Barnet Museum Displays

The museum sits in Barnet town centre, housed in a Victorian building that's seen plenty of history itself. Inside you'll find displays covering the area's past - Roman finds, medieval bits, Victorian-era photographs that show how much Barnet has changed. It's modest in scale, nothing flashy, but that's rather the point.

Local history buffs will find plenty to sink their teeth into here. The Roman section is genuinely interesting if you've walked around Barnet and wondered what was happening on this land two thousand years ago. There are also artefacts related to the famous 1471 Battle of Barnet, which took place just outside town during the Wars of the Roses - worth knowing if you're into that period.

The displays won't keep most people for more than an hour or so, but it's free, which makes it a decent rainy-day stop if you're staying in the area. Families with younger kids might find certain sections a bit dry, though older children interested in history will get something out of it.

If you're based at Marshmoor Crescent Park, about six miles away, this works as a morning diversion before heading back for lunch. Barnet itself has decent shops and cafes, so you can make a proper morning of it. The museum does exactly what it sets out to do - tells you about where you are - without pretension or hype.