Aldeburgh Museum

The museum sits right in Aldeburgh itself, a small seaside town about three miles south of Leiston. It's the sort of place that rewards a proper look around - modest in scale, but genuinely interested in telling the story of this coastal community rather than just ticking boxes.

You'll find local history laid out chronologically, from the medieval fishing village through to the modern day. There's stuff about the town's connection to the composer Benjamin Britten, who lived here and founded his famous music festival. The building itself is worth noting - housed in a restored Elizabethan structure that gives the whole experience a bit more atmosphere than a corporate museum would manage.

It's the kind of visit that works best for people who actually like museums, to be honest. History types and architecture buffs will spend a good hour here. Kids under ten might find it a bit dry unless they're genuinely interested in Suffolk's past - there's no interactive stuff or hands-on exhibits that I saw. Families with teenagers who are studying local history? They'll get something from it.

Aldeburgh itself is worth a morning or afternoon on foot anyway - the high street has proper fish and chip shops, decent cafes, and a pebbly beach if the weather's half decent. If you're staying at Beach View Holiday Park or Cakes & Ale down the road, it's an easy drive or even a decent bike ride. Free entry helps sweeten the deal. Allow an hour to ninety minutes max.