Take Shelter at Downs Junior School

The Second World War Anderson shelter tucked away at Downs Junior School in Brighton is a proper piece of social history that most visitors walk straight past. This is the real thing - a corrugated iron and concrete dugout that families would have huddled into during the Blitz, now preserved exactly as it was. You get a genuine sense of the cramped, damp reality of air raid protection, not some romanticised museum recreation.

It's genuinely valuable for anyone with a genuine interest in wartime Britain, though I'll be honest - there's not masses to see or do. You're looking at twenty minutes max, possibly less depending on how long you stand around reading the information boards. Kids might find it interesting if they're studying the period at school, but don't expect them to be gripped. The tight quarters and gloomy atmosphere is more unsettling than thrilling for younger visitors.

Access details aren't always straightforward - opening hours and admission policies seem to vary, so it's worth ringing ahead before making the trip. If you're camping nearby at Pegs and Pitches or Brighton Caravan Club, it's close enough for a quick morning visit. Combine it with a proper explore of Brighton's seafront or the South Downs to make a proper day of it. Worth the detour if wartime heritage genuinely interests you, but don't expect it to anchor your holiday plans.