The Dinosaur Museum

Walk through the doors and you're immediately confronted with a massive Tyrannosaurus rex skull - it's the kind of thing that makes you stop dead. The Dinosaur Museum near Bincombe is one of those attractions that works brilliantly for families with young children obsessed with prehistoric life, though older kids and adults with a genuine interest in fossils will find plenty to engage with too.

The museum houses a proper collection of dinosaur skeletons, fossils, and interactive exhibits that let you handle actual specimens - always a winner with the under-tens. You'll spend a good two to three hours here without rushing, longer if the kids are the type to read every label and watch the short films. It's indoor stuff, so handy when the Dorset weather turns, which it will.

Admission pricing and exact opening hours vary, so ring ahead or check their website before you go - worth a quick call to avoid a wasted trip. The location near Bincombe makes it convenient if you're based at any of the nearby holiday parks like Haven Weymouth Bay or Parkdean Warmwell, both within five miles. You could easily pair this with a beach day at Weymouth or a fossil-hunting walk along the Jurassic Coast, which is genuinely spectacular and costs nothing.

It's not going to blow your mind if you're an adult without dinosaur-obsessed kids in tow, but as a rainy-day activity or for those genuinely interested in geology and palaeontology, it's well worth the detour.