Fishbourne Roman Palace

The moment you walk into Fishbourne, you're confronted with something genuinely rare in Britain - a proper Roman palace, not a fort or a temple, but an actual grand residence with mosaics still in place. It's two miles outside Chichester, and the scale of it hits you straight away. The excavation uncovered what was essentially the mansion of a local Romano-British elite figure, probably built around 75 AD, and the museum preserves it exactly as they found it.

You get to see the hypocaust system (the underfloor heating - remarkably advanced), the original mosaic floors that have survived nearly two thousand years, and pottery and jewellery that paint a picture of daily life. The layout of the rooms is still readable, which sounds dry until you realise you're walking through the actual footprint of someone's dining room or bedroom from 1,900 years ago. It's tactile history rather than distant theory.

History enthusiasts and Roman buffs will absolutely get their teeth into this. It's smaller than you might expect - most people allow two to three hours - but it's concentrated and well-presented. Families with curious kids aged eight upwards tend to engage properly; younger ones may find it slow without the noise and movement they need. The gardens outside are pleasant enough for a wander.

If you're basing yourselves at Chichester Lakeside or one of the closer campsites like Concierge Camping, this makes a sensible half-day addition to a Sussex break. It's free to visit the gardens but there's an admission charge for the museum proper - worth checking the Sussex Past website for current prices and opening hours before you go.