National Civil War Centre, Newark

WHAT IT’S LIKE

Civil War history museum in Newark with a much-loved dressing-up area for kids and a multilingual object trail to keep them hunting through the galleries.

This Newark museum tells the story of the English Civil Wars through objects and personal accounts, with galleries exploring how the conflict shaped the country. Alongside the main displays there's a dressing-up area that families rate highly, plus a colourful Object Trail (available in English, Polish and Arabic, as a printed copy on-site or downloadable PDF) that helps younger visitors engage with the exhibits. It suits a range of ages, with the trail and dressing-up corner aimed squarely at kids, while the deeper historical content will appeal more to older children and adults. The museum runs a varied events programme including family days, walking tours and talks in the school holidays. Practically, it's easy to reach, just off the A1/A46, with two large car parks a short walk away (Appletongate, directly opposite, and London Road, slightly further), on-street blue badge parking and a drop-off point right outside. It's also about 7-9 minutes' walk from the bus station and both of Newark's railway stations. There's a Bloomberg Connect app for a self-guided interactive tour if you want to dig deeper into the collection. Entry is free for Newark and Sherwood residents and under-25s.