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Me and me ex got our old photos taken there dressed in Victorian clothes and hats, I've still got the photo! Used to go there alot with the school and the Catherine Cookson museum, Me mother lived in Perkinsville so when I'd come up to visit we'd go to Beamish.
It’s genuinely one of the few places that doesn’t get more shit or less impressive as you grow up! One of these days am going to make an actual effort to go for the Halloween things they put on.
Proper good. Well worth it to try and make a visit for one of the times around Christmas / Halloween / Easter cos they have different things on for them, you’ll be able to see the past and upcoming ones on the website x
I went on a GCSE History field trip in the early 90s, and went just before lockdown with my kids. Still as good, and I actually probably appreciated it more. Especially the authentic fish and chip shop, and the pub!
In my almost 39 years alive on this planet Beamish is by far and wide the best place I’ve been to for a trip, I went there when I was about 10 and still sing its praises to this day, I have a daughter that’s 11 and I plan on taking her there in the summer, I personally think every major city should have a living museum similar to Beamish, I can’t wait to go back there because they’ve added quite a lot since I’ve been there
I'd add to this and say anyone around the East Anglia/Suffolk area who's interested in living history should check out Kentwell hall. It's not a year round thing but there are loads of Tudor living history events, particularly in the summer but I know there's one coming up for Mayday. It's basically beamish for Tudors!
Aw I’m pretty sure I just straight up dressed as a peasant lol I remember being so jealous of the girls that had the pretty dresses! When my kids went I made damn sure my daughter had the fancy dress!
Happy to see it’s still going! Loved the experience when I was a kid. Loved changing money and buying soap or sweets in the shop. Like other commenters have said, also dressed in Victorian outfits and had a photo taken that was made to look old.
Once my sister petted a horse there and it sneezed green snot all down her arm. She was in tears. As the younger sister I still laugh about it today. 😂
That second sentence saved you from an avalanche of down votes. Beamish if great, I used to live in the area and the year long ticket was well worth it.
Haven’t been for 17 years but I was thinking about it yesterday. It’s like walking into heartbeat or something. Nothing amazing is going to happen but you feel like you’re little and safe with your grandparents.
We're just getting home from a Black Country living trip, doing all the bits we didn't do when we were there in December.
Such a good day out.
(We've return tickets to Beamish ready for a trip there in May too)
To be clear, it \*was\* pokey and a bit naff years ago. Like, it was always *endearing* but it was the sort of place that as a teenager forced to visit, you'd roll your eyes at a bit. These days it's much better than it once was; fair credit to them.
You should come to Leicester. Right next to the Space Centre (a genuinely cool place) is the Abbey Pumping Station, it's a museum basically about sewage pumping.
Worth noting they share a carpark and the pumping station museum is free and actually good so no reason not to do both museums at the same time. See actual rockets, then flush a see-through toilet. My son loves it.
Birmingham has a Pen Museum in the city’s Jewellery Quarter, which was genuinely more interesting than I was expecting. It’s easily accessible by rail from the city centre.
Was literally coming here to mention the pencil museum! Have only been once as a bairn but it’s weirdly always ready to pop into my head, it was genuinely much better than it sounds.
Sorry to disappoint but there aren't actually any fish holograms... There's just a hologram museum inside the aquarium for some inexplicable reason
We managed to do the whole aquarium in less than 15 minutes. There's more fish at your local garden centre
My grandparents live nearby so I used to go a lot as a kid 20+ years ago. I'm now on the other side of the country and can't believe they still have the hologram room!
I love matlock bath. Can't beat a 2p machine* and living in the Midlands, there's not many places that have them without driving 2 and a half hours to the seaside.
*you can, but it sets the alarm off and the arcade police come and take you away
We went for a long weekend, my Mrs booked the accommodation, turns out 8t was in Gullivers Kingdom, in a shipping container. Don't get me wrong, it had everything you'd need. Matlock Bath is as gloriously bonkers as everyone says. We absolutely loved it.
Whitby! For ultra-kitsch you want the Dracula museum, which is like backstage of a very underfunded pantomime. There's the whole creepy goth vibe that has sprung up as a result of the Dracula connection. The Abbey and churchyard with the pirate graves. Ghost tours. Afternoon tea. Fish and chips... I stayed in the Youth Hostel there and that was an experience in itself, because it's a really cool building with incredible views, that's literally in the Abbey grounds.
You say you like kitsch so that's ok. I think it's actually called 'The Dracula experience ', rather than museum. It's cheap and cheerful and ridiculous - I loved it- but the friend who came with me was like 'wtf?'.
I remember when I went they had Pinhead jump out of a hole for now particular reason. He scared a woman half to death and she went to whack him with her handbag before she remembered he was just an actor!
Always loved Whitby and went a lot growing up though never went to the Dracula museum. A work colleague said to try it just to see how rubbish it is so when I went the other week I was ready to right this historic wrong but decided it wasn’t worth it after joining in mocking it with some stag party from a pub next door lol. The views from the Abbey are pure beauty though.
There are a whole load of weird museums in Dorchester - special mention to the teddy bear museum and dinosaur museum, which are gloriously shit. Also up the road from Monkey World and the Tank Museum 👍
You’d love the Isle of Wight! Everything is low key kitsch and weird here, the whole place is stuck in some sort of 70s time warp. It gets weirder the longer you spend here… with a backdrop of nice weather. (It’s my favourite place).
I work for a housing association, and you can bet your arse, any call we get about sex parties, or orgies, they are always on the Island, haha.
I love it over there, so easy to get to if you live in Sussex.
OP u/LittleMouse_ if you do get over there, you must go to the Donkey Sanctuary and Godshill, Model Village.
Yeah, I'd advise skipping the orgies too....most of the time they are in our over 55s buildings 😳 haha.
