Ipswich Museum

You'll find yourself in a proper Victorian mansion on High Street in central Ipswich, surrounded by galleries that span everything from Anglo-Saxon gold to contemporary art. The museum's real strength is its local archaeology - the Mildenhall Treasure gets the headlines, but it's the smaller finds that genuinely grip you. Roman coins, Saxon jewellery, medieval pottery. The sort of objects that make you think about the people who actually lived here centuries ago.

History enthusiasts will spend a solid two hours working through the collections. Families with younger kids might get restless after ninety minutes unless they're seriously into artefacts. The art galleries are decent enough - nothing that'll blow your mind, but worthwhile if you're in town anyway. There's usually a changing exhibition or two, which keeps things fresh.

It's free entry, which means you've got no excuse not to call in. The building itself is pleasant, and High Street has proper cafes and shops nearby if you want to make an afternoon of it. If you're based at Priory Park just down the road, or camping at one of the Suffolk sites like Wheathill or Cosy Camping, it's exactly the sort of rainy-day activity that breaks up a week outdoors. Won't revolutionise your holiday, but it's well worth the hour it takes to get round properly.