edinburgh, United Kingdom

For adults as well as children, this nostalgic museum contains exhibits from across the globe. Established in 1955, it uncovers the history of how children were historically treated, their education, clothing, and (especially) their toys and games. Five galleries across five floors contain different features of childhood. On one level, you can hear 1930s school children chanting times tables. On another, you can witness sports in the backstreets of 1950s Britain. The extensive selection of toys includes dolls, motorcars, arcade machines, train sets, and teddy bears. There's also a gift shop for purchasing memorabilia.

142 Canongate
Edinburgh, United Kingdom

At the lower end of the Royal Mile is one of the city's more modest historical sites. The Museum of Edinburgh contains a history of the city's development, including exhibits representing many of the Scottish capital's traditional industries: glassmaking, pottery, cabinet making, silver, and wool. Though the interconnected buildings forming the museum are worth seeing, the highlights of the collection include the National Covenant (a controversial petition for religious reform), as well as the original New Town architectural plans drawn up by young self-taught James Craig. Don't miss the collar and drinking bowl of Greyfriars Bobby, the most famous Skye Terrier in history. Keep an eye out too for the elm logs. These pieces of wood once carried fresh water all the way up the Royal Mile (hence the reason water pipe networks are sometimes referred to as "trunk and branch").

1 Warehouse, West India Quay
London E14 4AL, United Kingdom

Housed inside No. 1 Warehouse of the West India Docks, once the world’s largest dock complex, Museum of London Docklands explores the history of London’s historic docks, warehouses, and Sailortown. It also focuses on how trading sugar and enslaved Africans impacted the city. A children’s gallery aimed at ages 8 and under offers hands-on activities and a soft play area for little ones. A café serves refreshments and a shop sells souvenirs. 

Liverpool Road
Castlefield, Manchester, United Kingdom

Science and industry have played a significant role in Manchester's history. Through a mixture of interactive exhibits and vintage working machinery, this museum explains how Manchester became one of the driving forces of the industrial revolution. You can browse the classic cars and take a ride on the replica steam train, participate in industrial workshops and chat with actors posing as historical figures. Manchester's more recent contributions to science also feature, with displays about Manchester University's invention of the first microcomputer. The Morphis ride simulates what it's like to fly in a Eurofighter jet and, less realistically, what it might be like to play pinball in outer space. However, the highlight of MOSI must be watching a vast hall full of steam engines in action.

75 Vyse Street
Birmingham, United Kingdom

It was the California Gold Rush that fueled Birmingham's historic jewelry quarter. Although it had been a well-established industry for decades, the discovery of gold in western America and Australia caused a stampede in demand for jewelry. This turned a cottage industry into an urban phenomenon. At its peak, the jeweler's craft in inner-city Birmingham employed 20,000 people. Whole streets of craftsmen worked in small workshops, specializing in specific skills. One of those workshops, the Smith & Pepper factory, now makes up the centerpiece of this cultural museum. Apparently, its owners simply locked the front door upon retiring. So what visitors see today, from the aprons on the pegs to the tea mugs and the tools on the benches, is just what they left. Visitors can also delight in demonstrations of the traditional skills, such as how to craft a bangle, and an opportunity to buy original pieces by local designers.

Boyle Street, Cheetham Hill
Manchester, United Kingdom

From the world’s first passenger railway to one of the busiest UK light rail systems, Greater Manchester’s transport achievements have shaped transportation networks across the globe. The museum’s focus is the history of road passenger transport in Greater Manchester and there are over seventy buses and other vehicles on display. The assortment of items related to transport includes signs, badges, tokens, uniforms, models, and furniture, among others. The museum offers special events and exhibits as well as free heritage bus rides.