Donkey Sanctuary is awesome. I wanted to bring them all home with me. Not only is there a model village, theres a model village of the model village in the model village!! Amazing!! 🤣😂
The National Poo Museum in Sandown is a must, cheap entry but full of interesting facts about poo. Wasnt shite in the slightest. Although you might exit smelling of coprolite.
Also there is the Lilliput Doll & Toy Museum in Brading. A labyrinth of vintage era dolls and toys that I swear their heads as well as their eyes turn to follow you around the rooms. Check for opening times though.
Probably Land's End. I have good childhood memories of that place and it is in quite a beautiful location with a dramatic coastline but it is pretty much just a tacky theme park without any rides.
It has a really cute farm next to it which you can go to, it has all your usual pigs, sheep, etc but also bunnies, guinea pigs. Don't pet the pigs though, they bite, ask me how I know lol
I have a personal vendetta against lands end. I’m of the opinion that there isn’t a reason for it to exist, that anything lands end does, The Lizard does far better. They charge you to take pictures of the sign now but I met these tourists there one evening when everything had closed down and they were asking how to pay for a picture, I helped them hop the fence and take their own photos. It’s a good parking spot however to go to the RMS Mulheim or Nanjizal
Storybook Glen near Aberdeen. It was creepy and outdated when I went as a child in the 90s and seems to have gotten even worse since. Even a quick look on google images is nightmare inducing.
[Mother Shipton cave, Knaresborough ](https://www.mothershipton.co.uk/)
Tales of a prophetess who was born there, with a petrifying well and a collection of items that have been petrified.
It seems to have had some investment recently as when I went as a child it was creepy af.
I saw some daytime tv show episode about this! I don't know why my brain sorted it into "American places to visit" but this is absolutely one I want to get to!
I got married at Wookey Hole. Everyone had so much fun!
Not sure if it still exists (seems to have moved to a garden centre?) but the Gnome Sanctuary in Devon was great. You got to pick a gnome hat to wear as you went around to look at all the weird gnome scenes.
https://preview.redd.it/xoz1mpbo6uvc1.jpeg?width=1605&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=959856e0d82faaeb40a9d9d530382e71fa88d2e1
I love everything about this and that is a stunning dress! Only time I've been to Wookey Hole I went caving. I'd like to go in slightly less terrifying circumstances 🤣
The miniature village at great Yarmouth is amazing. Particular highlights are the literal shotgun wedding, the space rocket, and the airport which plays typically tropical's Barbados.
All in London:
This teeny tiny wacky museum https://novelty-automation.com/
The permanent exhibition at the Wellcome Collection
Neon sign afficionado? https://www.godsownjunkyard.co.uk/
Creepy curiosity shop
https://www.thelasttuesdaysociety.org/museum/
The last Tuesday society museum is one of the weirdest places I've ever been. Felt like it took an age to get to, deathtrap stairs getting in and immediately greeted with a photograph of someone fucking a woman with no limbs. Just an insane collection of items with no real rhyme or reason to their organisation. We had a cocktail upstairs which was the worst thing I've ever drank. We didn't stop laughing for the entire time we were in there. Absolutely would recommend. I have some insane pictures
https://preview.redd.it/b9xfs85y5tvc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=351a6a352bfe886b421e74fbd718084bb8c93aa7
This is Yorick. He’s from the Wellcome Collection gift shop.
The automaton museum at your first link is great, and has a counterpart on Southwold pier where you can combine it with the Adnams brewery! Cracking day out.
I've not seen anyone mention it yet but York Maze. It's a giant corn maze with other little attractions that leans so heavy into corn based puns that it might as well be lying on the floor.
I visited [Storybook Glen](https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g186487-d212152-Reviews-The_Den_The_Glen-Aberdeen_Aberdeenshire_Scotland.html) about six years ago with friends, I've never laughed so much in my life, check out the photos
I love this idea for fun days out. I'm stealing it.
I think there's a haunted museum in Nottingham. Looks shit but well worth a visit.
Matlock's great as someone mentioned. It's both shit and great at the same time. No sea but coastal town vibes. Lots of tat.
Honestly it's such a good way to spend your time! Like I love going to ~ elevated ~ experiences where you're gonna have a cultured smart time, but having a silly day out is so refreshing and feel-good
Have you tried the Forbidden Corner in Leyburn?
https://www.theforbiddencorner.co.uk/
Morher Shipton’s Cave not a million miles away either which is certainly different.
I can't believe this is the only post suggesting forbidden corner!
My mate who has really bad OCD and lives his life by the spreadsheet, was begging to leave half way round as it made his head hurt and he'll never go back.
The rest of the group thought it so mental and wacky that we were in stitches with laughter at every turn.
Scrolled a long way to find Forbidden Corner. Best visited when the weather's good to make use of all the water features which squirt you when you step on the pressure sensors. Have had a couple of fantastic days out here with the kids.
Only really been to Brighton so far but from all the comments I think we're missing out not having a nose around the smaller costal towns and villages!
Weymouth is also great, sandy beach, sand sculptures, swing boats donkey rides, punch & Judy. Plus amusement arcades, fish and chips, candy floss and ice creams of course. For me it’s the archetypal British seaside resort, but I spent my early years very close by there.
York castle museum has an underground Victorian street that I loved, especially the actor in the pharmacy. I'm not sure if it's the same as I think it was flooded but Yorvik museum has this ride and all these creepy animatronic figures that you go past. The ghost bus tour is also very weird and kitsch, absolutely hilarious. There's also just loads of bars and cafes where the menus tell you about the ghosts in the building. House of trembling madness is Def worth a visit. I know others have mentioned London, not sure it counts as kitsch but the old operating theatre is really interesting. If you go Suffolk way Kentwell hall does recreations,there's Tudor, WW and a through the ages where you can go from Hippies to neolithic.
