871 Best Sights in England

The family seat of the Earls of Harewood, cousins of the King, the spectacular, 1759, neoclassical Harewood House (pronounced har-wood) was created by York architect John Carr and the period's leading interior designer, Robert Adam—a project that was financed, sad to say, by money that came from sugar plantations and the slave trade. Highlights include important paintings by Gainsborough and Reynolds, fine ceramics, and a magnificent State Bed and other furniture by Chippendale, who was born in nearby Otley.

In June, July, September, and October there are periodic tours of the Private Apartments, which is where the earl and countess live and where you can see a notable collection of watercolors by JMW Turner and works by modern artists like Egon Schiele. The Old Kitchen and Below Stairs exhibition illustrates life from the servants' point of view.

Capability Brown designed the handsome grounds, and Charles Barry added a lovely Italian garden with fountains in the 1840s. Children will love the bird garden with over 40 rare and endangered species and the adventure playground. The estate is 7 miles north of Leeds; you can get here aboard the Harrogate District Bus 36.

Six miles east of St. Albans, this outstanding brick mansion surrounded by lovely formal gardens stands as a testament to the magnificence of Jacobean architecture. Robert Cecil, Earl of Salisbury, built Hatfield in 1611, and his descendants still live here. The interior, with its dark-wood paneling, lush tapestries, and Tudor and Jacobean portraits, reveals much about the era. The beautiful King James Drawing Room is a vision in ostentatious grandeur, with its gilded ceiling and portrait-covered walls. By contrast, the Chinese Bedroom is a charming example of the later 19th-century infatuation with Far Eastern design. The intricate Marble Hall, with its elaborate carved wooden panels, is one of the most impressive rooms in the house, although perhaps the building's finest single feature is the ornate Grand Staircase, with carved wooden figures on the banisters.

The knot garden, near the Tudor Old Palace, where the first Queen Elizabeth spent much of her youth, is a highlight of the West Garden. Wednesday is the only day the East Garden, with topiaries, parterres, and rare plants, is open to the public. The Park has lovely woodland paths and masses of bluebells. There are various markets, theater performances, and shows throughout the season, including open-air film screenings and, occasionally, Elizabethan banquets. Check the website for the schedule.

Just outside the village of Much Marcle, 4 miles southwest of Ledbury, lies the beautiful 17th-century manor of Hellens, which is kept like a time capsule in virtually unspoiled condition. The gloom and dust are part of the experience of visiting: at times candles illuminate the interior, and there’s no central heating. Part of the house dates from the 13th century and contains a remarkable collection of fine Old Master paintings. Take a walk in the gardens and, if you have time, check out the 13th-century village church. Entry is by a guided tour from one of the wardens who live on-site; tours take place in season at 1, 2, and 3 pm on Wednesdays, Sundays, and bank holiday Mondays, though there's no need to book to explore the grounds. The manor has a charming tearoom and an excellent events program.

These distinctive, slightly skewed concrete blocks by architect David Chipperfield form the largest purpose-built gallery in the United Kingdom outside London. Overlooking the River Calder, they house an impressive permanent collection of important works by 20th-century British artists, notably sculptors such as Henry Moore and Barbara Hepworth; painters that include  L. S. Lowry, Ben Nicholson, and Frank Auerbach; and photographers like Martin Parr. Rolling exhibitions devoted to contemporary art are displayed in the Calder gallery. The museum is in the down-to-earth West Yorkshire town of Wakefield, 12 miles south of Leeds off the M1.

Built of local red sandstone, Hereford Cathedral is a treasure trove of historical artifacts, including Mappa Mundi, the largest surviving medieval map, and Britain's largest chained library (a sort of medieval security system), which has its locks and chains intact. The cathedral retains a large central tower, and while much of the interior was restored in the 19th century, 11th-century Norman features remain, including intricate stone carvings. There are exquisite contemporary stained-glass windows in the Audley Chapel and a 12th-century chair that is one of the country's oldest pieces of furniture and was reputedly used by King Stephen (1092–1154).

