Gem Museum on a weekday, Natural History at the weekend with children, Hell’s Museum for teenagers and adults. Three specialists, one question each, and none of them a walk-in.
Six weeks from 20 November, two long weekends and the wettest month of the year. The dates, the family shows to book now and the mornings-out, afternoons-in rule that gets you through.
Don't buy everything. Our guide to the conservatory, the viewpoint and the ticket that suit one evening at the Gardens, and what to leave for next time.
A catch-up goes easier with a shared task. Choose pottery or climbing by the kind of concentration you want, and book a proper introduction rather than winging it.