DNA Double Helix

The DNA Double Helix gallery sits in Cambridge, a city that's basically built on scientific discovery, so it's fitting that someone's decided to dedicate space to the molecule that changed everything. You're looking at an exhibition focused on the structure that Watson, Crick and Franklin cracked open in the 1950s - the actual science of how life works at the molecular level.

What you get is a hands-on experience with models, interactive displays, and the kind of explanations that actually make sense without a PhD in biochemistry. It's the sort of place where kids stop asking "are we there yet" because they're suddenly fascinated by something that used to bore them rigid. Adults who studied this stuff at school find it oddly satisfying to see it explained clearly for once. History types will appreciate the context around one of science's biggest breakthroughs.

The opening hours and admission fees aren't widely advertised, so ring ahead or check when you're planning a Cambridge visit. Allow a couple of hours if you're the sort to read everything; ninety minutes if you're moving briskly. It's not a full day's activity on its own, but it pairs well with exploring Cambridge's colleges and the Fitzwilliam Museum.

If you're basing yourself at Cambridge Camping and Caravanning Club Site or one of the other parks dotted around the city - Cherry Hinton's closest - this makes a solid rainy afternoon or a break from walking the Backs. Not essential, but genuinely interesting if molecular biology doesn't put you to sleep.