The Mappa Mundi is the biggest attraction, though. Drawn in about 1300, it’s a fascinating glimpse of how the medieval mind viewed the world: Jerusalem is shown dead center, the Garden of Eden at the edge, Europe and Africa are the wrong way round—and, of course, there are no Americas. Besides land masses, the map details 500 individual drawings, including cities, Biblical stories, mythical creatures, and images of how people in different corners of the globe were thought to look. The map is outside the Chained Library, which contains some 1,500 books, among them an 8th-century copy of the Four Gospels. Chained libraries, in which books were attached to cupboards, are rare: they date from medieval times when books were as precious as gold. The cathedral also holds a copy of the 1217 revision of Magna Carta. Tours of the cathedral (without the library and Mappa Mundi, which require an extra fee, though volunteers can answer your questions) run daily (except Sundays). Garden tours run in summer and tower tours on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

With a banner waving from one tower and a glassy moat crossed by what was once a drawbridge, this fairy-tale castle has everything except knights in shining armor. Situated 13 miles northwest of Hastings in the direction of Lewes, the redbrick structure was originally built by Sir Roger Fiennes (ancestor of actors Ralph Fiennes and Joseph Fiennes) in 1444, although it was altered in the Elizabethan age and again early in the 20th century after it had largely fallen to ruin. 

Today, most visitors come to explore the castle's stunning grounds, comprising hundreds of acres of themed gardens (including the formal walled Elizabethan garden), lily-covered lakes, and winding woodland paths. Kids will also enjoy the rope maze. The castle itself is owned by the Canadian Queen's University, so opportunities to get inside are limited—especially during ongoing reconstruction work—though check the website for occasional guided tours. If you do make it inside, don't miss the stunning Tudor staircase and the corner room with a medieval dungeon and an escape tunnel. Families visiting Herstmonceux may also want to stop at the neighboring Observatory Science Centre ( www.the-observatory.org;  £11.50) for its hands-on astronomical exhibitions.

It's hard to imagine a more romantic castle than this: a maze of turrets and battlements encircled by a water lily–bound moat filled with fabulous beasts (enormous Japanese koi carp) and nestled within rolling hills. The childhood home of Anne Boleyn, this is where the second wife of Henry VIII and mother of Elizabeth I was courted by Henry. He was enamored with her for a time but had her beheaded in 1536 after she failed to give birth to a son. He then gifted Boleyn's home to his fourth wife, Anne of Cleves.

Despite its fame, the castle fell into disrepair in the 19th century. When American millionaire William Waldorf Astor acquired it in 1903, he needed space to house his staff. His solution was to build a replica Tudor village, using only methods, materials, and even tools appropriate to the era. The result is more or less indistinguishable from the genuine Tudor parts. Astor created the stunning gardens, too, which today include a wonderful yew maze, ponds, playgrounds, tea shops, gift shops, plant shops—you get the picture. There are also notable Tudor portraits on display. The highlight for kids is the water maze, where the aim is to avoid the jets (or just run through them) to reach the center. Activities are nonstop in summer, with jousting, falconry exhibitions, and country fairs, making this one of southern England's most rewarding castles to visit. In one of the Victorian wings, B&B rooms go for upward of £215 per night for a basic room; there's also a four-bedroom holiday cottage available.

A site of Christian worship for more than 1,300 years, ancient Hexham Abbey forms one side of the town's main square. Most of the current building dates from the 12th and 13th centuries, and much of the stone, including that of the Anglo-Saxon crypt, was taken from the nearby Roman fort at Corbridge. Inside, you can climb the 35 worn stone "night stairs," which once led from the main part of the abbey to the canon's dormitory, to overlook the whole ensemble—look out for the drop of lead on the sixth step, a remnant from when the roof was set alight by a Scottish army in 1286. Also of note inside are the portraits on the 16th-century wooden rood screen and the four panels from a 15th-century Dance of Death in the sanctuary. You can find out more about the history of the abbey in the free, interactive exhibition The Big Story.

