Imperial War Museum Duxford, Cambridge

A good day out - we take a picnic and you can eat it indoors or outdoors. Good to go on a Sunday when there are some flights going.

The Imperial War Museum in Duxford is a good place to take children (its great for adults with a passion for planes too!). It is free for children to get into the site and it can be an educational experience for them. There are a number of different aircraft hangars, each with a different display, there is one on The Battle of Britain and another with the museum’s Maritime collection in it, to name but a few. They also have special events for children during school holidays where they can take part in quizzes, make crafts such as paper kites and aeroplanes or learn how an ejector seat works!

I went to Duxford Imperial War Museum with my 4 teenagers and a picnic on an Air Show Day. It really is worth spending the extra money to see one of these shows. Even if your children are not interested in aeroplanes they will be enthralled at a show which usually includes the ‘Red Arrows’ and a parachuting display. My children spent hours watching the acrobatics of the planes but be warned in the summer you need to put lots of sun cream on them. The constant looking up soon burns faces on a sunny day. When there is an Air Show on at Duxford there is also a huge market which my children enjoyed and bought various things of interest. There are masses of hangars full of planes and your children will be able to go inside some of them. Duxford Imperial War Museum is a fascinating place for children of all ages and really is a great day out.

We had an enjoyable day out as a family, however this museum was clearly of more interest to my son than teenage daughter! The collection of planes is impressive and it is a great way to support school projects on the two World Wars. There is a range of interactive displays which make it more fun for the children. My children especially liked looking inside the planes. Generally the facilities are very good, however, the site is a working airfield and as such is very exposed. If you go on a hot day there is little shade outside so make sure you have plenty of sunscreen. Similarly, if going in the winter months, make sure you are prepared for wet, windy and cold walks between the hangars! We have been caught out by both! The museum also hosts technology days for schools in the area. I have accompanied two schools on these days and helped out with hands-on activities which introduce engineering and scientific principles to primary school age children - a brilliant educational event.