Chapel Bay Fort & Museum

You're standing inside 19th-century gun emplacements built to guard against French invasion, staring out across the water where warships never came. Chapel Bay Fort sits on a headland near Haverfordwest in Pembrokeshire, a Victorian coastal defence installation that never fired a shot in anger. The fort itself is a squat, practical bit of military architecture - the kind of place that makes you appreciate how serious Victorians were about their fortifications, even when the threat was largely theoretical.

The museum housed here walks you through what life was actually like for the soldiers stationed here, which turns out to be quite a lot more mundane than you'd expect. You get the uniforms, the weapons, the day-to-day routines. History buffs will find it worthwhile; families with older kids who can read labels without losing their minds will get something out of it too. Little ones will probably get restless after 45 minutes.

With the holiday parks scattered around Haverfordwest - Point Farm is closest at three miles, though Beachside Glamping Dale offers a slightly nicer setting further out - you could easily tack this onto a wider Pembrokeshire coastal trip. Don't expect elaborate interactive displays or lengthy opening hours; this is a solid local museum that does what it does without fuss. Allow 90 minutes if you're thorough, less if you're just checking it off. Worth a visit if you're already exploring the area, less so if it's your only reason to drive out.