Laid out around a Cotswold manor house (not open to the public), Hidcote is arguably the most interesting and attractive large garden in Britain. Crowds are large at the height of the season, but it's worthwhile anytime. A horticulturist from the United States, Major Lawrence Johnston, created the garden in 1907 in the Arts and Crafts style. Johnston was an imaginative gardener and avid traveler who brought back specimens from all over the world. The formal part of the garden is arranged in "rooms" separated by hedges and often with fine topiary work and walls. Besides the variety of plants, what's impressive are the different effects created, from calm open spaces to areas packed with flowers.

Look for one of Johnston's earliest schemes, the red borders of dahlias, poppies, fuchsias, lobelias, and roses; the tall hornbeam hedges; and the Bathing Pool garden, where the pool is so wide there's scarcely space to walk. The White Garden was probably the forerunner of the popular white gardens at Sissinghurst and Glyndebourne. If you have time, explore the tiny village of Hidcote Bartrim with its thatched stone houses; it borders the garden and fills a storybook dell. The garden is 4 miles northeast of Chipping Campden.

Set in 1,000 acres of parkland designed by Capability Brown, this is the historic seat of the actual earls of Carnarvon—as opposed to the imaginary earls of Grantham who inhabit it in the television drama Downton Abbey. Victorian Gothic Revival rather than medieval Gothic, this huge country house was designed by Sir Charles Barry, who was commissioned by the third earl in 1838 to transform a simpler Georgian mansion. Barry used golden Bath stone to create this fantasy castle bristling with turrets, a style he had pioneered in his designs for the Palace of Westminster (where Parliament sits). Like its fictional counterpart, it served as a hospital during World War I. Highlights of the State Rooms include van Dyck's equestrian portrait of Charles I in the Dining Room and the imposing library (aka Lord Grantham's retreat). There's also an exhibit of Egyptian antiquities collected by the fifth earl, known for his pivotal role in the 1920s excavation of ancient Egyptian tombs, notably Tutankhamun's. A walk around the gardens and grounds offers pleasant views of the house and countryside.

You can only visit the estate via guided tours of the house, exhibition, and grounds. From July through early September, three tours (10 am, 12:30 pm, and 2:30 pm) are offered daily except for Fridays and Saturdays; at other times, tours (plus picnic or afternoon tea and entertainment) are available during intermittent themed weekends. Be sure to book all tours in advance. Two lodges on the estate are available for two- or three-night stays from February through December but go fast. The house is 25 miles north of Winchester and 5 miles south of Newbury. If you drive and want to use GPS, enter the postal code (RG20 9LE) for directions to the correct entrance. There's train service from London and Winchester to Newbury, and taxis can take you the 5 miles to Highclere.

Highgate is not the oldest cemetery in London, but it is probably the best known, both for its roster of famous "inhabitants" and the quality of its funerary architecture. After it was consecrated in 1839, Victorians came from miles around to appreciate the ornate headstones, the impressive tombs, and the view. At its summit is the Circle of Lebanon, a ring of vaults built around an ancient cypress tree, a legacy of the 17th-century gardens that formerly occupied the site. Leading from the circle is the Egyptian Avenue, a subterranean stone tunnel lined with catacombs, itself approached by a dramatic colonnade that screens the main cemetery from the road. Such was its popularity that 19 acres on the other side of the road were acquired in 1850, and this additional East Cemetery is the final resting place of numerous notables including Karl Marx (the site's most visited) as well as George Eliot and, a more recent internment, George Michael. Both sides are impressive, with a grand (locked) iron gate leading to a sweeping courtyard built for the approach of horses and carriages.

By the 1970s the cemetery had become unkempt and neglected until a group of volunteers, the Friends of Highgate Cemetery, undertook the huge upkeep. Tours are conducted by the Friends, who will show you the most interesting graves among the numerous statues and memorials once hidden by overgrowth. The tours of the West and East sides are 75 minutes each. Alternatively, you can go on a self-guided ramble, but admission to the catacombs is by guided tour only. There is a reduced price for East side only admission. You're expected to dress respectfully, so skip the shorts and the baseball cap; children under eight are not admitted and neither are dogs, tripods, or video cameras.

