World of Glass

The World of Glass sits just outside Skelmersdale and is genuinely the only place in Britain where you can watch glassmakers at work and then have a go yourself. It's housed in a converted Victorian glassworks - proper industrial setting with high ceilings and natural light flooding through old warehouse windows.

You'll spend time in the working studio watching craftspeople shape molten glass. It's mesmerising, honestly. The furnaces are still fired up, and the heat radiating across the studio is intense. Then comes the hands-on bit where you get to blow your own small glass piece - nothing complicated, but it's brilliant fun and you leave with something you've actually made.

The museum section covers the history of Lancashire's glass industry, which powered the region for centuries. It's not a massive exhibition, but it's well done and gives proper context. Kids tend to stay engaged for a couple of hours, especially if they do the glassblowing workshop.

This works really well if you're staying at The Secret Garden Glamping nearby - it's only six miles away and makes for a rainy afternoon outing that doesn't feel like a compromise activity. The admission cost and opening hours vary seasonally, so check ahead before you visit. Allow two to three hours to do it justice, including the workshop if you want to participate. Winter visits are quieter and you get better views of the molten glass against the darker days.