– Information provided by Museum of Transport, Greater Manchester

Urbis Building Cathedral Gardens, Todd Street
Manchester, United Kingdom

Manchester’s National Football Museum is England’s only national museum for football, called soccer in other countries. The museum explores the impact of football and how it shapes identities. Visitors will find interactive objects, games, and displays that will appeal to all ages. The museum’s galleries are spread over four floors and include the English Football Hall of Fame. The ground floor Pitch Gallery hosts pop up exhibitions, while the first floor Match Gallery is where you’ll see many of the museum’s iconic objects and the stories behind them. The Play Gallery on level two is where you’ll find many of the activities, including Penalty Shootout. On level three is Score Gallery, hosting the latest temporary exhibitions. Pick up a souvenir at the gift shop or a snack in the cafe.

– Information provided by National Football Museum

Trafalgar Square
London, England, United Kingdom

The history of the gallery can be traced to the picture collection of the banker John Julius Angerstein, which was bought by the House of Commons. The collection was displayed at his house until 1824, when the new gallery, with its elegant domes and colonnades, was founded. With a generous collection of early Renaissance and Impressionist paintings spanning the period from 1250 to 1900, the gallery has gained an international reputation. The latest addition to the gallery is the Sainsbury Wing by Robert Venturi in post-Modernist style.

The Mound
Edinburgh, United Kingdom

With such a collection, it's amazing to remember that admission to this museum is free. The only drawback is that, with space in central Edinburgh at a premium, there's not enough room to display everything. The classical building was designed by William Henry Playfair and opened in 1859, but that's just an appetizer for the contents. Here are some of the greatest names in Western art, from Leonardo da Vinci to Albrecht Durer, Rembrandt to Rubens, and Vermeer to Velasquez. The French Impressionists are represented by Camille Pisarro, Claude Monet, and Paul Cezanne, while the gallery is quietly proud of its famous painting by Sir Henry Raeburn, the postcard-perfect Reverend Robert Walker Skating on Duddingston Loch. One of the finest museums in Britain.

Park Row
Greenwich, London, United Kingdom

Britain has always been proud of its seafaring history, and this museum is packed full of maritime relics, art, books, and memorabilia. For naval historians, the place is an absolute gold mine, with more than two million items in all, including cartographic pieces, traditional navigation instruments, astronomical and horological equipment, and shipbuilders' plans. For the layman, the museum is just as fascinating, with a collection whose highlights include the 1732 gold-painted state barge built for Frederick, Prince of Wales, as well as the coat Lord Nelson was wearing when he was struck down by a French naval marksman during the Battle of Trafalgar (ghoulishly, even the bullet is preserved). There's also a family section called All Hands, and children will enjoy maneuvering an oil tanker into port using a computer simulator, or communicating only by Morse Code.

Chambers Street
Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Designed around a three-story-deep atrium, this treasure trove of a museum tells the story of Scotland, from the country's geological beginnings to its 21st-century engineering feats. Artifacts on display include Viking brooches and carved stone chess pieces, a tiny silver casket once carried into battle by Robert the Bruce, musical manuscripts from Scottish band the Proclaimers, and the race car of Formula 1 champion Jackie Stewart. Sections of the museum highlight Scottish industrial products such as printing, glassware, ceramics, and papermaking, with a special focus on three of the most famous: locomotives, shipbuilding, and whisky. In the 19th century, Glasgow and Edinburgh were two of the world's greatest workshops, producing steam trains like the Ellesmere, built in Leith in 1861. Shipbuilding flourished on the Clyde-in 1867 alone, 234 vessels were launched from its huge yards. And, of course, whisky (the preferred Scottish spelling) is still going strong today; look out for the Glenfiddich copper still from Dufftown.

Cromwell Road
London SW7 5BD, United Kingdom

London’s Natural History Museum is a great place for families to explore, with a variety of impressive exhibits to capture everyone’s attention. Of the museum’s 80 million specimens, only a small portion can be displayed at once. There are collections dedicated to oceans, space, wildlife, human evolution, Anthropocene (Earth's most recent, human-influenced geologic time period) and other topics. The Spirit Collection features over 23 million specimens stored in alcohol-filled jars, such as a snake, octopus, bird, turtle, bat, crab, and even an 8.62-meter-long (28.28-foot-long) giant squid. Some family favorites include the dinosaur and mammal galleries. Cafés and shops offer refreshments and souvenirs.