At the much-loved country home of King Charles III and Queen Camilla, the King has been making the 37-acre estate his personal showcase for traditional and organic growing methods and conservation of native plants and animals since 1980. Joining a tour of 26 people, you can appreciate the amazing industry of the royal gardeners who have created the orchards, kitchen garden, and woodland garden. Look for the stumpery, the immaculate and quirky topiaries, and the national collection of hostas. You can sample estate produce in the restaurant and shop or from its retail outlet in Tetbury. Book tours well ahead, and bring a photo ID as well as your prebooked ticket. Allow three to four hours for a visit to the garden, which is 1½ miles southwest of Tetbury.

Children's author and illustrator Beatrix Potter (1866–1943), most famous for her Peter Rabbit stories, called this place home, and the house looks much the same as when Potter bequeathed it to the National Trust. Fans will recognize details such as the porch and garden gate, old kitchen range, Victorian dollhouse, and four-poster bed, which were depicted in the book illustrations. Admission to this often-crowded spot is by timed ticket; book in advance and avoid summer weekends and school vacations. Hill Top lies 2 miles south of Hawkshead by car or foot, though you can also approach via the car ferry from Bowness-on-Windermere.

The buildings and 47 retired ships at the 80-acre dockyard across the River Medway from Rochester in Chatham constitute the country's most complete Georgian-to-early-Victorian dockyard. Fans of maritime history could easily spend a day at the exhibits and structures here. The dockyard's origins go back to the time of Henry VIII; some 400 ships were built here over the centuries. Highlights include a museum of naval artifacts, including some fascinating 18th-century scale models; the Ropery, where costumed guides take you on a tour of an old rope factory (including its impressive quarter-mile-long "rope walk"); and the timber remains of the 18th-century HMS Namur, called the "Ship Beneath the Floor" because parts were found under flooring at the dockyard. Guests who aren't afraid of tight spaces can take guided tours of the submarine HMS Ocelot, the last warship to be built for the Royal Navy at Chatham. For a (slightly) hidden gem, climb to the top of "the Big Space" to see the stunning, 19th-century wood-beamed roof. Note that the Historic Dockyard is a 40-minute walk (or a 10-minute drive) from the center of Rochester; there's no direct bus.

One of Bath's gems, this elegant 18th-century building and its modern extension house a superb collection of 17th- and 18th-century decorative arts, ceramics, and silverware. Highlights include paintings by Gainsborough (The Byam Family, on indefinite loan) and George Stubbs (Reverend Carter Thelwall and Family), and a hilarious collection of caricatures of the Georgian city's fashionable elite. In its original incarnation as the Sydney Hotel, the house was one of the pivots of Bath's high society, which came to perambulate in the pleasure gardens (Sydney Gardens) that still lie behind it. One visitor was Jane Austen, whose main Bath residence was No. 4 Sydney Place, a brief stroll from the museum. An excellent café and tea garden are on site.

This splendid estate is the seat of the Coke family, the earls of Leicester. In the late 18th century, Thomas Coke went on a grand tour of the Continent, returning with art treasures and determined to build a house according to the new Italian ideas. Centered by a grand staircase and modeled after the Baths of Diocletian, the 60-foot-tall Marble Hall (mostly alabaster, in fact) is truly spectacular. Beyond are salons filled with works from Coke's collection of masterpieces, including paintings by Gainsborough, van Dyck, Rubens, and Raphael.

The original walled kitchen gardens, which have been restored and once again provide produce for the estate, include an adventure playground for children. A large coffee shop and restaurant can be found in what used to be the stable blocks. Surrounding the house is a park landscaped by Capability Brown in 1762. The grounds are huge and populated by herds of deer, curious enough not to run away unless you get too close—in fact, there are so many that you'd be hard-pressed to walk through without spotting several. A good way to see the grounds is a half-hour-long lake cruise.

