Places to Visit
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Local (to SW Surrey)
- Museum of Farnham - Small museum, very family-friendly. Monthly "museum Club" for 6-12 year olds, family trails and children's workshops in school holidays. Ask about their "discovery boxes". Visit time: Up to an hour.
- Godalming Museum - Another small, friendly museum. Local artefacts and interactive displays. They run Children's activities in the Summer holidays, and sell a self-guided trail around the town pack. Visit time: Up to an hour
- Birdworld - birds (obviously) a small aquarium and farm animals including a goat and sheep enclosure that you can enter to pet them and have your clothing nibbled.
- Witley Centre - Run by the National Trust, comfy bird-watching area, nature books to browse and nature tables to explore. You can also watch footage shot from inside their bird and bat boxes. Free. Visit time: Up to 2 hours, with a walk!
- West End Centre, Aldershot - Arts centre with children's shows, activities and workshops after school and in the holidays.
- Farnham Maltings - Arts centre with Children's activities and workshops after school and in the holidays.
- Guildford House Gallery - Lovely gallery with touring exhibitions. Do some nice children’s workshops in school holidays. Exhibitions free, some workshops have a charge.
- Electric Theatre, Guildford.
- Haslemere Educational Museum - Slightly larger than the other local museums mentioned, with three main galleries: Geology, Natural History and Human History. Ask at the desk for a children's backpack with things to explore as you go round the museum. They have a few mummies, and a large collection of stuffed animals! Don't forget to check out the bee-shed in the gardens. Also do children's activities in the holidays. Visit time: Up to 2 hours.
- Waverley Abbey, on the B3001 between Farnham and Elstead - Beautiful ruins of a 12th Century Abbey. A lovely peaceful spot for a picnic!
- Frensham Ponds - Who needs the seaside when you've got Frensham virtually on the doorstep! Beach, lake, commons, very small visitor centre, toilets. Cafe open in the Summer.
- Alice Holt - Walk in the woods and play in the adventure playgrounds. You can also follow trails around the forest or hire bikes. Holiday children's activities. They've recently hiked the parking prices, but it’s still worth it if you can spend a few hours there. Shop/cafe and toilets. Also at Go Ape at Alice Holt and Forestry Adventure
- Farnham Castle - Norman Keep, run by English Heritage. Open weekends and bank holidays, March - September. Entry to keep - Adults: £3, children: £1.50, EH members: free (EH allow free entry to Education Otherwise members if you book in advance).
- Guildford Castle - 12th Century keep.
- Rural Life Centre, Tilford, nr. Farnham.
Further Afield
- The Lookout Discovery Centre, Bracknell- Hands-on science centre with different "learning zones" such as forces and movement; and light and colour. Suitable for all ages.
- Intech, Winchester- Hands-on science centre and Planetarium. Open 10-4. Suitable for ages 4/5 upwards. Visit time: Up to 6 hours!
- Butser Ancient Farm, Chalton, nr. Petersfield, Hants. In their own words- “an open air research laboratory where the Romano-Celtic world is being explored by full scale experiments". Celtic roundhouses, a Roman villa and ancient breeds of farm animals, Butser is a fantastic trip into the past. Open 10-5, Easter to September. Group visits can be booked with lots of hands-on activities.
- Milestones Living History Museum, Basingstoke
- Fishbourne Roman Palace, nr. Chichester, West Sussex.
- Weald and Downland Open Air Museum, Singleton
- Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre, Great Missenden, Bucks - Small, but perfectly-formed! Galleries with artefacts from Roald Dahl’s life and hands-on exhibits and activities. Lots of creative activities in the Story centre. Look round the village and see the buildings that featured in Matilda, the BFG and Danny, Champion of the World. A must for all fans! Visit time: Up to 3 hours
- Winchester City Museum, The Square, Winchester - Fantastic museum split over 3 floors. The story of Winchester from Roman times, with hands-on activities and dressing-up!
- Westgate Museum, Winchester - Lovely little museum; won’t take long to look round, but well worth a visit if you are in Winchester. Free children’s quiz available.
- Hollycombe Steam Collection, Liphook, Hants.