Milestones Museum
ENTRY
from £11.50
SETTING
Indoors
WHERE
Basingstoke
What it’s like
Wander a rebuilt Victorian and 1940s high street, buy penny sweets and pull a pint in a vintage pub, all under one roof.
This is a whole street indoors, shopfronts, a seaside penny arcade and a working sweet shop where kids buy treats with a ration book rather than cash. Costumed staff wander about telling stories, which is the sort of thing that either gets a big reaction from your seven-year-old or gets completely ignored in favour of the arcade games. There's a proper vintage pub in there too, the Baverstock Arms, where you can get a hand-pulled pint while the kids poke around the period homes and shops.
It's built to be walked at your own pace rather than timed sessions. The site reckons on 2-3 hours and says you can stay longer if you like, since they close at 4:45pm with last entry at 4. That's a decent stretch for a rainy Saturday, though the cobbled floors and curb sides that make the high street feel real are worth a mention if you've got a buggy or a wobbly toddler, and the lighting is kept low and atmospheric rather than bright, which suits the mood but not every child.
Entry isn't cheap at £16.50 for an adult and £11.50 for a child, though the family ticket at £54 for up to five people softens that if there are two of you going with a few kids. Tickets bought here last 12 months, so if you reckon you'll be back it's worth going in as an annual rather than a one-off. Parking's free on site, though it can fill up or go blue-badge-only during big events, in which case you're pointed to the wider Leisure Park car parks.
Food-wise there's the Rooftops Café for hot and cold meals with vegan options, the pub if you fancy a pint, and a Vintage Tea Tent on weekends and holidays. Picnic benches are there too if you'd rather bring your own. Closed over Christmas and Boxing Day and New Year's Day, but open on Mondays during school holidays, which is handy if half term's got you stuck for somewhere dry to go.
Facilities
Need to know
- Best for
- No strict age limit, but the sweet shop and arcade suit school-age kids best
- Last entry
- 4pm
- Parking
- Ample free parking on site. Car park sometimes full or blue badge reserved during large events
- How long to allow
- 2-3 hours
- Food
- Rooftops Café with hot and cold food and drinks, cakes and snacks
- Worth knowing
- Annual ticket valid for unlimited visits for 12 months from date of first visit
- Lighting throughout is kept low and atmospheric, not glaring bright
- There's no locker or luggage storage, so bring only what you can carry
- Tickets bought once are valid for 12 months, not just the one day
- Cobbled floors and curb sides recreate a real historic high street, so watch your footing with little legs or a buggy
Plan your visit
How much does it cost?
£16.50 for an adult, £11.50 for a child aged 5-15, £15.50 concessions. A family ticket for up to five people, max two adults, is £54.
Do we need to book ahead?
You can buy tickets on arrival at the Welcome Desk, but they recommend booking online for a smoother entry.
How long does a visit take?
They suggest 2-3 hours, but there's no set time to leave, you can stay until they close at 4:45pm.
Is there parking?
Yes, free parking on site. It can fill up or go blue-badge-only during big events, in which case there's more parking across the wider Leisure Park with signs pointing you back.
What food is available?
The Rooftops Café does hot and cold food including vegan options, there's a vintage pub called the Baverstock Arms, and a Vintage Tea Tent runs weekends and school holidays. Picnic benches are there if you bring your own.
Is it accessible with a buggy or wheelchair?
It's step-free and wheelchair accessible throughout, but some areas have cobbled floors and curb sides as part of the historic high street look, so it's a bit bumpy in places.
Are there baby changing facilities?
Two baby change toilets on the lower floor and one on the upper floor.
Is it open on Mondays?
Normally Tuesday to Sunday, but it opens on Mondays during school holidays too.
Does my ticket last for more than one visit?
Tickets are valid for 12 months from your first visit, so you can go back as many times as you like in that year without paying again.
Are there discounts for anyone?
Art Fund members and National Art Pass holders get 50% off, and Museum Association members get in free.
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