There's something for everyone at the Black Country Museum and you don't have to be a local to appreciate it. The unique nature of Black Country folk makes this a special museum to visit. Think Ironbridge meets Lenny Henry.



He's just one famous child of the Black Country whose achievements are featured in the "traditional" museum area that introduces you to the site. The Black Country has played a significant part in the history of not just the Midlands but the whole of the UK and even the rest of the world.



When Queen Victoria wanted to show the world what her Empire had achieved and staged the Great Exhibition in 1851 she housed it in a magnificent Crystal Palace with glass manufactured in the Black Country.



The Industrial Revolution could be said to have been born in the Black Country when Matthew Boulton gave James Watt space to develop his improvements to the steam engine, creating the driving force that enabled growth of manufacturing throughout the world.



This museum details and celebrates the many industries that grew up as a result. (And some that existed before - like Stourbridge glass)



Genuine buildings and fittings from around the area have been gathered on site and if you're lucky you can see many of the factories in use as costumed re-enactors create a range of real souvenirs.

Unlike many NT properties there has been little or no attempt to restore this to its original state. It's very different from any other NT property I've seen.

Most of the rooms are empty but that does not detract from the atmosphere of the place. This must have been a very depressing situation to end up in. To be deemed "idle and profligate" and forced to do mindless work for hours on end just to have a roof over your head.

The tour is by personal recorded guide and it's well worth listening to it in full as you go round. You'll miss a lot (like the home-made sundial scratched into the wall in the exercise yard) if you don't.

This is a little gem in the grounds of Kedleston Hall but not part of the National Trust property. It's packed with fascinating monuments to the Curzon family from many different generations so it's a great place to compare styles over several centuries.

This is a wonderful little gem with no facilities of its own but right next door to The Ferrers Centre (which has shops, rest rooms and a tea room) The volunteer guides at the church are helpful and knowledgeable and will point out details you might not otherwise spot. But it really would be good if the National Trust would sell a postcard of the fascinating "heaven" ceiling since it won't allow photography in there.

As a long standing visitor to Lincoln Minster in the past I thought I knew it pretty well but this time I followed one of the children's trails (Hunt the dragon) to see it in a different light and was amazed at the new things I found. They are relatively cheap (20p) and available from the entry desk.

Kedleston is a wonderful example of Adams given full rein but that isn't what you'll see if you visit at the moment. The place is currently undergoing a massive restoration in all but a few rooms.

It was fascinating to see the rooms stripped of paintings and most of the furniture but it wouldn't have suited everyone. And there was no warning before going in that the house was in that state.