The final resting place of William Shakespeare is this 13th-century church on the banks of the River Avon. He was buried here not because he was a famed poet but because he was a lay rector of Stratford, owning a portion of the township tithes. On the north wall of the sanctuary, over the altar steps, is the famous marble bust created by Gerard Jansen in 1623 and thought to be a true likeness of Shakespeare. The bust offers a more human, even humorous, perspective when viewed from the side. Also in the chancel are the graves of Shakespeare’s wife, Anne; his daughter, Susanna; his son-in-law, John Hall; and his granddaughter's first husband, Thomas Nash. The christening font in which Shakespeare was baptized is here too.

Formerly known as Head of Steam, this recently reimagined, family-friendly museum in Darlington, 10 miles southeast of Bishop Auckland, tells the story of the early days of rail travel. The town gained fame in 1825 when George Stephenson piloted his steam-powered Locomotion No. 1 along newly laid tracks the few miles to nearby Stockton, thus kick-starting the railway age. Set on a 7.5-acre site, including an abandoned 1833 goods shed, 1842 train station, and 1853 carriage works, the museum has interactive exhibits and big steam trains that are great for kids. The antique engines and scale models help bring history to life, while the new (2024), purpose-built Darlington Locomotive Works gives visitors a chance to see engineering in action. The site also includes a café, distillery, and railway-themed adventure play park, and regular events are held on Foundry Green. Hopetown is a 25-minute drive from Bishop Auckland (just off the A68), or there are regular train connections; get off at North Road (Darlington) station.

Built in the 1720s by the first British prime minister, Sir Robert Walpole, this extraordinary Palladian pile has been carefully restored by its current owner, the seventh marquess of Cholmondeley (pronounced "Chumley"). The double-height Stone Hall and the sumptuous private quarters reveal designer William Kent's preference for gilt, stucco, plush fabrics, and elaborate carvings. Don't leave the grounds without viewing the beautiful medieval simplicity of St. Martin's Church. Candlelight tours, light shows, and other special events are sometimes held on weekends; check the website for the schedule. Houghton Hall is 14 miles southwest of Wells-next-the-Sea.

The Palace of Westminster, as the complex is called, was first established on this site by Edward the Confessor in the 11th century. William II built a new palace in 1097, and this became the seat of English power. A fire destroyed most of the palace in 1834, and the current complex dates largely from the mid-19th century. The best view is from the opposite (south) bank of the Thames, across Lambeth Bridge. It is most dramatic at night when lighted green and gold.

The Visitors' Galleries of the House of Commons provide a view of democracy in action when the benches are filled by opposing MPs (members of Parliament). Debates are formal but raucous, especially during Prime Minister's Questions (PMQs), when any MP can put a question to the nation's leader. Tickets to PMQs are free but highly sought after, so the only way for non–U.K. citizens to gain access is by lining up on the day and hoping for returns or no-shows—expect to wait for up to two hours, with no guarantee of entry. The action starts at noon every Wednesday when Parliament is sitting, and the whole shebang is broadcast live on television. For non-PMQ debates, embassies and high commissions have a quota of tickets available to their citizens, which can help you avoid long lines. The easiest time to get into the Commons is during an evening session—Parliament is still sitting if the top of the Clock Tower is illuminated. There are also visitors galleries for the House of Lords.

The Clock Tower—renamed Elizabeth Tower in 2012, in honor of Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee—was completed in 1858, and contains the 13-ton bell known as Big Ben. At the southwest end of the main Parliament building is the 323-foot-high Victoria Tower. The King uses the Sovereign's Entrance, at its base, when visiting Parliament. 

Engaging guided and audio tours of Parliament are available on Saturday and weekdays when Parliament isn't sitting.

If you have time to visit only one Hadrian's Wall site, this is your best bet. Britain's most complete example of a Roman fort also features long sections of the wall, and an informative visitor center showcases a collection of artifacts discovered at the site and computer-generated images of what the fort originally looked like. The site is a 10-minute walk uphill from the parking lot (not for those with mobility problems), but the effort is more than worth it to see the surprisingly extensive ruins, dating from around AD 125. Excavations have revealed the remains of granaries, gateways, barracks, a hospital, and the commandant's house. Come for the history, stay for the views: the northern tip of the fort offers sweeping vistas of Hadrian's Wall as it winds up and over distant hills and crags.