65 Knock Road
Belfast BT5 6LE, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom

Dedicated to the country’s law enforcement history, Northern Ireland Police Museum features a collection of artifacts dating from the early 1800s to present. Exhibits showcase uniforms and protective gear including riot shields and bulletproof vests as well as weapons such as grenades, bombs, and firearms. Guided tours are available and take about 40 minutes.

Left Bank
Spinningfields, Manchester, United Kingdom

Manchester may have earned its place in the cultural and commercial history of Britain, but less well documented is its radical political past. The People's History Museum started life as the Trade Union, Labor and Co-operative Society in 1990 before moving to its current premises, the only surviving Edwardian pumping tower in Manchester. Its vast collection of objects, documents, photos, and banners celebrates the struggle of working people through the ages. Here you'll find British Labor Party founder Keir Hardie's mining lamp and radical writer Thomas Paine's death mask. The Textile Conservation Studio uses state-of-the-art equipment to clean and treat the various textiles the museum has in its possession-a fascinating process to watch.

Glasgow Green
Glasgow, United Kingdom

Like the Winter Garden (the huge conservatory behind the red sandstone of this Renaissance-style museum), the People's Palace drew light into one of Glasgow's darker neighborhoods. In the 19th century, the East End was a dim and dingy area, unsanitary and overcrowded. Opening the museum in 1898, Lord Rosebery described it as "a palace of pleasure and imagination-open to the people for ever." Inside is the story of the city spanning 250 years, with domestic exhibits about how ordinary people lived, ranging from a tiny tenement home (a one-room apartment known as a "single end"), to the neighborhood "steamies" (the local laundries). Among the collection's more distinctive pieces are the writings of lecturer and activist John McLean (a Marxist thinker and campaigner whose ferocious intellect was recognized by Lenin), and the bright yellow "banana boots" worn by Scottish comedian Billy Connolly.

18 Greenside Place
Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Amid all the 19th-century structures in the New Town, one of the most beloved is a 20th-century building. The theater was designed by Glaswegian architect John Fairweather, who was inspired by American picture houses, in particular the Roxy in New York City. Though it looks small (the facade is only two stories high), it backs onto a hill and actually holds slightly more than 3,000 people. It opened for business in 1929; the first film screened was The Doctor's Secret, based on a story by J.M. Barrie of Peter Pan fame. Plummeting audiences presumably doomed the Playhouse in 1973, but Edinburgh citizens weren't willing to lose their beloved theater and collected nearly 30,000 signatures to save the building from the wrecking ball. Refurbished in 1993, it is now one of Scotland's most successful theaters, primarily hosting live theater and music acts.

Pollok Country Park, 2060 Pollokshaws Road
Glasgow, United Kingdom

The Maxwell family has owned this estate for nearly seven centuries. In 1966, the family bequeathed to Glasgow the house and its priceless collection of Golden Age Spanish paintings. It can be hard for visitors to this National Trust property to pick between the art and architecture. On one side is a classic Georgian structure designed by William Adam, a sturdy study in Palladian thinking and gray stone. On the other side, works by Spanish masters including El Greco, Bartolomé Murillo, and Francisco Goya collected by William Stirling Maxwell, a writer, art historian, trustee of the British Museum, and breeder of Clydesdale horses. For many visitors, it's the interiors of this house (and the renowned restaurant, The Kitchen) that grab the attention. Tour the commodious servants' quarters, then compare it with the luxury above-by the final days of the Maxwells' occupation, there were rumored to be 48 servants to support the estate and a family of three.

