East Grinstead Museum

The museum sits right in East Grinstead's town centre, occupying a Victorian building that's seen a fair bit of local history itself. Inside, it's all about the town's past - you'll find everything from medieval artefacts through to exhibits on the railways that transformed the place in the 19th century. The Sackville College connection features heavily, given that it's one of the most significant buildings around here.

It's genuinely worth an hour or so if you're interested in local Surrey history, though I'll be honest - it won't keep you occupied for a full afternoon. Kids might find bits of it engaging, especially anything to do with the old shops and streets, but it's not a "spend the day here" sort of operation. The beauty is that it feeds nicely into a walk around the town itself, which has proper character.

If you're based at one of the nearby parks - Hook Farm Campsite has exceptional reviews and is only 4 miles away - this works as a rainy-day option or a quick cultural pit stop between exploring the Ashdown Forest and wandering around Lingfield just down the road. Free entry would be the draw, though I'd check their current opening hours before making the trip out, as smaller museums can be a bit hit-and-miss with their schedules.