This wonderful, higgledy-piggledy, timber-framed medieval manor house looks like something out of a fairy tale. Even its name is a bit of an enigma—"Ightham" is pronounced "Item" (we can't quite figure that out either) and "Mote" doesn't refer to the kind of moat you get in a castle, but an old English word for meeting place. Perhaps it's also fitting, then, that finding the place takes careful navigation down tiny, winding country lanes, and then even to reach the front door you must first cross a narrow stone bridge over the moat (yes, it has one of those, too). But it's all worth the effort to see a fanciful vision right out of the Middle Ages.

Built nearly 700 years ago, Ightham's magical exterior has hardly changed since the 14th century, but within you'll find that it encompasses styles of several periods, from Tudor to Victorian. The Great Hall, the Tudor chapel, and the drawing room are all highlights of the main property. Nearby is the smaller but equally pretty Laundry Hall, home to a second-hand bookshop and exhibition, as well as shaded woodland walks (awash with bluebells in spring), a pretty pond, and a natural play area for little ones. Ightham Mote is six miles north of Tonbridge on the A227.

Converted from a Victorian Gothic–style school, this gallery is among the city’s top venues for contemporary art from the United Kingdom and abroad, and rightly so. The bright, white interior of is divided into two main galleries, which host rolling exhibitions. A third space called The Tower hosts more site-specific shows. The bookshop is great, and there’s a very nice café on the ground floor. Ikon, which opened in 1965, exemplifies how Birmingham is embracing its past while moving very much into the future.

In the same building as the Merseyside Maritime Museum, this museum's four dynamic galleries recount the history of transatlantic slavery and trace its significance in contemporary society. "Life in West Africa" reproduces a Nigerian Igbo compound; life aboard slave ships bound for the Americas is revealed in the "Enslavement and the Middle Passage" section; and "Legacy" examines the effect of the African diaspora on contemporary society.

The 11 sites run by the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust—a World Heritage site spread over 6 square miles—preserve the area’s fascinating industrial history in spectacular fashion. The best starting point is the Museum of the Gorge, which has a good selection of literature and an audiovisual show on the history of the area. In nearby Coalbrookdale, the Museum of Iron explains the production of iron and steel. You can see the blast furnace built by Abraham Darby, who developed the original coke process in 1709. The adjacent Enginuity exhibition is a hands-on, feet-on interactive exploration of engineering that’s good for kids. From here, it’s just over a mile along the river before the arches of the Iron Bridge come into view. Designed by T. F. Pritchard, smelted by Darby, and erected between 1777 and 1779, this graceful arch spanning the River Severn can best be seen—and photographed—from the towpath, a riverside walk edged with wildflowers and shrubs. The tollhouse on the far side houses an exhibition on the bridge’s history and restoration.

A mile farther along the river is the Jackfield Tile Museum, a repository of decorative tiles from the 19th and 20th centuries. Another half mile brings you to the Coalport China Museum. Exhibits show some of the factory’s most beautiful wares, and craftspeople give demonstrations. A short walk from Coalport is the Tar Tunnel, part of a 1787 tar mine; note the black bitumen still seeping through the walls. Nearby is Ironbridge’s star attraction: Blists Hill Victorian Town, where you can see old mines, furnaces, and a wrought-iron works. The main draw is the re-creation of the "town" itself, with its doctor’s office, bakery, grocer, candle maker, sawmill, printing shop, candy store, and chemist (the old-school dentist chair may give you shivers). At the entrance you can change some money for specially minted pennies and make purchases from the shops. Shopkeepers, the bank manager, and the doctor’s wife are on hand to give advice. If you don't fancy the refreshments at the fish-and-chip shop, drop into the town’s pub for a traditional ale or ginger beer and join one of the sing-alongs around the piano that take place a couple of times every afternoon. There is no way you can see all the museums in a day, so choose two or three and spread them over two days or more. But you must visit the famous Iron Bridge itself and hunt for Coalport china in the stores clustered near it.

