How much do you know about the town you’re from or now live in? Maybe there’s more interesting things to learn than you realise.

Traveling back in time through the archives of your local authority or by searching online can be a hugely interesting and rewarding experience.

Maybe your town was a pioneering industrial hub of the great industrial revolution of the 19th Century; or perhaps your village was the birthplace of someone rich or famous.

Why not spend a morning finding out about the milestones and events that made your local town what it is today? You could even combine this activity with a look into your family genealogy – you never know what gems of the past you might uncover.

Websites worth a look:

http://www.local-history.co.uk/

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/

http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/

Discover your local museums and art galleries for a different morning out.

Lawnmowers, carrots, cockroaches, madness, operations… just some of the unusual museums that are open to the public around the world, and there could be something interesting near you.

But a museum doesn’t have to be unusual to be of interest. This morning, how about popping along to your local heritage museum (use the museums.co.uk website link to search by location) and discover how people from your area used to live in days gone by.

It can be interesting to view old newspaper stories of events in your village or street, as well as see how things have changed (or not) over the years.

Local museums often work with libraries and art galleries to stage events, activities and talks on local history and architecture which are all worth a visit.

Websites worth a look:
www.museums.co.uk
www.24hourmuseum.org.uk
www.cornucopia.org.uk

Blogs:
Muses on Museums