The UK’s 10 most offbeat attractions

London’s major museums and galleries are, unsurprisingly, Britain’s most popular attractions.*

Popularity, of course, comes with a price. Huge visitor numbers means crowding and commotion.

Sometimes it’s worth sacrificing world-class exhibits and grand, historic architecture for a fun, quirky and stress-free experience.

That’s where Offbeat Attractions comes in. This web-based homage to British eccentricity catalogues some of the UK’s most unusual days out.

The website’s easy to navigate: Users can search for attractions by either postcode or region (the site divides the UK into 10 regions).

Every entry includes a short description and clear information on opening times and prices. Here’s our pick of the 10 best entries on the site. (Our featured image is of the smallest house in the UK by The Ancient Brit.)

Cheap Flights To London

Crooked House Pub – Dudley

Farmhouse turned pub that leans as a result of subsidence caused by local mining in the 19^th century.

Keith Harding’s World of Mechanical Music – Northleach, nr Cheltenham

A collection of well kept, self-playing, (mechanical) instruments.

Edinburgh Vaults – Edinburgh

Once inhabited 18^th century tunnels located underneath Edinburgh’s South Bridge.

Kelvedon Hatch Nuclear Bunker – Kelvedon Hatch, near Chelmsford

A retired nuclear bunker that was designed to provide sanctuary to 600 military and civilian personnel.

Longest place name in Europe – Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch, near Bangor

One of the world’s longest place names, best pictured at the local railway station.

Smallest house in the UK – Conwy

It may have two floors, but it’s only 3 x 1.8 metres in size.

Stained Glass Museum – Ely, near Cambridge

There are more than 100 stained glass panels spanning the last 800 years of the craft’s history.

Pollock’s Toy Museum – London

An old house converted into an exhibition of toy theatres, teddy bears, china dolls, board games, mechanical toys and doll’s houses.

Museum of Mental Health – Wakefield

Depicts the story of the former West Riding Pauper Lunatic Asylum.

Cuckooland – Tabley, near Knutsford

An extensive collection belonging to two brother horologists.

One entry we can’t recommend is the “UK’s first McDonalds”.

*According to Association of Leading Visitor attraction, the British Museum was the most visited British attraction in 2012 with 5,575,946 visits.

The top 5 was entirely composed of London museums and galleries. The only non-London attraction in the top 10 was the National Museum of Scotland, which is located in Edinburgh. Every entry in the top 10 is free of charge to visit. The top 10 were:

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