The Beaney House of Art & Knowledge

Canterbury's Beaney House sits right in the heart of the city, and it's exactly the kind of place that rewards a rainy afternoon or a few hours between other activities. The building itself - a Victorian red-brick affair - is worth the visit alone, but inside you'll find a proper mixed bag of art, local history, and natural history collections spread across three floors.

You're looking at everything from medieval manuscripts to contemporary paintings, plus exhibits on Canterbury's role in English history. The ground floor opens up with the library, which is genuinely pleasant to wander through even if you're not after a specific book. Upstairs, the galleries rotate their shows, so what you see depends on when you visit - sometimes it's local artists, sometimes it's touring exhibitions from bigger institutions.

The place works best for families with older kids or anyone with a genuine interest in Kent's past. Younger children might find it a bit dry after thirty minutes, unless there's a hands-on activity on. Adults after some peace and quiet will appreciate it more. Allow two to three hours if you're thorough, or an hour if you're just dipping in.

Admission's free, which helps justify the detour if you're based at Canterbury Camping and Caravanning Club Campsite or Canterbury Lodges and Glamping nearby. It's dead central - you can easily combine it with a walk around the cathedral or a proper lunch in town. Beats sitting in the caravan when the weather turns.