George Bidder

The George Bidder gallery sits quietly in Exeter, dedicated to a Victorian polymath whose party trick was doing monumental sums in his head. You won't find crowds here - it's the kind of place where you can actually linger over the exhibits without someone's rucksack in your ribs.

Bidder was a calculating prodigy who toured Europe astounding mathematicians and royalty alike. The gallery charts his unlikely journey from a farm boy in Devon to a celebrated engineer and mental calculator. There are artefacts, period documents, and explanations of how his techniques worked - the sort of thing that'll fascinate anyone genuinely interested in maths, engineering history, or Victorian eccentricity. Children who love puzzles might find it engaging; those expecting flashy interactive displays will be disappointed.

It's free entry, which is brilliant, and you can see everything in an hour or so. The real value comes if you're already in Exeter exploring the cathedral and High Street - it's not worth a dedicated trip across Devon just for this. That said, if you're staying at one of the nearby touring parks like Barley Meadow or Woodland Springs and fancy a rainy-day indoor option, it's perfectly decent.

Go if you're into obscure Victorian characters and want to escape the retail parks. Skip it if you're after thrills or Instagram moments. It's honest, low-key, and unapologetically niche.