Top 10 fun history attractions

Blenheim Palace

Where: Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire
For adults: Set in the Cotswolds, Blenheim Palace is considered to be one of the finest baroque houses in the country. Sir Winston Churchill was born here in 1874 and a permanent exhibition about him is located next to his birth room.
For kids: Blenheim offers a range of kids' activities, including jousting tournaments and themed family tours during school holidays. There's also a maze and facilities aimed at younger children.

Chatsworth House

Where: Chatsworth House, Bakewell
For adults: Chatsworth is one of the great Treasure Houses of England, set in the heart of the Peak District National Park. The 105-acre garden with 17th century formal waterworks is a must-see.
For kids: Families enjoy the farmyard offering milking demonstrations and animal-handling sessions, and the woodland adventure playground thrills and delights children of all ages.

Hampton Court Palace

Where: Hampton Court Palace, Surrey
For adults: The oldest Tudor palace in England with many attractions including the Tudor kitchens, tennis courts, maze and State Apartments and King's Apartments.
For kids: Family trails guide children around the venue, and the world-famous maze is always a reliable distraction - look out for actors in full Tudor costume wandering about the place.

Crathes Castle

Where: Crathes Castle, Aberdeen
For adults: King Robert the Bruce granted the lands of Leys to the Burnett family in 1323. The castle, built in the second half of the 16th century, is superb.
For kids: The castle provides quizzes for younger visitors, and there's an adventure playground and regular children's events, too.

Castle Howard

Where: Castle Howard, York
For adults: A magnificent 18th century house with world-class gardens proudly displaying seasonal collections of snowdrops, daffodils, rhododendrons, azaleas, roses and delphiniums.
For kids: There are daily programmes of adventure trails and weekend activity workshops during the school holidays. Families can take a boat trip on the great lake or explore the estate's many winding paths.

The Royal Observatory

Where: The Royal Observatory, Greenwich
For adults: Museum of time and space, built by Sir Christopher Wren in 1675, and site of the Greenwich Meridian. This is the base point for world time and the site of Longitude 0 where you can watch the timeball drop at 13:00 each day.
For kids: In association with the National Maritime Museum, the Royal Observatory offers regular themed family events, from "Little Stars" to "My First Planetarium".

The Royal Botanic Gardens

Where: The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
For adults: Kew Gardens is a world heritage site located in 121 hectares of stunning vistas and 6 magnificent glasshouses set in a beautiful landscape beside the river Thames.
For kids: Kew has developed a sleepover experience for groups of children aged 8-11. The kids go on a midnight ramble around the grounds before gathering round the campfire for marshmallows and stories.

Alnwick Castle

Where: Alnwick Castle, Northumberland
For adults: Alnwick Castle is one of the most stunning castles in Europe. It's the second largest inhabited castle in England and has been home of the Percy's, Earls and Dukes of Northumberland since 1309.
For kids: Kids will love the Knights' School. Children dress in medieval costume to learn what it was like to be a knight or a lady, and can also try their hands at swordsmanship and jousting. The castle is also home to Harry Potter's school, Hogwarts.

Sherwood Forest

Where: Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire
For adults: Once part of a royal hunting forest, Sherwood Forest covers 450 acres and incorporates some truly ancient areas of native woodland.
For kids: The forest is the home of Robin Hood, and has a wide range of activities targeted at families and children, from nature trails to bat-watching evenings and medieval-themed events.

Windsor Castle

Where: Windsor Castle, Berkshire
For adults: Windsor is the oldest and largest occupied castle in the world and Official Residence of Her Majesty The Queen. Its rich history spans almost 1000 years.
For kids: Windsor offers family activity trails to guide you through the venue. During school holidays, there are special events aimed at children.