The Museum of Computing

Computing history doesn't sound thrilling until you're standing in front of an actual Enigma machine or watching a 1970s mainframe the size of a garden shed. The Museum of Computing, tucked away near Botswicky Copse in Wiltshire, is surprisingly absorbing - even if you spent your childhood on Spectrum games rather than studying circuit boards.

You'll wander through decades of hardware, from room-filling calculators to the first personal computers that actually fit on a desk. The machines themselves are the draw here - seeing the actual technology rather than reading about it makes the evolution from punch cards to modern chips genuinely interesting. Most visitors spend two to three hours poking about, though tech enthusiasts could easily spend longer.

It's strongest for anyone who remembers owning a Commodore 64 or BBC Micro, or who's curious how we went from room-sized computers to smartphones. Kids tend to get it - they grasp the contrast between what their parents carried around and what fits in a pocket now. Families with teenagers studying computer science will find it worthwhile.

The location near Botswicky Copse works well as a morning stop on a park holiday. Nordic Glamping at Botswicky is just five miles away, so it's an easy detour that doesn't eat the whole day. Best to check opening hours before you visit - these smaller museums can be patchy - and find out if there's an entry fee. Worth ringing ahead rather than turning up to a closed door.