Oak Cottages, Macclesfield
Cheshire East, Manchester, United Kingdom

Less than a 30-minute drive from the city center, Quarry Bank Mill dates back to Manchester's glory days as Cottonopolis and houses the most powerful working waterwheel in Europe. A monolithic and daunting building, Quarry Bank Mill is situated on the delightful River Bollin. To be up close to the clanking machinery and hissing steam is an unforgettable experience. Experts demonstrate how cotton was turned into commercially lucrative cloth, and seasoned guides show you round the Apprentice House, which employed young children to work in the mill. The other employees once lived in adjacent Styal Village, still a thriving community. Feel free to explore the gardens and the spooky caves in the vicinity.

University Road
Belfast, United Kingdom

If you require a moment of respite from the bustle of the city center, head to the quiet, leafy campus of Queen's University in South Belfast. The oldest university in Northern Ireland, the college opened in 1849. The campus is full of striking historic buildings, several of which were designed by noted Belfast architect Charles Lanyon, including the Lanyon Building in the center of the campus. Step inside the Lanyon atrium to find the statue of Galileo, which greets students with an outstretched hand.

100 Pointhouse Road
Glasgow, United Kingdom

Located at the junction of the Rivers Kelvin and Clyde, Riverside Museum houses the city’s fabulous transport and technology collections, which have been gathered over the centuries and which reflect the important part Glasgow has played in the world through its contributions to heavy industries like shipbuilding, train manufacturing and engineering. There are over 3,000 objects from the city's world-famous collections displayed inside.

– Information provided by Riverside Museum

124 Oxford Road
Manchester, United Kingdom

This conservatory is perhaps Manchester's best free attraction. Not only can you tour the vast building and admire its modernist architectural style, you can listen to recitals by some of the 700 students. Orchestras perform in the period concert hall while soloists and small ensembles grace the attached St. Ann's Church every Wednesday at lunchtime. The only music college in Britain to be named a center of excellence for teaching and research, the RNCM also sells sheet music and CDs recorded by its Symphony Orchestra and Brass Band. Younger travelers may be interested to hear that children are invited to attend a special music workshop held every Saturday morning, where they can learn the basics of musicianship and play their instruments with others.

Bow Street
London, United Kingdom

Known locally as Covent Garden, the Royal Opera House features the Royal Opera, the Royal Ballet, and the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House. Although the theater dates back to 1728, when John Rich, actor-manager of the Duke's Company, established it at its present venue, the theater has been rebuilt three times. Pygmalion was its first ballet, and the traditional repertory of the theater has included pantomimes, opera, and drama. The theater has a highly modern horseshoe-shaped auditorium and consists of four tiers of boxes, balconies, and the amphitheater gallery, which can seat 2,268 people. Individual monitors allow audiences to follow opera libretto translations in English if they desire.

179 Constitution Street
Aberdeen, United Kingdom

What is the lowest temperature ever recorded on earth? Are nimbostratus clouds usually high or low? And what is the heaviest insect in the world? For answers to all these questions and many more, head to Satrosphere, Scotland's first science center. Open to the public since 1988, this tech park offers 50 interactive exhibits to families with button-pressing children. Displays lead young scientists and inventors through themes including climate, the human body, physical forces such as gravity and magnetism, and-everybody's favorite-bugs. Most kids will find something of interest, whether it's discovering the climatic reasons why Scotland is gradually getting hotter, or following the intestinal activity of a transparent sheep, from munching grass to producing pellets. And in case you're still wondering about the answers to the above three questions, they are, respectively, -88°C (recorded in Antarctica), low, and the African Goliath beetle, weighing in at 100 grams.