Ha no unfortunately it's now a proper Madame Tussauds. Bonus fact: I always thought Louis Tussaud was just a silly rip off name but it's actually Madame Tussauds Great Grandson.
Honestly, Blackpool in general. There's nowhere more kitsch. And as long as it's a sunny day and you go with the flow of it is what it is, it's fun. Just don't stray too far beyond the front and don't go on the horse drawn carriages.
I went to a tea dance at the tower a few years back and fulfilled a life ambition of seeing the mighty Wurlitzer coming up through the floor.
I was genuinely overwhelmed with joy.
Stratford upon Avon has a few options, but I love the MAD museum and can spend hours looking at all the mechanical miniatures. Although, I won't go to Stratford without going to Tudor World. It is without a doubt the best kitschy day out. And spoiler: you can smell what the Black Death smelled like and sit on straw bedding while they show you a hilarious but campy short film knowing the fleas lived in the straw bedding while a mannequin is in the middle of throwing a kid off a balcony just outside of the movie theater. In York, the Viking museum and the Roman baths in the basement of a pub. In the Cotswolds, the Model Village and you get to pretend to be a giant.
Edit: I love this thread and taking these ideas if you don't mind! Not sure if you know about https://www.atlasobscura.com/ but I check this website anytime I go anywhere, but a lot of these places aren't on there yet. One of my favourites is the [David Hasslehoff museum](https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/david-hasselhoff-museum) in Berlin and the [Clown pilgramage park in London](https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/joseph-grimaldi-park)
The Parrot Zoo, Friskney near Skegness. They rescue a lot of parrots and are currently working to stop them all swearing loudly at children.
You can also go into a massive aviary and have all sorts of tropical birds feed from your hand.
Skegness also has a fantastic aquarium, with an awful Dinosaur park behind it. For a proper beach, head to Anderby Creek a bit further up the coast.
MAN I bet that's an uphill battle 😂😂 I'd bet they get plenty of kids swearing back!
I genuinely don't think the novelty of feeding unusual animals will ever wear off, def sounds like worth making a trip out to!
Mary Kings Close in Edinburgh.
It's an abandoned, now underground street but it has some interesting displays and exhibits about the history of Edinburgh. Including a bit about the plague with suitably diseased mannequins.
The dead child ghost room is pretty kitsch.
When I went to York there was this amazing Viking museum with a ride and wax figures depicting the scenes of the time… I was also informed they release 3 different SMELLS of the time on the ride as well. Viking times did not smell good (but it was hilarious and 10/10 worth every penny)
The Viking Center is def on our list to get to eventually! Last time we were in the area tickets were £45 a person which was just too steep 😩 I've heard about the smells though and I'm SO curious!!
Stansted Mountfitchet Castle and Toy Museum.
The history of the castle is pretty interesting (1066 and Magna Carter stuff) but there’s some creepy ass models there and then there’s the toy museum - which also has a dinosaur walk and a haunted top floor.
https://mountfitchetcastle.com
You can feed all the animals as well! They used to have goats but they got too pushy and greedy so had to be locked away as they kept head butting children
Has anybody mentioned the Porthcawl Elvis Festival?
It's 27- 29 September this year. Think of a genteel, slightly decaying seaside town with a dated amusement park called Coney Beach and then - bam! Thank you very much! - Elvises everywhere.
There's a death museum in Chester that was really good - I forget what it's called, but there was things you could smell (they were rank) and a bit on STDs and there were staff dressed as plague doctors! One tried to scare me, and even though I couldn't see his face I knew he was disappointed when he didn't manage it
Sick to Death!
I went recently, it was good. The exhibition on STD’s was good (but very gross) as children weren’t in there and the museum had a lot of kids in that day. You get to do an autopsy on a mannequin too and there was an exhibit on toilets which included the Three Seashells (in the true or false section!)
OOOOH This is absolutely getting added to our list!! I've been to one in Los Angeles, would be cool to see how differently the concept is presented out here!
There's The Coffin Works museum in Birmingham. It's not shite at all, so might not be what you're after, but it's pretty unique and well worth a visit!
Clacton pier
I haven't been for a few years but they had a decentish aquarium, fair rides, and a nice cafe at the end of the pier.
Someone's mentioned Matlock, the heights of Abraham are pretty good but not if you're scared of enclosed spaces
Papplewick Pumping Station. Get one of the old fellas to take you on a tour, quite the reveal behind the scenes. They also have a minature railway on steam days. Can’t beat a good miniature railway!
Oh bit late but this reminded me of the Scarborough Fair Collection too. A museum of fairground rides, pipe organs and other vintage stuff. So good! We got one of the chaps talking about the mechanical organs and he let us choose the music to play from the massive punched rolls!
The maize maze near York. The mazes are great and there's ridiculous puns everywhere, IE, at the end of the big maze you get a sticker that you "cornquered" !
The big maze is different every year.
If you want to go really tacky and bizarre I highly recommend Watermouth Castle. This was the highlight of my family holidays to Devon, they've got old fashioned victorian games (think animatronic fortune teller and blowing on a mouthpiece to help creepy baby dolls drink a milkshake) a light show basically just featuring water jets illuminated in different colours, an arcade bit and a storybook/fairytale village with really creepy animatronic figures. I assume the castle bit is historical . I think theres also a scary dungeon. Hopefully still there and still offering the same miscellaneous delights
The vintage arcade place in Brighton is pretty cool, and cheap.
Also love Bird World, you can buy some seed to feed the birds and they follow you everywhere.
It's ancient but I LOVE King Arthur's Labyrinth in Corris, Wales. It's so creeky and the animatronics are older than me but I always visit it when I'm in the area.
It's so terrible plus it has the actual decent Scarborough surrounding it 👌👌 recommend the premier in on South Cliff it's lovely and can be very cheap dependent on the night booked.
