Hastings Museum & Art Gallery

The town centre museum sits bang in the middle of Hastings, housed in a Victorian building that's done time as everything from a mansion to a school. Inside, you get a proper romp through local history - the 1066 stuff is all here, naturally, but it's the medieval artefacts and the contemporary art on the upper floors that actually hold your attention. The collection jumps around a bit: one minute you're looking at Roman finds, the next there's work by artists you've actually heard of.

It's free to get in, which is a massive plus, and you can do the whole thing in two to three hours without feeling rushed. The building itself is worth a look even if you're not mad about museums - high ceilings, original features, the sort of space that makes you remember what Victorians were trying to achieve when they built things properly.

Families with older kids will get something from it. Younger children might struggle unless they're already into history. The art gallery upstairs appeals to anyone with even a passing interest in contemporary work, and the local history section won't bore you stupid if you've just arrived in the area.

If you're camping at Combe Haven or Beaulieu Farm, it's barely a ten-minute drive in. Combine it with a walk along the seafront or a browse around the antique shops on All Saints Street, and you've got a proper afternoon sorted. It's the kind of place that does what it says without pretending to be something grander.