18 May is International Museum Day – a celebration of history, culture, and our shared human heritage.

If you’re keen to participate by visiting a museum on 18 May, here are eight of the quirkiest British museums we could find to stimulate your curiosity.

1. Viktor Wynd Museum of Curiosities, Fine Art, and Natural History – London

Rather than a mere cabinet, you’ll find an entire museum of curiosities at the Viktor Wynd Museum with displays of weird and wonderful curios from across Britain and the wider world.

This museum features the largest public display of animal specimens in the UK, including a two-headed kitten, as well as exhibitions on witches, warlocks, dark fairy tales, and creatures of the night.

If you get thirsty during your visit, the museum also contains its own absinthe bar, and you can even tour the museum with a glass, guided by Mr Viktor Wynd himself.

2. Museum of Childhood – Edinburgh

First opened in 1957, the Museum of Childhood is the world’s first museum dedicated to the history of youth, aiming to capture what it was like to grow up in 19th- and 20th-century Britain.

The museum features a collection of toys and nostalgia from the mid-19th century onwards, including dolls, games, toys, fancy dress, books, magazines, and comics – the oldest toy in the collection is a Queen Anne Doll dating back to 1740.

If you’re keen for a trip down memory lane, visit the Childhood Museum on 18 May.

3. National Videogame Museum – Sheffield

The National Videogame Museum is the UK’s only museum dedicated to videogames and gaming history over the last 50 years.

There are over 100 playable exhibits, including retro games like Sonic and Mario Bros, as well as “gaming artefacts” like original Game Boys and the Pax Power Glove.

The museum is the primary focus of the British Games Institute (BGI), its governing charity, which aims to educate the public on the art, science, and technology of videogames. So, whether you’re a gamer geek or a complete novice, the National Videogame Museum is certainly a refreshing way to spend International Museum Day.

4. Derwent Pencil Museum – Keswick

Home of the world’s first pencil, the Derwent Pencil Museum chronicles the history of graphite and the making of pencils from cottage industry to modern-day production.

The museum is home to a variety of historic pencil artefacts, including second world war pencils hiding secret maps, one of the largest coloured pencils in the world (at almost eight metres long), and the Queen’s own Diamond Jubilee pencil.

Located in Keswick, the Derwent Pencil Museum could prove an ideal day out for the family if you’re visiting or living in the Cumbria region.

5. Northampton Museum and Gallery – Northampton

While the name of this museum doesn’t give much away, what makes the Northampton Museum and Gallery unique is its exhibition space: home to over 18,000 pairs of shoes.

Northampton is renowned for its shoemaking history, peaking as the nation’s shoemaking capital in the mid-1840s. The exhibition reaches even further back in history to 5300BC, guiding visitors on a comprehensive journey of the shoe throughout time.

From ancient Egypt to the latest fashions, discover everything you didn’t know about human shoemaking heritage at the Northampton Museum and Gallery this International Museum Day.

6. Cartoon Museum – London

The Cartoon Museum is dedicated to the finest British cartoons, caricatures, and comic art, celebrating the creativity of animation in the past and present to make it accessible to everyone.

You’ll find classic art from The Beano, The Dandy, and Topper, as well as works from Rupert the Bear illustrator Alfred Bestall.

Currently, it’s hosting ‘The Future Was Then’ exhibition, featuring comics from the past depicting visions of the future, including works from Judge Dredd, Black Mirror, and Thunderbirds.

7. Dog Collar Museum – Kent

The Dog Collar Museum is housed in the historic 900-year-old Leeds Castle in Kent.

The collection traces the history of canine neckwear, spanning more than five centuries and including pieces from across Europe. The oldest item is a Spanish iron mastiff collar, worn for protection against the wolves and bears that roamed the continent at the time.

The exhibition is child-friendly, so make sure to consider a family trip to Leeds Castle this May.

8. Marble Museum – Devon

Last but not least is the House of Marbles in Devon, home of the Marble Museum. This museum showcases a large collection of marbles spanning the ages and in a variety of materials, such as clay, stone, and classic glass.

There are also several fascinating, bespoke marble runs, handcrafted for the museum, as well as a trio of oversized marbles actually made from marble stone. You’ll also find a games garden where children can interact with a giant floating marble on a bed of water.

Get in touch

If you’d like to visit your financial plan along with any of these fascinating British museums this month, get in touch with your The Pension Planner adviser today.

Email info@thepensionplanner.co.uk or call 0800 0787 182.