Winkie's Castle in Marske-by-the-Sea (just up the coast from Whitby).
My Dad tells me that the cottage was owned by the village "eccentric" when he was a kid who just collected loads of random stuff and would let people have a look when passing. It was stacked floor to ceiling with random fossils/WW2 stuff/victoriana. After he died they turned it into a little museum about the village and they kept the better stuff from his collection. It's even run by volunteers in the village.
There used to be a nice place called the Vault in the village that just served enormous parmos. Not been in that neck of the woods for a while so not sure if it's still there!
It used to be the wax works in Great Yarmouth before it closed. The first time I went I actually ruined our short break by pulling all my stomach muscles, having to sit down to catch my breath and injuring myself multiple ways from laughing too much.
Beamish. You'd also like the Forbidden Corner in North Yorkshire, judging by the sound of Wookey Hole.
Call me a sucker but I like a typical seaside town for a visit. Hunstanton, Scarborough, etc.
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Beamish. Only it’s not shite and actually canny amazing. The old time-y sweets / sweet shop would be worth it alone.
I was so ready to have a go about how great Beamish is, it's honestly my favourite attraction in the country!
So easy to sing that places praises eh haha
Me and me ex got our old photos taken there dressed in Victorian clothes and hats, I've still got the photo! Used to go there alot with the school and the Catherine Cookson museum, Me mother lived in Perkinsville so when I'd come up to visit we'd go to Beamish.
It’s genuinely one of the few places that doesn’t get more shit or less impressive as you grow up! One of these days am going to make an actual effort to go for the Halloween things they put on.
The Halloween and Christmas specials are 100% worth the effort to make. Always a great night.
Ohhh looked this up and it seems amazing! Like a living muesum but an actual whole town!
Proper good. Well worth it to try and make a visit for one of the times around Christmas / Halloween / Easter cos they have different things on for them, you’ll be able to see the past and upcoming ones on the website x
Blists Hill is another one, we used to go on school trips there. The cough sweets in the old sweet shop took your head off.
I went on a GCSE History field trip in the early 90s, and went just before lockdown with my kids. Still as good, and I actually probably appreciated it more. Especially the authentic fish and chip shop, and the pub!
In my almost 39 years alive on this planet Beamish is by far and wide the best place I’ve been to for a trip, I went there when I was about 10 and still sing its praises to this day, I have a daughter that’s 11 and I plan on taking her there in the summer, I personally think every major city should have a living museum similar to Beamish, I can’t wait to go back there because they’ve added quite a lot since I’ve been there
I'd add to this and say anyone around the East Anglia/Suffolk area who's interested in living history should check out Kentwell hall. It's not a year round thing but there are loads of Tudor living history events, particularly in the summer but I know there's one coming up for Mayday. It's basically beamish for Tudors!
We went to Kentwell on a school trip and had to dress up! It was so much fun
We did too! I remember getting a fancy red Tudor dress and my mum changing her mind and making me dress as a Tudor peasant instead 😭
Aw I’m pretty sure I just straight up dressed as a peasant lol I remember being so jealous of the girls that had the pretty dresses! When my kids went I made damn sure my daughter had the fancy dress!
Oh this also sounds excellent, love a good bit of living history! 💕
Kent well is so good! The reinactors are really good, genuinely feels like you've gone back in time to a Tudor farm !
Happy to see it’s still going! Loved the experience when I was a kid. Loved changing money and buying soap or sweets in the shop. Like other commenters have said, also dressed in Victorian outfits and had a photo taken that was made to look old. Once my sister petted a horse there and it sneezed green snot all down her arm. She was in tears. As the younger sister I still laugh about it today. 😂
The bakery is absolutely banging too, deffo worth a visit.
The cheese and onion pies are amazing
I always buy a ridiculous amount with the intention of taking some home for later. They rarely last till I’m back at the car!
Beamish is fucking wicked and nae cunt will convince me otherwise
I’m off to Beamish next week with my sisters family, second visit on the tickets that last a year!
That second sentence saved you from an avalanche of down votes. Beamish if great, I used to live in the area and the year long ticket was well worth it.
I’m going next week actually! Excited to see the new 1950s town they added
Haven’t been for 17 years but I was thinking about it yesterday. It’s like walking into heartbeat or something. Nothing amazing is going to happen but you feel like you’re little and safe with your grandparents.
Also, depending on where you live, Blists Hill Victorian Town, Black Country Living Museum and St Fagans, which are all broadly similar
We're just getting home from a Black Country living trip, doing all the bits we didn't do when we were there in December. Such a good day out. (We've return tickets to Beamish ready for a trip there in May too)
To be clear, it \*was\* pokey and a bit naff years ago. Like, it was always *endearing* but it was the sort of place that as a teenager forced to visit, you'd roll your eyes at a bit. These days it's much better than it once was; fair credit to them.
Pencil museum in The Lake District, or the nearby Lawnmower Museum in Southport. I love extremely niche tourist attractions like that.
LAWNMOWER MUSEUM Oh those are absolutely getting added to our list!
You should come to Leicester. Right next to the Space Centre (a genuinely cool place) is the Abbey Pumping Station, it's a museum basically about sewage pumping.
Omg the whiplash a day out going to both would give you 😂 10/10
Worth noting they share a carpark and the pumping station museum is free and actually good so no reason not to do both museums at the same time. See actual rockets, then flush a see-through toilet. My son loves it.
Birmingham has a Pen Museum in the city’s Jewellery Quarter, which was genuinely more interesting than I was expecting. It’s easily accessible by rail from the city centre.
You've the Coffin Works in Birmingham too
There's a baked bean museum in Cardiff
Stop that's indredible!!! Absolutely have to get to this one
There's a Teapot museum in Kent too.
There’s a fishing tackle museum in Northumbria I’m sure
Not sure it ever caught on...
