Museum of Classical Archaeology and Faculty of Classics, University of Cambridge

The casts and artifacts crammed into this museum on the university's Sidgwick Avenue site will either fascinate you or leave you cold within twenty minutes. There's no middle ground. What you're looking at is one of the finest collections of classical sculpture replicas outside Italy - hundreds of plaster casts of Greek and Roman originals, arranged chronologically across two floors. The real draw is seeing how these pieces informed Western art and architecture, though you'll need a genuine interest in ancient statuary to make a full afternoon of it.

Students and archaeology enthusiasts will get the most from a visit here. The museum does proper scholarly work, and it shows in the detail on the labels. If you've got kids under ten, they'll likely exhaust the novelty by lunchtime unless they're already hooked on ancient history. The collection is genuinely impressive if you care about it, but it requires effort to engage with.

It's free to visit, which is just as well - admission fees would feel steep. Allow ninety minutes maximum, opening Tuesday to Friday from 10am to 5pm, and Saturday mornings only. They close entirely from Boxing Day through early January, which is worth knowing if you're planning a winter break.

Cambridge itself is the obvious base, with several caravan sites within a few miles - Cherry Hinton and Highfield Farm are your closest options if you're touring with a van. The museum works best as a rainy-day diversion rather than a main event, paired with punting on the Cam or exploring the colleges proper.