Speke Hall
A Tudor hall with woodland walks, a maze and a natural play area in the grounds. Free if you have National Trust membership, and the indoor house is a good rain fallback.
World Museum, Liverpool
Liverpool, Merseyside
Five free floors covering the three things small children reliably love: dinosaurs, an aquarium and a space gallery, plus a bug house and Egyptian mummies. One of the best free family museums in the country, and it knows what it is doing with school-holiday programming.
Do not attempt all five floors. Pick two, do them well, and leave wanting more - it is free, so coming back costs nothing. Dinosaur puppet days run midweek through this summer's holidays.
Know before you go
- Five floors is too many for one visit - pick dinosaurs, aquarium or space and come back for the rest.
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What people are actually posting about this place. Checked 30 July; videos play from the creator’s own account.
Also in Liverpool
Museum of Liverpool
The city's story with an overhead railway carriage to climb aboard and Little Liverpool, a dedicated hands-on gallery for under-6s. Free, on the waterfront, and the window views are half the fun.
Merseyside Maritime Museum
Titanic and Lusitania told in the city that crewed them, ship models, and the Seized! customs gallery in the basement where kids hunt smugglers. Free, and the Albert Dock outside is its own event.
Mersey Ferries River Explorer
The famous ferry across the Mersey run as a 50-minute sightseeing loop with commentary, and the honest truth is kids love the boat more than any museum. Hop off at Seacombe for Eureka! next door.
Calderstones Park
South Liverpool's favourite park: lake, playground, ancient trees and the Storybarn, The Reader's hands-on storytelling space in the old coach house. The neolithic Calder Stones are older than Stonehenge, which is a good fact to deploy.
Croxteth Hall & Home Farm
A working Edwardian estate farm with rare breeds, a walled garden and 500 acres of free country park around it. The farm entry is cheap and the pigs are enormous.