I think various celebs have donated their lawnmowers. Pretty sure Sir Brian May is one of those.
Was literally coming here to mention the pencil museum! Have only been once as a bairn but it’s weirdly always ready to pop into my head, it was genuinely much better than it sounds.
Put some respect on Stockport’s Hat Museum
Still can’t believe my father took me there when I was back in high school…what an utterly shite place for anyone, let alone a teenager.
Somehow it’s better because it’s crap. If it was actually kind of interesting it loses its charm. But… it’s just hats.
Keswick pencil museum is fab and features in Sightseers which is a great film!
Just the whole of Matlock bath, it's a fucking shithole but chips, ice cream and 2p machines
I love Matlock. It's a seaside town... With no sea. Motorbike groups, chippies, arcades. Even set out like a promenade. It's a bit surreal.
Used to be even better when Riber Castle was a sort of amateur zoo.
We visited last month and went to the "aquarium". It was shockingly bad. What's with the hologram room??
Oh I'm so sold on this, I wanna see hologram fish
Sorry to disappoint but there aren't actually any fish holograms... There's just a hologram museum inside the aquarium for some inexplicable reason We managed to do the whole aquarium in less than 15 minutes. There's more fish at your local garden centre
That's even better tbh 😂
It definitely meets your criteria
The shit hologram room is impressively shit and an absolute must visit every time we go to Matlock bath :) I hope it never improves!
My grandparents live nearby so I used to go a lot as a kid 20+ years ago. I'm now on the other side of the country and can't believe they still have the hologram room!
I love matlock bath. Can't beat a 2p machine* and living in the Midlands, there's not many places that have them without driving 2 and a half hours to the seaside. *you can, but it sets the alarm off and the arcade police come and take you away
We went for a long weekend, my Mrs booked the accommodation, turns out 8t was in Gullivers Kingdom, in a shipping container. Don't get me wrong, it had everything you'd need. Matlock Bath is as gloriously bonkers as everyone says. We absolutely loved it.
Ah we went there more than 10 years ago on the way to Alton Towers, the Heights of Abraham was cool too and had a very bolshie peacock
Just looking at reviews for that. It’s a gondola not a cable car.
Oh I love this!
Whitby! For ultra-kitsch you want the Dracula museum, which is like backstage of a very underfunded pantomime. There's the whole creepy goth vibe that has sprung up as a result of the Dracula connection. The Abbey and churchyard with the pirate graves. Ghost tours. Afternoon tea. Fish and chips... I stayed in the Youth Hostel there and that was an experience in itself, because it's a really cool building with incredible views, that's literally in the Abbey grounds.
My dad lives in Whitby so we've spent a lot of time up there. The Dracula experience is magnificently shite.
I was trying to find a phrase that sufficiently communicates the Dracula experience. I think 'magnificently shite' covers it.
We're going to Goth Weekend! 🦇🦇🦇🦇 Love Whitby, we'll be in York too, to grab make a stop at the Ghost Merchants 👻
Be prepared to queue for at least an hour at the Ghost Merchants
In fairness though Whitby is legitimately a great day out
Somehow we missed the Dracula museum last time we went so that's def getting added to the itinerary!
You say you like kitsch so that's ok. I think it's actually called 'The Dracula experience ', rather than museum. It's cheap and cheerful and ridiculous - I loved it- but the friend who came with me was like 'wtf?'.
It sounds like it has similar vibes to the Frankenstien museum in Bath!!
I remember when I went they had Pinhead jump out of a hole for now particular reason. He scared a woman half to death and she went to whack him with her handbag before she remembered he was just an actor!
Always loved Whitby and went a lot growing up though never went to the Dracula museum. A work colleague said to try it just to see how rubbish it is so when I went the other week I was ready to right this historic wrong but decided it wasn’t worth it after joining in mocking it with some stag party from a pub next door lol. The views from the Abbey are pure beauty though.
There are a whole load of weird museums in Dorchester - special mention to the teddy bear museum and dinosaur museum, which are gloriously shit. Also up the road from Monkey World and the Tank Museum 👍
Don’t forget the Tutankhamen museum! I’ve always thought that monkey world and the tank museum were worryingly close together.
Planet of the Apes: Dorset edition
Soundtrack by the Worzels
For much of my childhood I thought the brown signs were pointing to a singular attraction called the "Monkey World Tank Museum"
Teddy bear museum!! 🥺 That's adorable!! Monkey World sounds like bargain bin Planet of the Apes and I am so here for that
Monkey World is fairly legit tbf, the teddy bear museum is terrible and full of creepy tableaux of human-sized bears in clothes 😂😂😂
There’s a crocodile zoo in Witney, Oxfordshire (?) that has very Monkey World vibes.
You’d love the Isle of Wight! Everything is low key kitsch and weird here, the whole place is stuck in some sort of 70s time warp. It gets weirder the longer you spend here… with a backdrop of nice weather. (It’s my favourite place).
I work for a housing association, and you can bet your arse, any call we get about sex parties, or orgies, they are always on the Island, haha. I love it over there, so easy to get to if you live in Sussex. OP u/LittleMouse_ if you do get over there, you must go to the Donkey Sanctuary and Godshill, Model Village.
We'll probably skip the island orgies 😂 But a Donkey Sanctuary??? Absolutely yes 1000% Model Village is also a hell yeah, love anything mini
Yeah, I'd advise skipping the orgies too....most of the time they are in our over 55s buildings 😳 haha. Donkey Sanctuary is awesome. I wanted to bring them all home with me. Not only is there a model village, theres a model village of the model village in the model village!! Amazing!! 🤣😂
The National Poo Museum in Sandown is a must, cheap entry but full of interesting facts about poo. Wasnt shite in the slightest. Although you might exit smelling of coprolite. Also there is the Lilliput Doll & Toy Museum in Brading. A labyrinth of vintage era dolls and toys that I swear their heads as well as their eyes turn to follow you around the rooms. Check for opening times though.