Exhibition Road, South Kensington
London SW7 2DD, United Kingdom

Founded in 1857, London’s Science Museum explores a variety of science-related topics in ways that make it interesting for all ages. It focuses on medicine, space, mathematics, communication, everyday technology, chemistry, computing, astronomy, and robots. Some of the objects on display include a space suit, Black Arrow R4 satellite launcher, totalizator machine, Le Corbusier chair, one of the world’s oldest clocks, telescopes, airplanes, and more. Inside the museum’s Wonderlab is where visitors can get hands-on as they experiment with building shapes, a color wheel, and the effects of friction when going down slides. A shop sells science kits, toys, and souvenirs.

The Royal Mile, 354 Castlehill
Edinburgh, United Kingdom

One of the famous attractions of Edinburgh is the Scotch Whisky Heritage Centre on Castle Hill. The center traces the history of malt whisky back to the 15th century and offers a tour through all the different processes that are involved in making this distinctly Scottish drink. The processes include malting, mashing, fermentation, distillation, the making of grain whisky, and maturing, all of which contribute to the flavor and bouquet of the brew. (Tip: Want to win a bar bet? Ask someone to spell "bourbon whiskey" and "Scotch whisky." Note that Scotch whisky does not have an e.)

75 Belford Road
Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Sculptures by Henry Moore and Barbara Hepworth dot the gardens in front of this handsome neoclassical gallery, home of Scotland's modern art collection since 1960. The gardens also include pieces by Rachel Whiteread and Tony Cragg, as well as a landscaped curlicue of grass and water by American Charles Jencks. Its location on the site of the 19th-century John Watson's Hospital, 1.5 miles west of the city, gives it more space and light than some of the Old Town's art institutions, and provides a far more flattering aspect for the gardens and external sculptures. Inside, the national collection includes works by Andy Warhol, Lucian Freud, Henri Matisse, Peter Howson, Francis Bacon, Pablo Picasso, Tracey Emin, as well as the superb group known as the Scottish Colourists.

21 New Globe Walk
Bankside, London, United Kingdom

Four centuries after William Shakespeare's plays were performed on the south bank of the Thames, there is again a traditional theater in which to show his work. A labor of love for American actor and director Sam Wanamaker (who died before he could see the project completed in 1997), the Globe was rebuilt using the old techniques. Supposedly, there isn't a single nail in the place-wooden pegs were used to connect the planks of oak. More than 35,000 bricks were made by hand, as they were in the Tudor era, and the plaster contains exactly the same bizarre ingredients it did back then, including sand, lime, and goat hair! For visitors arriving between May and September, a live performance is a treat, with the audience standing at the center of a theater open to the elements. Year round, there is a tour and an exhibition center.

103 Trongate
Glasgow G1 5HD, Scotland, United Kingdom

Automation, lighting, and soundtracks come together to tell historical tales at this kinetic theater, the life work of mechanic and sculptor Eduard Bersudsky. Elaborate mechanisms featuring tiny people and monsters begin to turn cranks and ride gears as the larger components come to life as mechanical creatures who tell intriguing stories from the past. There are usually one or two 40–60-minute shows daily, one aimed at children and another for more mature audiences.   

Off of St Fagans Road/Castle Hill
West of Cardiff, United Kingdom

This open-air museum, which stands on the grounds of St. Fagans Castle, documents the life, culture, and architecture of the Welsh. Established by Iorwerth Peate in 1946, the museum's design is based on Skansen, an outdoor museum in Stockholm. The museum comprises over 40 buildings, which display exhibits as diverse as a 2,000-year Celtic village, a miner's cottage of the 1980s, and a cowshed. Others, such as the workmen's Rhyd-y-car cottages, a post-war prefabricated bungalow, and the solemn classroom of a Victorian school, have been painstakingly reconstructed with remarkable attention to detail. Festivals, theater, storytelling, and craft demos also take place here.

