The Fitzwilliam Museum

You walk up Trumpington Street in Cambridge and suddenly the columns appear - proper grand, those neoclassical porticos. The Fitzwilliam Museum is free, which still catches people off guard. No entry charge, no strings, just one of the finest art collections in the country sitting there waiting for you.

Inside, it's genuinely overwhelming in the best way. Egyptian mummies, medieval manuscripts, paintings by Monet and Rembrandt, ancient Greek pottery - the collection jumps about chronologically and geographically without apology. You could spend two hours grazing the highlights or lose an entire day if you're properly into it. Most visitors allow three to four hours and still feel they've skimmed the surface.

Historians and art types will be in heaven. Children under ten might find it heavy going after an hour unless you're selective about which galleries to tackle. Families visiting nearby parks like Highfield Farm or Gayton Farm will find it's an excellent rainy-day option, just 20 minutes' drive away.

It's not flashy or Instagram-friendly in the way modern museums have become - no interactive gimmicks, no oversized installations. Just centuries of serious collecting presented straightforwardly. The building itself, designed by George Basevi, feels appropriately important without being stuffy. The sculpture court is particularly lovely if the light's decent.

Go mid-week if you can. Weekends get busy but it's never heaving. Check opening hours before you visit - they're occasionally closed for special events. Allow time to wander Cambridge properly afterwards; you'll want a coffee and a college walk to digest what you've seen.