Roman baths

The Roman baths in Wakefield tell a surprisingly substantial story for what sounds like a minor local museum. What you're actually looking at are the remains of a bathing complex that served the Roman settlement here, and while the structures themselves are modest - foundations mostly, some hypocaust systems if you know what to look for - the detail packed into the interpretation makes it worthwhile.

History buffs will spend a solid hour here piecing together daily life in Roman Britain. You get a real sense of how Romans maintained their bathing rituals even on the fringes of the empire, and the finds on display - pottery, coins, fragments of tile - ground the whole thing in reality rather than just reading dates in a textbook.

Families with younger kids might find it a bit sparse visually. There's not much to actually do beyond reading panels and looking at small objects in cases, so attention spans under eight tend to wander. Teenagers with any interest in archaeology will find it engaging though.

Being just outside Wakefield town centre, it's easily combined with a wander round the centre itself. If you're staying at Nostell Priory Holiday Park four or five miles away, this makes for a decent rainy-day option or a quick afternoon stop between exploring the wider Yorkshire attractions. Admission details vary, so ring ahead before you visit - but even if there's a small charge, it's not going to break the bank.