3 Castle Street
Glasgow, United Kingdom

This striking museum, named after Glasgow's patron saint, was founded in 1993 to promote understanding between followers of the world's different religions. The Gallery of Religious Life offers information on Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, and Sikhism. The Scottish Gallery tells the story of how religion shaped the roots of Western Scotland, while the Gallery of Religious Art includes sculpture, stained glass, and artworks ranging from depictions of Shiva to parables of Christian saints. In a city renowned for its sectarian history (nowadays played out on the soccer field, in fierce matches between the traditionally Protestant Rangers and Catholic Celtic), this modest museum is a peaceful and educational place for families. Once you've had enough of the spiritual stuff indoors, chill out in the Japanese Zen garden outside. Take note of the architecture, a modern re-creation of the distinctive corbeled and turreted Scottish Baronial style.

Broad Street
Birmingham, United Kingdom

With its specially designed reverberation chamber and acoustic canopy, Birmingham's Symphony Hall deserves its status as one of the most modern performance venues in the world. Opening in 1991, this 2,200-seat space immediately elevated the city's status in operatic circles. The hall's unique design means that technicians can adjust the acoustics to suit individual acts. For a musical performance needing a larger sound, such as a rock concert, the acoustic canopy can be retracted. An opera might need a more substantial reverberation chamber, to amplify the richness of the sound. A comedian, by contrast, would need a more intimate sound set-up-the canopy would be lowered and the reverberation chamber reduced in volume with dampening panels. To minimize the sound and vibrations emanating from nearby railway lines, the entire hall rests on rubber bearings.

Bankside
London, United Kingdom

Tate Modern, one of four Tate galleries in the UK, contains British and international art from 1900 to the present day. Its solid collection includes work by Pablo Picasso, Barnett Newman, Henri Matisse, Anish Kapoor, and Roy Lichtenstein, though there are multiple temporary exhibitions throughout the year. When you walk into Tate Modern, you proceed through ordinary glass doors and down a ramp into an extraordinary space, the Turbine Hall. This cathedral-like nave once housed generators and machinery for Bankside Power Station. Now it is a powerful and versatile exhibition space, which has been used by artists including Louise Bourgeois (with her huge and slightly scary Spider), British sculptor Rachel Whiteread, and American Bruce Nauman, who filled the entire hall with fragments of conversation coming from dozens of tiny electronic speakers. Admission is free.

145 Buccleuch Street
Glasgow, United Kingdom

Have you ever known someone who never throws anything away? Meet Miss Agnes Toward, a shorthand typist who once occupied this typical Glaswegian home with her mother. The two Toward ladies' thrifty and conscientious lifestyle has preserved this four-room apartment as a perfect example of early-20th-century city living. Many Glaswegians lived in similar flats, although four rooms was considered luxurious-most contained two and were known as "room-and-kitchen flats." What's in Tenement House? Well, everything you'd expect, from a clothes wringer to a zinc washboard, a grandfather clock to a rosewood piano. Then there are the odds and ends most folk throw in the trash: domestic bills, wartime pamphlets, newspaper clippings, and homemade jam. The building is administered by the National Trust, which has installed old gas lighting, but otherwise left the Towards' home exactly as they left it.

2060 Pollokshaws Road
Glasgow, United Kingdom

Sir William Burrell was a shrewd shipping magnate who built an empire based on a single maxim: buy low, sell high. During economic depressions, he ordered new ships, calculating that by the time the vessels were completed, the downturn would have ended. He'd then sell his merchant vessels for top dollar, and begin the process once again. In his teenage years, Burrell started investing in paintings, and after he'd amassed enough money, he devoted his energies to building up one of the great British art collections. In a specially adapted sandstone building with huge glass walls looking out on the rural surroundings of Pollok Country Park, visitors can see Chinese ceramics, Indian rugs, 19th-century French impressionist masterworks, English alabaster, Egyptian sculpture, and German woodcarving—overall a sensational collection.

