Somerset Space Walk - Mars

A scaled model of Mars sits in a Somerset gallery, and honestly, it's the sort of thing that makes you stop mid-morning coffee and actually look at something properly. The Somerset Space Walk presents the planets in miniature, a working model that lets you see how the solar system actually fits together rather than just reading about it on a poster.

It's fundamentally a hands-on space education setup - the kind of place where kids genuinely engage rather than shuffle past tired displays. You're walking through the solar system at human scale, which gives proper perspective on just how bonkers the distances are. Mars, naturally, is the centrepiece, rendered with enough detail to make a space enthusiast happy without losing younger visitors.

Allow an hour, maybe ninety minutes if you're methodical. Families with primary-age children will get the most from this - secondary kids might find it a touch basic unless they're genuinely keen on astronomy. Admission details aren't immediately clear from the data, so phone ahead before you go.

If you're based at one of the nearby parks - Thornhills is closest at just over five miles away, while Secret Valley or Ashe Farm Caravan and Camping Site offer alternatives within five miles - this works well as a wet-weather backup or an afternoon activity when the Somerset Levels feel too flat even for you. Taunton's less than five miles off, so it's convenient enough, though I wouldn't say it justifies a special trip on its own.