The Beaney House of Art and Knowledge

Walk into Canterbury's high street and you'll find yourself in a Victorian building that's been given a proper modern makeover. The Beaney House of Art and Knowledge is one of those rare museums that actually feels alive - part gallery, part library, part community space. Upstairs you get rotating exhibitions of contemporary art and local history; downstairs there's a lending library and café that's genuinely worth lingering in.

The permanent collections focus on Canterbury's medieval past and its role in literature - Chaucer connections, manuscript fragments, that sort of thing. It's engaging without being dry, though if you're after dinosaur skeletons and interactive button-pressing, this won't hold younger kids for more than an hour. Adults who like art, design, or Kent's cultural heritage will find themselves spending a good two to three hours browsing.

Best bit? It's completely free. No donation box guilt, no entry fee. Open Tuesday to Saturday 10am-5pm, Sunday 11am-4pm (closed Mondays). The café is separate - you can pop in without visiting the galleries.

Since Canterbury Camping and Caravanning Club Campsite sits just 1.4 miles away, it's an obvious pairing for a rainy afternoon. The town itself deserves a proper explore - the cathedral, the medieval streets - and The Beaney works perfectly as a break from sightseeing. You've got actual space to sit down with a coffee, which is more than you can say for most museums.