Banbury Museum

The ground floor of Banbury Museum is where you'll spend most of your time, and honestly, it's the better half. Local archaeology, medieval finds, and bits of Roman pottery sit alongside exhibits about the town's weaving trade - not exactly edge-of-your-seat stuff, but well-presented and genuinely interesting if you care about how ordinary people lived in Oxfordshire centuries ago.

Upstairs covers Banbury's more recent past: the famous nursery rhyme connection (yes, that one about the rocking horse), the Civil War siege, industrial heritage. The layout's straightforward enough that you won't get lost, and staff are genuinely helpful without being pushy.

It's free, which removes the sting if you're only here for an hour or so. Families with kids under ten might find the interactive bits engaging, though teenagers will likely want out fairly quickly. History enthusiasts and anyone interested in social history will find more to chew on, especially if you read the longer captions.

Allow 60-90 minutes maximum. The real value comes if you're already in Banbury - near Oxford, decent market town for a wander - rather than making a special trip from Fir Tree Campsite or Newton Grove, both just five miles away. If you're staying at either for a week's holiday, it's a decent rainy-day option that won't eat into your afternoon. Combined with a walk around the town centre or a visit to nearby attractions, it slots in nicely without dominating your itinerary.