North Warwickshire Museum and Hub

The North Warwickshire Museum and Hub sits in Atherstone, a proper little market town that's seen better days but still has character. Inside, you'll find the kind of local history that actually matters - Roman artefacts, medieval bits, industrial heritage from when the town's hatting trade was booming. It's not flashy, but that's rather the point.

This is fundamentally a place for people who care about how ordinary places came to be. Industrial historians will spend a good couple of hours here. Families with young kids might manage 45 minutes before restlessness sets in, unless your children have an unusual passion for Victorian domestic life. School groups tend to find it useful rather than thrilling.

You'll get the most from it if you've got roots in the area or you're genuinely interested in East Midlands industrial and social history. The staff usually know their stuff and will chat about specific periods if you ask.

If you're based at one of the caravan parks nearby - Atherstone Stables is closest at just over a mile away - this works well as a rainy-day activity. Nightingales Rustic Camping and Bosworth Lakeside Lodges give you more countryside feel while staying within striking distance. Allow an hour or two depending on your patience for local history. Check ahead about opening hours and admission fees, as details weren't readily available.