Weekends and school holidays are expensive times and entertaining children isn't always fun. Britain offers a great many places where kids and adults can go free, generally countryside, wildlife and nature reserves, lakelands etc. The majority of public sector museums are also free. Be mindful though that despite free entry, car parking can up to £5.00 per car in some car parks, not taking into account those in major cities.

To add to the fun, consider leaving the car at home and look into buses, coaches, trains, river boats and canal boats. As an example a one and a half hour return trip on a narrowboat from Little Venice, Maida Vale to Camden Town market is only £22 for the whole family, it even travels through Regents Park Zoo and includes a tour guide full of interesting information about the canal history and life on a house boat.

There's no need to dine in expensive restaurants and cafes, take a picnic. They are a fraction of the cost, you can enjoy your favourite food and even take your pet! Keep checking here for freebies, free products, sample packs, puzzles and competitions.

South-east of England offers a wide range of visitor attractions to suit everyone. Major attractions in historic towns,cities, counties and regions include; London, Brighton, Cotswolds, Hastings, Oxford, Portsmouth, Tunbridge Wells etc.

www.itstheweekend.org
It's The Weekend is a guide of things to do and places top go. Cinema, Theatre, Shopping, Pampering. Treats, even places where kids and families can go for free!

Cambridgeshire Free Days Out

Fitzwilliam Museum

Outstanding collections of antiquities, fine and decorative arts including European paintings from the middle ages to the present, drawings, prints, sculpture, furniture, fans, coins and medals. Shop and Cafe. Open (except Mondays) all year. Free Admission.

The Fitzwilliam Museum, Trumpington Street, Cambridge CB2 1RB
Tel: 01223 332900 Fax: 01223 332923

Scott Ploar Research Institute Museum

The museum welcomes school and other groups of all ages.

The Scott Polar Research Institute's Museum holds a collection of artifacts, paintings, drawings, photographs (including cinematographic film, lantern slides, and Daguerreotypes), and other material. A proportion of this is exhibited in a private museum on the ground floor which is freely open to persons with an interest in polar regions. A note on admission and group bookings is available from the Curator. As well as the permanent exhibits, the Museum arranges Special Exhibitions regularly and occasionally displays other items of particular interest. Ceiling frieze from the Museum: the Arctic, by Macdonald Gill, 1934 Some display cabinets have books, postcards, posters, and other items which may be purchased from The Museum Shop.

The Museum is open to the public between 2.30-4pm Tuesday to Saturday but is closed for Bank Holiday weekends and occasional other days, e.g. over Christmas. The Museum is closed on Sundays and Mondays.

Scott Polar Research Institute
University of Cambridge
Lensfield Road
Cambridge CB2 1ER

01223 336540

University Museum of Archaeology & Anthropology

Established in 1884, the Museum displays renowned archaeological and anthropological collections from around the world. The ground-floor gallery displays collections of world prehistory and local archaeology; the first-floor gallery offers an historical and geographical display of the social anthropology collection; while on the top floor, special exhibitions reflect current research interests in the Faculty.

Research and teaching remain the primary focus of the Museum which welcomes researchers from all parts of the world to work and study the Museum's extensive collections.

The Museum is located on Downing Street (between Pembroke College and Emmanuel College) in the heart of Cambridge.
The Museum is open to the public, free of charge, from 2:00 to 4:30 Tuesday through Saturday.

Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology
Downing Street
Cambridge, UK
CB2 3DZ
01223-333516

Oxfordshire Free Days Out

Banbury Museum

Visit Banbury Museum where "Hands on" displays tell the stories that have made Banbury famous.

Find out what happened when ...Roundheads beseiged the town, plush cloth was made and exported around the world, World War II came to Banbury

Watch from the Waterways Gallery ...the Oxford Canal pass beneath your feet, boats being repaired in the historic Tooley's Boatyard

Discover treasures never before displayed, costume, spanning four centuries, from baldrics to corsets, a cannon from Banbury Castle, the hangman's gibbet, Victorian toys, a carrier's cart, momentos from the Home Guard

Opening information

Monday to Saturday 9.30am - 5.00pm. Sunday and Bank Holidays 10.30am - 4.30pm
How to find us . Banbury Museum's main entrance is in the Castle Quay Shopping Centre. Follow signs to Castle Quay.

Banbury Museum, Spiceball Park Rd, Banbury, Oxon, OX16 2PQ.. Telephone: 01295 259855

Deddington Castle

The site of Deddington Castle lies to the east of the town and comprises some 8 acres. At the present time it is a grassed-in enclosure surrounded by banks and trees on three sides, and is used as a recreational area for walking dogs and so on. There have been two recent archaeological "digs", one in 1947 and one in 1977. These have uncovered evidence of some Saxon building on the site, but the main evidence, both archaeological and documentary, is of the castle in the eleventh to fourteenth centuries. There was an inner bailey containing a stone hall, a solar and chapel, with a tower on the east side and a gatehouse on the west side giving access to the large outer bailey. Pottery from the 11th to 13th centuries was found on the site.