St. Luke’s, Viewfield Road
Aberdeen, United Kingdom

The Gordon Highlanders were one of the most famous highland infantry regiments in the British Army, with a reputation for daring, courage and above all discipline, professionalism and steadfastness. Forming the ranks were farmers and fishermen, ghillies and laborers, aristocrats and university students. Ordinary men with an extraordinary sense of duty; all with a story to tell. These stories are brought to life at The Gordon Highlanders Museum, with an extensive collection of historical artifacts, memorabilia, and regimental silverware telling about “The Finest Regiment in the World.” See interactive maps, original film footage, scale reproductions, life-size models, touch screens, regimental colours, uniforms, 11 Victoria Crosses, and weapons. Younger visitors can pick up a Bydandy Comic and Quiz so the whole family can explore the extraordinary history of The Gordon Highlanders. The tranquility of the memorial gardens lets visitors relax and enjoy some quiet reflection during their visit.

– Information provided by The Gordon Highlanders Museum

University of Glasgow
82 Hillhead Street
Glasgow G12 8QQ, United Kingdom

Scotland’s oldest public museum, The Hunterian is located on the University of Glasgow campus. It features the collections of 17th-century physician and anatomist William Hunter, brother of John Hunter who founded the Hunterian Museum in London. The Glasgow museum features natural history specimens, ethnographic artifacts, zoological objects, coins, and various oddities. A collection of death masks includes those of Sir Isaac Newton, Voltaire, Charles XII of Sweden, and William Hunter himself, all casted within hours of the person’s death.

IWM North

Trafford Wharf, The Quays
Manchester, United Kingdom

A remarkable exploration of war and its impact on people's lives, the Imperial War Museum North is housed in an award-winning building designed by Daniel Libeskind. High-tech display techniques bring the subject matter alive in new and intriguing ways. The Big Picture uses graphic projections and sounds to simulate a conflict situation. (This exhibit is not for the faint-hearted.) There are also over a thousand traditional exhibits including weapons, tools, and clothing, not to mention a genuine Russian T-34 tank and a Harrier jet suspended from the ceiling. Come lunchtime you can either head to the indoor picnicking space or to the highly recommended Watershard Café. The Imperial War Museum North is free all year round, and visitors can store their bags and coats in the free lockers provided.

The University of Manchester, Oxford Road
Manchester, United Kingdom

Operated by the University of Manchester, the Manchester Museum is an eclectic affair ranging across local history, science, natural history, and classical civilization. The collection includes archaeological finds from ancient Rome, ancient Greece, and a 4,000-year-old Egyptian village. Lizards that walk on water dwell in the Vivarium, while stuffed chimps, orangutans, and baboons grace the cathedral-like gallery. A highlight is the skull of Old Billy, the world's oldest horse, who died at the age of 62 in 1822. Prehistory buffs from across the world come to see Stan, a T. Rex skeleton that took 25,000 hours to reconstruct. The history of money is another topic covered by the museum: nowhere else can you view a £200 note from 1699 or the most valuable coin of the Mongol Yuan dynasty.

Trafalgar Square
London, England, United Kingdom

The history of the gallery can be traced to the picture collection of the banker John Julius Angerstein, which was bought by the House of Commons. The collection was displayed at his house until 1824, when the new gallery, with its elegant domes and colonnades, was founded. With a generous collection of early Renaissance and Impressionist paintings spanning the period from 1250 to 1900, the gallery has gained an international reputation. The latest addition to the gallery is the Sainsbury Wing by Robert Venturi in post-Modernist style.

Canongate Tolbooth
Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Among the many museums commemorating the great and good of Edinburgh, this one focuses on "Joe Public." The People's Story uses exhibits, photograph displays, video presentations, and oral histories to show what the lives of ordinary Edinburghers were like. Visitors can see, for example, what a working-class kitchen looked like in a 1940s house, or how pubs used to look. The voices of regular folk ring out to take you back in time to an old tearoom, cooper's workshop, or prison cell (interestingly, the museum building used to be a jail). Scotland has a strong democratic tradition of political protest, and its politicized working class is well represented here with trade union banners and the paraphernalia of "friendly societies."

