I read about Pickering’s Beck Isle Museum on the British Letterpress website. The museum has lots to boast about – 27 themed rooms of exploring small town and rural life, from camera displays to a stuffed horse – everything you could imagine under one roof.

I love film and unique cinemas. Miniciné perfectly combines these two passions. They are a non-profit film society operating in the smallest cinema in the north of England. The 26 seat cinema in Leeds Industrial Museum is created from a reclaimed Edwardian picturehouse. The films are well chosen with a short documentary preceding the film. Our main attraction was Chop Shop. We grabbed a cuppa, piece of cake, soaked up the surroundings and sat back to enjoy the film.

Set in the old Methodist School Room in Reeth. The Swaledale Museum is lovely, bright and friendly place to spend an hour or two.

Until today I never knew York had a Cold War Bunker or that it was open to the public. It was nice to discover something new in York. When we booked a tour the lady on the phone said we were “in for a treat” and she was right.

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This museum is unlike the usual. The Museum of Letters is bright, light with a modern feel. The objects are relatively modern too – large, colourful, often plastic letters from signs, salvaged from Berlin shops and stores. It’s simply done, visually stunning and it makes me happy to know that people care about about this important and beautiful element of urban culture.

View all of my Buchstaben Museum photos on Flickr

Buchstaben Museum website

The original curator of Ilfracombe Museum was Mervyn G Palmer who worked for the British Museum. Housed in the old laundry room of the Ilfracombe Hotel, the Museum is stuffed full of a variety of fantastic collections. You don’t know what you will find around the next corner, from a cupboard of pickled bats to 1960s hair dryers

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Annoyingly I didn’t give myself enough time for this museum – its a little gem. It has a great balance of contemporary pieces, old display cabinets, original rooms, novelty and the unexpected. Highlights were the modern police vans and motorbikes that already look iconic and then the surprise of more – through the courtyard into the old booking room, cells and courthouse. Run by ex-police officers with plenty of stories. Next visit I’ll give myself more time to take in all the information and films, I’m sure I missed some good stuff. Open one day a week – its one to plan for.

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A great small local history museum run by volunteers. As well as enjoying the museum I loved the location. It’s well situated, allowing you to explore the beautiful quiet back streets, escaping the busy high street with amazing views over the village.

Robin Hood’s Bay Museum

Château de Cheverny was Hergé’s inspiration for Château de Moulinsart which featured in ‘The Adventures of Tintin’ books. Cheverny has adapted one of their buildings into a beautifully crafted Tintin exhibition, which may be closest you can get to walking through the comic book.

I’ve often admired the design of British road signs but hadn’t appreciated the standard traffic light system until I visited the David Mellor workshop and museum. It was a pleasant surprise to discover David Mellor had designed them along with many other objects including his famous cutlery which is still made on site.

I was inspired to visit after reading Shelf Appeal and agree that the small horn and rosewood coffee spoon is very pretty so I picked one up for myself.