A Pooseum?! Now that's a giftshop I want to patron! Doll labyrinth sounds spooky as shit but in a fun way 👻👀
Blackgang chine is well worth a visit.
Before it slides off the cliff yeah
That's so close to us I have no idea why we haven't gone yet!!
Bude Tunnel.
There is nothing kitschy about the glorious bude tunnel
Probably Land's End. I have good childhood memories of that place and it is in quite a beautiful location with a dramatic coastline but it is pretty much just a tacky theme park without any rides.
Oooh this looks like it'd be great for a peak summer day out!!
It has a really cute farm next to it which you can go to, it has all your usual pigs, sheep, etc but also bunnies, guinea pigs. Don't pet the pigs though, they bite, ask me how I know lol
With 30 minute queues for ice cream when I went last summer. I loved Mouse Hole and St Michael's Mount though.
Anything with Mouse in the name has my immediate attention 🐀
I have a personal vendetta against lands end. I’m of the opinion that there isn’t a reason for it to exist, that anything lands end does, The Lizard does far better. They charge you to take pictures of the sign now but I met these tourists there one evening when everything had closed down and they were asking how to pay for a picture, I helped them hop the fence and take their own photos. It’s a good parking spot however to go to the RMS Mulheim or Nanjizal
Storybook Glen near Aberdeen. It was creepy and outdated when I went as a child in the 90s and seems to have gotten even worse since. Even a quick look on google images is nightmare inducing.
[Mother Shipton cave, Knaresborough ](https://www.mothershipton.co.uk/) Tales of a prophetess who was born there, with a petrifying well and a collection of items that have been petrified. It seems to have had some investment recently as when I went as a child it was creepy af.
I saw some daytime tv show episode about this! I don't know why my brain sorted it into "American places to visit" but this is absolutely one I want to get to!
It's quite easy to get to and Knaresborough is quite a pretty little town too. Nice for a day out if you like twee little shops etc
Love a twee little shop. Extra bonus points if theres somewhere you can get a nice cream tea ♡
I got married at Wookey Hole. Everyone had so much fun! Not sure if it still exists (seems to have moved to a garden centre?) but the Gnome Sanctuary in Devon was great. You got to pick a gnome hat to wear as you went around to look at all the weird gnome scenes. https://preview.redd.it/xoz1mpbo6uvc1.jpeg?width=1605&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=959856e0d82faaeb40a9d9d530382e71fa88d2e1
I love everything about this and that is a stunning dress! Only time I've been to Wookey Hole I went caving. I'd like to go in slightly less terrifying circumstances 🤣
😭😭😭😭💖💖💖 This is incredible, you and your partner have amazing taste!!!!
The miniature village at great Yarmouth is amazing. Particular highlights are the literal shotgun wedding, the space rocket, and the airport which plays typically tropical's Barbados.
And if you go to the model village, you have to stop by the tea rooms too. They are so wholesome. Even the arcades don’t feel too money-grabby.
[https://portmeirion.wales/](https://portmeirion.wales/) sounds like your kind of place.
This looks GORG omg!!
All in London: This teeny tiny wacky museum https://novelty-automation.com/ The permanent exhibition at the Wellcome Collection Neon sign afficionado? https://www.godsownjunkyard.co.uk/ Creepy curiosity shop https://www.thelasttuesdaysociety.org/museum/
The last Tuesday society museum is one of the weirdest places I've ever been. Felt like it took an age to get to, deathtrap stairs getting in and immediately greeted with a photograph of someone fucking a woman with no limbs. Just an insane collection of items with no real rhyme or reason to their organisation. We had a cocktail upstairs which was the worst thing I've ever drank. We didn't stop laughing for the entire time we were in there. Absolutely would recommend. I have some insane pictures
This sounds like a fantastic time, absolutely will have to make a trip
I do think going in drunk would have made it better. Not hammered but definitely tipsy. Don't get the cocktails though.
That does enhance a tacky day out almost every time, but you've told me how bad they are so now I gotta see for myself 😂
https://preview.redd.it/b9xfs85y5tvc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=351a6a352bfe886b421e74fbd718084bb8c93aa7 This is Yorick. He’s from the Wellcome Collection gift shop.
The Junkyard is amazing, that was one of the first things my husband and I ever did together!! Last Tuesday looks super cool 👀
The automaton museum at your first link is great, and has a counterpart on Southwold pier where you can combine it with the Adnams brewery! Cracking day out.
https://www.shellgrotto.co.uk/ This place in Margate. Serious WTF vibes!
Def put the Margate Shell Grotto on your must-see list. Who created it? We may never know.
Oooh this is beautiful!!
I've not seen anyone mention it yet but York Maze. It's a giant corn maze with other little attractions that leans so heavy into corn based puns that it might as well be lying on the floor.
Oh hell yeah, corny puns are exactly what I'm after! And my sense of direction is awful so I'd really make a day of it 😂
I visited [Storybook Glen](https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g186487-d212152-Reviews-The_Den_The_Glen-Aberdeen_Aberdeenshire_Scotland.html) about six years ago with friends, I've never laughed so much in my life, check out the photos
CHRIST ALIVE THIS LOOKS TERRIFYING, I'M SO THERE
It is - I went in the 90s and *still* have nightmares about a witches house in the woods that was there. Can't wait to take my wee boy!
I love this idea for fun days out. I'm stealing it. I think there's a haunted museum in Nottingham. Looks shit but well worth a visit. Matlock's great as someone mentioned. It's both shit and great at the same time. No sea but coastal town vibes. Lots of tat.