Curzon Street
Birmingham, United Kingdom

Uncovering the workings behind this industrial city, Thinktank is a great place for inquisitive folks of all ages. You'll find some natural history exhibits here, including a Triceratops skull and the skeleton of a dinosaur that resembles modern crocodilians. But the museum really focuses on technology. The Move It exhibition explores the city's transportation history, featuring several of the vehicles produced here over the years, such as the Princess Coronation class steam locomotives, trains, trams, and airplanes. The aeronautical highlights include a pair of fighters that hang from the ceiling: the Hawker Hurricane and the Supermarine Spitfire. Birmingham factories built over 11,000 Spitfires, the elegant war machines often called the aircraft that won the Battle of Britain. Dozens of interactive displays allow children to move loads around a national map using canal locks, explore machines from the Jaguar auto factory, and play with LEGO robots.

Botanic Gardens, Stranmillis Road
Belfast, United Kingdom

This art and history museum preserves numerous artifacts relating to Northern Irish and world history. The incredibly diverse collection includes everything from the Egyptian mummy Takabuti to 17th-century Flemish paintings. Visitors will also find a collection of artifacts relating to The Troubles and a fascinating selection of historic black-and-white photographs depicting Irish scenes and people. Kids enjoy the dinosaur skeletons and exhibits as well as curiosities from across the globe. The museum is open daily except Mondays.

University Avenue
Glasgow, United Kingdom

The fourth-oldest university in the English-speaking world, the University of Glasgow was founded by a papal bull in 1451. It was originally located in the city's cathedral, then moved to the High Street later in the 15th century. Today, the main Hillhead campus east of the city center is centered on a neo-Gothic structure designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott. Scott, a prolific Victorian architect, was the progenitor of a line of celebrated British architectural designers (his son John Oldrid Scott added the spire after his father's death). For visitors interested in the campus buildings, the university visitors' center offers an hour-long guided tour around the chapel, the cloisters, and Pearce Lodge. With its solemn stone buildings, it's an impressive institution with a similarly strong list of alumni, including television pioneer John Logie Baird, economist Adam Smith, and two British prime ministers.

Cromwell Road
South Kensington, London, United Kingdom

This decorative arts museum, established in the wake of the hugely successful Great Exhibition in 1851, has a vast and breathtaking collection. Sprawling across 145 galleries in its five-hectare (12.5-acre) South Kensington location, the V&A covers traditional crafts such as glassware, jewelry, metalware, and ceramics, as well as sections on industrial design, architecture, theater, books, and photography. Pick one from the Cast Courts (plaster casts of famous classical sculptures commissioned for art students), Korean bronze swords, Bernini's Neptune and Triton, post-Cold War freedom posters, 1960s computer-generated art, or Dale Chihuly's glass chandelier in the entrance. Leaving aside the 4.5 million items in the collection (if that's possible), the V&A is worth a visit just for the building, which features stained glass windows by Edward Burne-Jones and interior design by William Morris.

Lawnmarket, Lady Stairs Close
Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Edinburgh is a city of writers, and this museum, parceled away into a narrow alley off the Royal Mile, tells the stories of three of its greatest wordsmiths: Sir Walter Scott, Robert (known affectionately as Rabbie) Burns, and Robert Louis Stevenson. The building, which dates from 1622, is packed with their possessions, from busts to bibles. There's a writing desk used by Burns, as well as a 1796 London newspaper with a front-page report of his death. Scott's possessions include his chessboard and dining table, as well as the Ballantyne Press, on which his Waverley novels were first published. Some of the most evocative pieces, however, belonged to Stevenson. From Polynesia, where he died at just 44 years old, his riding boots and fishing rod were carried home to the city where he was born. Stevenson would have been amused by the museum's location. Deacon Brodie's tavern (named after the murderous inspiration for his famous story Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde) is near by.