Despite its name, the cultural venue formerly known as the Imperial War Museum (one of five IWM branches now around the country) does not glorify either empire or bloodshed but emphasizes understanding through conveying the impact of 20th- and 21st-century warfare on citizens and soldiers alike. A dramatic six-story atrium at the main entrance encloses an impressive amount of hardware—including a Battle of Britain Spitfire, a German V2 rocket, the remains of a car blown up in post-invasion Iraq, tanks, guns, and submarines—along with accompanying interactive material and a café. The First World War galleries explore the wartime experience on both the home and fighting fronts, with the most comprehensive collection on the subject in the world—some 1,300 objects ranging from uniforms, equipment, and weapons to letters and diaries. The Second World War galleries shed light on that conflict through objects, film documentation, and eyewitness testimonies, as do the extensive and haunting Holocaust galleries (private tours are available for all three areas). Peace and Security 1945–2015 looks at more contemporary hostilities, including the Cold War, Iraq, and Afghanistan, right up to the current conflict in Ukraine. The Art, Photography, and Film galleries explore the wartime experience from World War I to the present day through the work of artists in these disciplines.

The thought-provoking exhibits in this striking, aluminum-clad building, which architect Daniel Libeskind described as representing three shards of an exploded globe, present the reasons for war and show its effects on society. Hourly Big Picture audiovisual shows envelop you in the sights and sounds of conflicts while a timeline from 1914 to the present examines objects and personal stories from veterans showing how war changes lives. Excellent special exhibitions cover everything from life in Britain during the Blitz to artistic responses to conflict. The museum is on the banks of the Manchester Ship Canal in The Quays, across the footbridge from the Lowry. It's a five-minute walk from the MediaCityUK stop of the Metrolink tram.

This unassuming redbrick house is where Jane Austen spent the last eight years of her life, writing Emma, Persuasion, and Mansfield Park, and revising Sense and Sensibility, Northanger Abbey, and Pride and Prejudice. Now a museum, the house retains a modest but genteel atmosphere suitable for the home of a clergyman's widow and her unmarried daughters. The drawing room contains a piano similar to the one Jane would play every morning before retiring to a small writing table in the family dining parlor—leaving her sister, Cassandra, to do the household chores ("I find composition impossible with my head full of joints of mutton and doses of rhubarb," Jane wrote). In the early 19th century, the road near the house was a bustling thoroughfare, and although Jane was famous for working through interruptions, she retained one protection against the outside world—the famous creaking door, its hinges deliberately un-oiled to better warn her when someone was entering her workspace. The museum is often closed for special events, so call ahead. During 2025, the house will mark the 250th anniversary of Austen's birth will special events and programs (see janeaustens.house/visit/jane-austen-250 for information).

For more than two centuries, jewelers have worked in the district of Hockley, northwest of the city center. Today, hundreds of manufacturing jewelers continue the tradition in the Jewellery Quarter, producing more than a third of the jewelry made in Britain. It’s a fun area to explore, with many of the jewelers working out of pretty redbrick houses.  The quarter's website has a useful interactive map.

The city’s Assay Office hallmarks 12 million items each year with the anchor symbol, denoting Birmingham origin. The ornate green and gilded Chamberlain Clock, at the intersection of Vyse Street, Warstone Lane, and Frederick Street, marks the center of the district. The quarter is two stops on the Metro from Birmingham New Street, and although it is a lot calmer than the city center, it has a hip café and restaurant scene.

Owned by the University of Manchester, this Gothic Revival masterpiece designed by Alfred Waterhouse was built by Enriqueta Augustina Rylands as a memorial to her husband, a cotton magnate. Constructed of red sandstone in the 1890s, the library resembles a cathedral and contains some outstanding collections of illuminated manuscripts and beautifully illustrated books. Among the many highlights are the oldest known fragment of the New Testament in existence, dating from around AD 100; an original Gutenberg Bible; and several works by William Caxton (c.1417–92), who introduced the printing press to the English-speaking world. There's a lively temporary exhibition program as well. Light renovation work on the exhibitions and events spaces means booking in advance is advised.