Gosport Discovery Centre

The Discovery Centre sits right in Gosport town centre and functions as the local library - but it's worth a proper look if you're staying at Kingfisher Caravan Park or any of the nearby holiday parks for more than a couple of days. It's free to get in and has the sort of collection you'd expect from a Hampshire public library: books, computers, a small local studies section that might interest history buffs, and usually some community events running.

What makes it useful rather than thrilling is the local archive material. If you're into Portsmouth's naval past or Gosport's own maritime heritage (the town's got proper links to naval history), the staff can point you towards things you won't find elsewhere. The building itself is modern and efficient - not a crumbling Victorian gem, just a functional space that does the job well.

It's aimed at locals first, tourists second, so don't expect interactive displays or anything fancy. But if you need somewhere warm and quiet on a rainy afternoon in Hampshire, or you want to dig into the area's history before exploring the seafront, it's decent. The location near Lee-on-the-Solent makes it handy if you're cycling round the Solent. Open weekday evenings until 7pm and Saturday mornings, so it actually fits reasonably into a holiday schedule. Worth an hour maximum unless you're serious about local history.