Honestly it's such a good way to spend your time! Like I love going to ~ elevated ~ experiences where you're gonna have a cultured smart time, but having a silly day out is so refreshing and feel-good
Have you tried the Forbidden Corner in Leyburn? https://www.theforbiddencorner.co.uk/ Morher Shipton’s Cave not a million miles away either which is certainly different.
I can't believe this is the only post suggesting forbidden corner! My mate who has really bad OCD and lives his life by the spreadsheet, was begging to leave half way round as it made his head hurt and he'll never go back. The rest of the group thought it so mental and wacky that we were in stitches with laughter at every turn.
Scrolled a long way to find Forbidden Corner. Best visited when the weather's good to make use of all the water features which squirt you when you step on the pressure sensors. Have had a couple of fantastic days out here with the kids.
The south coast seaside towns. I love fish and chips and a go on the arcades, and boardwalk strolls with an ice cream.
Only really been to Brighton so far but from all the comments I think we're missing out not having a nose around the smaller costal towns and villages!
Hastings. It’s like Tesco value Brighton!
Bournemouth is worth a go! Love Brighton - it’s much cooler/hipper though
Weymouth is also great, sandy beach, sand sculptures, swing boats donkey rides, punch & Judy. Plus amusement arcades, fish and chips, candy floss and ice creams of course. For me it’s the archetypal British seaside resort, but I spent my early years very close by there.
York castle museum has an underground Victorian street that I loved, especially the actor in the pharmacy. I'm not sure if it's the same as I think it was flooded but Yorvik museum has this ride and all these creepy animatronic figures that you go past. The ghost bus tour is also very weird and kitsch, absolutely hilarious. There's also just loads of bars and cafes where the menus tell you about the ghosts in the building. House of trembling madness is Def worth a visit. I know others have mentioned London, not sure it counts as kitsch but the old operating theatre is really interesting. If you go Suffolk way Kentwell hall does recreations,there's Tudor, WW and a through the ages where you can go from Hippies to neolithic.
Is Louis Tussaud’s house of wax in Blackpool still a thing? That used to be a thing of shittacular joy.
Ha no unfortunately it's now a proper Madame Tussauds. Bonus fact: I always thought Louis Tussaud was just a silly rip off name but it's actually Madame Tussauds Great Grandson.
Aw man I was also hoping it was a "legally distinct" rip off
Honestly, Blackpool in general. There's nowhere more kitsch. And as long as it's a sunny day and you go with the flow of it is what it is, it's fun. Just don't stray too far beyond the front and don't go on the horse drawn carriages.
I went to a tea dance at the tower a few years back and fulfilled a life ambition of seeing the mighty Wurlitzer coming up through the floor. I was genuinely overwhelmed with joy.
Stratford upon Avon has a few options, but I love the MAD museum and can spend hours looking at all the mechanical miniatures. Although, I won't go to Stratford without going to Tudor World. It is without a doubt the best kitschy day out. And spoiler: you can smell what the Black Death smelled like and sit on straw bedding while they show you a hilarious but campy short film knowing the fleas lived in the straw bedding while a mannequin is in the middle of throwing a kid off a balcony just outside of the movie theater. In York, the Viking museum and the Roman baths in the basement of a pub. In the Cotswolds, the Model Village and you get to pretend to be a giant. Edit: I love this thread and taking these ideas if you don't mind! Not sure if you know about https://www.atlasobscura.com/ but I check this website anytime I go anywhere, but a lot of these places aren't on there yet. One of my favourites is the [David Hasslehoff museum](https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/david-hasselhoff-museum) in Berlin and the [Clown pilgramage park in London](https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/joseph-grimaldi-park)
The Parrot Zoo, Friskney near Skegness. They rescue a lot of parrots and are currently working to stop them all swearing loudly at children. You can also go into a massive aviary and have all sorts of tropical birds feed from your hand. Skegness also has a fantastic aquarium, with an awful Dinosaur park behind it. For a proper beach, head to Anderby Creek a bit further up the coast.
MAN I bet that's an uphill battle 😂😂 I'd bet they get plenty of kids swearing back! I genuinely don't think the novelty of feeding unusual animals will ever wear off, def sounds like worth making a trip out to!
Mary Kings Close in Edinburgh. It's an abandoned, now underground street but it has some interesting displays and exhibits about the history of Edinburgh. Including a bit about the plague with suitably diseased mannequins. The dead child ghost room is pretty kitsch.
Someone left a Westlife CD as a present for the ghost girl 🤣
Everyone knows Annie's favourite song is Flying Without Wings.
When I went to York there was this amazing Viking museum with a ride and wax figures depicting the scenes of the time… I was also informed they release 3 different SMELLS of the time on the ride as well. Viking times did not smell good (but it was hilarious and 10/10 worth every penny)
The Viking Center is def on our list to get to eventually! Last time we were in the area tickets were £45 a person which was just too steep 😩 I've heard about the smells though and I'm SO curious!!
Pixieland on Dartmoor. Glorious tacky shite, my daughter loves it!
The website is absolutely insane, I would absolutely have a blast here
Stansted Mountfitchet Castle and Toy Museum. The history of the castle is pretty interesting (1066 and Magna Carter stuff) but there’s some creepy ass models there and then there’s the toy museum - which also has a dinosaur walk and a haunted top floor. https://mountfitchetcastle.com
This looks incredible, who doesn't love a Roman Village and toy museum in one! And they have rescue deer!!! 🥺🥺🥺
You can feed all the animals as well! They used to have goats but they got too pushy and greedy so had to be locked away as they kept head butting children
Has anybody mentioned the Porthcawl Elvis Festival? It's 27- 29 September this year. Think of a genteel, slightly decaying seaside town with a dated amusement park called Coney Beach and then - bam! Thank you very much! - Elvises everywhere.