North Leigh Roman Villa

North Leigh Roman Villa is located in East End, near North Leigh. The Villa is reached via a long track 600 metres or so off the main road. The Villa, built around a large courtyard, was once the home of a wealthy Roman. The remains of the red and brown mosaic, thought to be made by workers from Cirencester, can be clearly seen. The Villa is open to the public every day and there is no admission fee.

The Ashmolean Museum of Art and Archaeology

With the opening of its doors on 24 May 1683, the Ashmolean Museum provided a setting in which the private collection emerged into the public domain. Even the use of the term `Museum' was a novelty in English: a few years later the New World of Words (1706) defined it as `a Study, or Library; also a College, or Publick Place for the Resort of Learned Men', with a specific entry for `Ashmole's Museum', described as `a neat Building in the City of Oxford'.

Admission is Free

Opening Times:Tuesdays to Saturdays: 10am to 5pm, Sundays: 12pm to 5pm (but not the Cast Gallery)
Bank Holidays: 10am to 5pm
Easter openings: 25th & 26th March 10.00 - 5.00; 27th March 12.00 - 5.00; 28th March 10.00 - 5.00.
Summer Evening Openings: During June, July, and August the Museum stays open until 7.00pm on Thursday evenings

Museum Closures: 24th, 25th and 26th December (Christmas) 3rd, 4th and 5th September, 2006 (St. Giles Fair)

The Western Art Print Room will be closed from Good Friday to Easter Monday.

The Museum of the History of Science

The Museum of the History of Science houses an unrivalled collection of historic scientific instruments in the world's oldest surviving purpose-built museum building, the Old Ashmolean on Broad Street, Oxford. By virtue of the collection and the building, the Museum occupies a special position, both in the study of the history of science and in the development of western culture and collecting.

Opening hours are 12 to 4 p.m., Tuesday to Saturday, and 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday.

Admission is free.

Museum of the History of Science,
Broad Street,
Oxford, OX1 3AZ

The Oxford University Museum of Natural History

The Oxford University Museum of Natural History houses the University's scientific collections of zoological, entomological, geological, palaeontological and mineralogical specimens, accumulated in the course of the last three centuries.

The exhibits occupy a large centre court with its elegant cast iron columns supporting the great glass roof, and surrounded on four sides by upper and lower arcades. They are devoted to the history and diversity of life on Earth and the rocks and minerals that form it. What is not on public display are huge reserve collections that are used for research and teaching. These are organised into five Collections: Entomological, Geological, Mineralogical, Palaeontological and Zoological, each one cared for by a Curator and Assistant Curator.

Public information line: 01865 270949

Pitts River Museum

Permanent displays in the Museum are ethnographic and archaeological and include the following:

Pacific island objects, including a magnificent Tahitian mourner's costume, collected during Captain Cook's Second Voyage in 1773-74; Hawaiian feather cloaks in brilliant shades of red and yellow; a wide range of handwoven textiles and looms; a collection of ceremonial brasses and ivories from the Kingdom of Benin; a fine group of early masks worn by actors in Japanese Noh dramas; more masks from Africa, Melanesia and North America; sculpture from all over the world in wood, pottery, metal and stone; boats, ranging from full-sized sailing craft to model canoes; baskets in all possible shapes and sizes; pottery from Africa and the Americas, including many pre-Columbian pieces; costumes from North America including Inuit fur parkas, Plains skin shirts decorated with porcupine quills, painted coats from the Northeastern Woodlands and a range of decorated moccasins; magic objects including amulets and charms; jewellery and body decoration; locks and keys; tools and weapons; musical instruments.

Opening Hours

Every Day 12.00 - 4.30 pm
Christmas Closing dates: Dec 24th - 27th inclusive. Dec 31st 2005, Jan 1st 2006

Admission to the museum is free.

St.Edmund Hall

Modern and progressive in its outlook and committed to a wide range of subjects in the Arts and Sciences, St Edmund Hall offers a matchless chance to live in the heart of Oxford, to be taught by tutors of recognised distinction in their fields and to enjoy being part of a vibrant and varied community of 400 undergraduates, 150 graduates and 40 Tutorial Fellows. We have an equal opportunities admissions policy, and are committed above all to academic excellence. Our students thrive in the supportive but intellectually challenging environment of a college firmly dedicated to the tutorial system, but willing to explore other teaching methods. We encourage intellectual curiosity and debate, adventurousness, and the enjoyment of ideas exchanged across and between disciplines. Our students also find time for a wide range of extra curricular activities, including journalism, music, drama, art, creative writing, and sport. Please use the menu and quick links on the left to navigate your way around the site, and don't hesitate to contact us if you need any further information.

St Edmund Hall
Oxford
OX1 4AR

(01865) 279000

Uffington Castle, White Horse and Dragon Hill

A group of sites lying along the Ridgeway, an old prehistoric route. There is a large Iron Age camp enclosed within ramparts, a natural mound called Dragon Hill and the White Horse, cut from turf to reveal the chalk.

Directions: S of B4507, 7 miles W of Wantage (OS Map 174; ref SU 301866)
Open Daily, any reasonable time

Uffington Castle
White Horse and Dragon Hill
Oxfordshire

The Oxfordshire Museum

Situated at the heart of the historic town of Woodstock, the award-winning redevelopment of Fletcher’s House provides a home for the new county museum.

Set in attractive gardens, the new museum celebrates Oxfordshire in all its diversity and features collections of local history, art, archaeology, landscape and wildlife as well as a gallery exploring the county’s innovative industries from nuclear power to nanotechnology. Interactive exhibits offer new learning experiences for all ages.
The Galleries

Open: Tuesday – Saturday 10am – 5pm, Sunday 2 – 5pm. Closed Mondays, but coffee shop open Mondays 10am – 5pm. Last admission 4.45pm.
Free admission

Admission is now free to all the permanent displays and temporary exhibitions at the Oxfordshire Museum
Exhibitions and events
Museum coffee shop

Open Monday – Saturday 10am – 5pm; Sunday 2pm – 5pm
Call in and enjoy a refreshing drink, delicious sandwiches, home-made cakes or a light snack.
Museum garden

The museum's attractively landscaped gardens are the ideal location for wedding photographs and are also available for hire for birthday parties, christenings and other special occasions. Marquees may be erected on the lower lawn for wedding receptions and other events

South West of England. Children go free.

Denham Country Park - Uxbridge
Rivers, woodlands and meadows.
www.buckscc.gov.uk/countryside/countryparks

Hanningfield Reservoir Visitor Centre - Billericay, Essex
100 acre nature reserve on the shores of Hanningfield Reservoir
www.essexwt.org.uk

High Woods Country Park - Colchester, Essex
woodland, wetland, grassland, farmland - fishing and horse-riding trail.
www.visitweb.com/hwcp

Lee Valley Park - Waltham Abbey, Essex
Bird-watching, fishing and Walking.
www.leevalleypark.com

Weald Country Park - Brentwood
Deer Paddock, two lakes, walks and nature trails.
Tel: 01277 216297

The Bear Museum- Petersfield, Hampshire.
Antique teddy bears in Edwardian setting.
www.bearmuseum.co.uk

Fort Nelson - The Royal Armouries - Fareham, Hampshire
Victorian fort fully restored set in 19 acres. Live firing daily.
www.armouries.org.uk

Southampton Maritime Museum - Southampton
Medieval stone warehouse with exhibitions including Titanic and interactive displays.
www.southampton.gov.uk/leisure/heritage

The Needles Park, Totland Bay, Isle of Wight
Park with rides and attractions, chairlift to beach.
www.theneedles.co.uk

Capstone Farm Country Park, Gillinham, Kent
280 acres of meadows and woodlands with childrens' play areas.
01634 812196

Bank of England Museum, Threadneedle Street, London EC2
Museum within the Bank of England charting the history of money.
www.bankofengland.co.uk

Imperial War Museum, Lambeth Road, London SE1
Interactive, sights and smells of wartime in London.
www.iwm.org.uk

Livesey Museum for Children, Old Kent Road, London SE1
Interactive exhibitions for children up to 12
www.Liveseymuseum.org.uk

Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7
Interactive exhibitions from dinosaurs onwards. Some exhibitions have entrance fees.
www.nhm.ac.uk

Ragged School Museum, Copperfield Road, London E3
On the site of the original Dr. Barnardo's Ragged School. Dedicated to East End.
www.raggedschool.museum.org.uk

Royal Air Force Museum, Hendon London NW9
Museum of aviation, interactive areas. Flying through the ages.
www.rafmuseum.com

Science Museum, Exhibition Road, London SW7
Interactive exhibits from yesteryear to tomorrow's world.
www.sciencemuseum.org.uk

Stepping Stones Farm, Stepney High Street, London E1
Working farm, farming demonstrations, farm trail and play area.
www.stepneynews.com

Tate Britain, Millbank, London SW1
National gallery of British art from 16th century to today.
www.tate.org.uk

Box Hill, Tadworth, Surrey KT20
Woodland and downs with marked trails and strolls.
01306 885502

CherryTree Farm, Lingfield, Surrey RH7
Stabling for rescue horses, donkeys, and ponies - guided tours.
www.ilph.org.uk

Harbour Park Family Amusement Park - Littlehampton, West Sussex
Traditional family amusement park and fairground - individual fees for rides.
01903 721200

Shpwreck Heritage Centre, Hastings, East Sussex TN34
Collection of historic treasures salvaged from shipwrecks.
01424 437452

Tilgate Park & Nature Reserve, Crawley, West Sussex RH10
Endangered species and breeds, wild and domestic animals.
www.crawley.gov.uk

[ kids go free - South West England ]