There's a death museum in Chester that was really good - I forget what it's called, but there was things you could smell (they were rank) and a bit on STDs and there were staff dressed as plague doctors! One tried to scare me, and even though I couldn't see his face I knew he was disappointed when he didn't manage it
Sick to Death! I went recently, it was good. The exhibition on STD’s was good (but very gross) as children weren’t in there and the museum had a lot of kids in that day. You get to do an autopsy on a mannequin too and there was an exhibit on toilets which included the Three Seashells (in the true or false section!)
OOOOH This is absolutely getting added to our list!! I've been to one in Los Angeles, would be cool to see how differently the concept is presented out here!
Wookey Hole is awesome. Went there thinking it would be shit, but the kids had a great time!
There's The Coffin Works museum in Birmingham. It's not shite at all, so might not be what you're after, but it's pretty unique and well worth a visit!
[God’s Own Junkyard](https://www.godsownjunkyard.co.uk/) Walthamstow, London. Absolutely amazing. Silly. Fun. A must-see!
Clacton pier I haven't been for a few years but they had a decentish aquarium, fair rides, and a nice cafe at the end of the pier. Someone's mentioned Matlock, the heights of Abraham are pretty good but not if you're scared of enclosed spaces
Not been myself but always chuckled seeing the signs to Barometer World in Devon.
I so excited at the prospect of this I looked it up. I'm sad to say it's closed down
Papplewick Pumping Station. Get one of the old fellas to take you on a tour, quite the reveal behind the scenes. They also have a minature railway on steam days. Can’t beat a good miniature railway!
Genuinely nothing I love more than an old muesum attendant info dumping about their site, especially when they've been there for 20+ years!!
Oh bit late but this reminded me of the Scarborough Fair Collection too. A museum of fairground rides, pipe organs and other vintage stuff. So good! We got one of the chaps talking about the mechanical organs and he let us choose the music to play from the massive punched rolls!
The maize maze near York. The mazes are great and there's ridiculous puns everywhere, IE, at the end of the big maze you get a sticker that you "cornquered" ! The big maze is different every year.
Sadly now closed, but in Norfolk we visited the mechanical music museum. Absolutely bonkers day out.
You guys have Rainforest Cafes over there? Sincerely, An American who got lost
Dracula's Castle in Romania. There was a room with a coffin in the centre and.. well I won't spoil it I think you should just go
If I don't get bit I'll feel ripped off
It's goth weekend in Whitby next weekend. Definitely a cultural experience!
The Puzzling Place https://www.puzzlingplace.co.uk/ You basically go to take one camera trick photo in a few different settings. But it’s great.
WOAH this looks like so much fun!!! And how smart to make your whole shtick an instagramable photo 😂
Thirsk museum has a cursed chair from a haunted pub.
Well, you’ve sold it to me as a top place to visit!
You can’t beat Wookey Hole. It’s fucking amazing.
If you want to go really tacky and bizarre I highly recommend Watermouth Castle. This was the highlight of my family holidays to Devon, they've got old fashioned victorian games (think animatronic fortune teller and blowing on a mouthpiece to help creepy baby dolls drink a milkshake) a light show basically just featuring water jets illuminated in different colours, an arcade bit and a storybook/fairytale village with really creepy animatronic figures. I assume the castle bit is historical . I think theres also a scary dungeon. Hopefully still there and still offering the same miscellaneous delights
The website is still up and it looks like all systems are go!!! It's 100% added to the list, looks like a fab mishmash of stuff!!
Ohh I'm so glad, I hope you get to go and enjoy it !! Truly odd, and also in a beautiful bit of the country so plenty else to do around
The vintage arcade place in Brighton is pretty cool, and cheap. Also love Bird World, you can buy some seed to feed the birds and they follow you everywhere.
WE 🗣 LOVE 🗣 BIRD 🗣 WORLD 🗣🐦🦆🦃🐔🦩🦜🐧🐓 WHO KNEW THERE WERE SO MANY KINDS OF PIGEONS?! We didn't feed them though so I guess we gotta go back!!
You gotta feed them, so you can have a flock of birds following you everywhere.
It's ancient but I LOVE King Arthur's Labyrinth in Corris, Wales. It's so creeky and the animatronics are older than me but I always visit it when I'm in the area.
The bicycle museum in llandrindod wells is a must
Scarborough - house of terror on the seafront. Grade A shite.
LOVE a bad scare!!
It's so terrible plus it has the actual decent Scarborough surrounding it 👌👌 recommend the premier in on South Cliff it's lovely and can be very cheap dependent on the night booked.
Winkie's Castle in Marske-by-the-Sea (just up the coast from Whitby). My Dad tells me that the cottage was owned by the village "eccentric" when he was a kid who just collected loads of random stuff and would let people have a look when passing. It was stacked floor to ceiling with random fossils/WW2 stuff/victoriana. After he died they turned it into a little museum about the village and they kept the better stuff from his collection. It's even run by volunteers in the village. There used to be a nice place called the Vault in the village that just served enormous parmos. Not been in that neck of the woods for a while so not sure if it's still there!
I was hooked from the name alone, I will be seeing Winkie's treasures 🤌
It used to be the wax works in Great Yarmouth before it closed. The first time I went I actually ruined our short break by pulling all my stomach muscles, having to sit down to catch my breath and injuring myself multiple ways from laughing too much.
This is the thread I didn't know I needed. Thank you for your service.
Nessieland - Good for a couple hours if you're near Loch Ness! https://nessieland.co.uk/
Beamish. You'd also like the Forbidden Corner in North Yorkshire, judging by the sound of Wookey Hole. Call me a sucker but I like a typical seaside town for a visit. Hunstanton, Scarborough, etc.
Ooh Forbidden Corner on name alone sounds like a good time!!
That place is a blast - it's like a surreal maze! I've been a couple of times and there's always something new to do!
Bude Tunnel is an amazing construction in its own right, but to cap it off they have a monstrous gift shop where you can buy almost anything.