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The Natural History Museum at Tring has six main galleries containing permanent collection of birds, fish
and animals from around the world, cabinets full of insects, and fossils
and skeletons. The stunning Gallery Six has
been refurbished to include a modern glass display area showing fully
cleaned exhibits including a collection of domestic dogs! The
Rothschild Room recreates the surroundings of the museum's original
curators. Facilities at the museum include a gift shop and the Zebra Cafe.
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Ashridge Estate is an area of open countryside and woodland on
the edge of the Chiltern Hills with a rich variety of bird and
wildlife, including fallow deer and red kite. A
network of footpaths criss-crosses the estate, where
ancient woodlands display carpets of bluebells in spring and
spectacular colours in autumn. See
panoramas of Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire from the Ivinghoe Beacon
- the 250 metre high site of an Iron Age hill fort. Facilities include a visitor centre,
cafe and shop.
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Hatfield House in Hertfordshire, is a
fine Jacobean House containing a marvellous collection of
pictures, furnishings and historic armour, in a spectacular countryside setting. The West Garden is where
Elizabeth I spent most of her childhood, and in the Park, an oak tree marks
the place where the young Princess Elizabeth first heard of her
accession to the throne. The West garden includes a scented garden, herb garden
and knot garden. Facilities include a shop and restaurant.
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Verulanium Museum is on the site of one of the major cities of Roman
Britain, now an attractive park. Inside there are some of the finest
Roman mosaics and wall plasters outside the Mediterranean. With recreated Roman rooms, hands-on Discovery Areas, video
presentations and touch screen databases the museum combines an
outstanding collection of artefacts with interactive exhibits. There are also some remains of the original city, including the
hypocaust building and the
Roman Theatre.
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Originally a
red-brick Tudor manor house, Knebworth was transformed in 1843 into the gothic
fantasy of today, with its turrets, griffins and gargoyles. Encapsulating 500 years of British
history, a walk from room to room is a journey back in time, through
an Edwardian drawing room, a Victorian study, a Georgian bedroom and a
Jacobean banqueting hall. The Italianate Victorian gardens have benefitted from an extensive programme of renovation, and kids will enjoy the 'Dino Trail.'
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Shaw’s corner is an Edwardian Arts and Crafts-influenced house which
was home to the famous Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw, who lived
here from 1906 until his death in 1950. See
the great dramatist's revolving Writing Hut and many other literary and
personal effects, including his Oscar and Nobel Prize. The orchard, flower meadow, rose dell and densely
planted herbaceous beds create a vigorous English
garden. Open-air performances of Shaw's plays are staged during the summer.
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The Museum of Domestic Design and Architecture is known as 'the museum of the history of the home'. The varied exhibitions give a vivid picture of domestic life in the
first half of the twentieth century while also looking at contemporary
design, art, and issues related to the domestic environment. The museum's collections throw light on what homes were like and how people lived in them. A busy programme of practical workshops, events and talks
provide entertaining experiences for
adults and children.
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St Alban’s Cathedral is one of the finest examples of Norman
architecture in the country. It boasts a fine set of 13th century wall
paintings showing the death of Jesus on the cross, and the rounded
Norman pillars and arches of the nave are built of re-cycled Roman
brick. The
cathedral is built on what is believed to be the site of the martyrdom
of St Alban, a third century citizen who was beheaded by the Romans for
giving shelter to a Christian Priest. Facilities here include a cafe and gift shop.
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The Royal National Rose Society was founded in 1876 to promote the
growing of roses. At the Royal National Rose Society Gardens of the Rose, Hertfordshire, the gardens offer stunning displays of tens of
thousands of roses, both old and modern, complemented by companion
plants. The gardens have undergone a complete refurbishment with new roses,
herbaceous perennials, spring bulbs, shrubs and lush grassy areas
providing year-round interest.
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Ebenezer Howard, founder of Letchworth Garden City, had a vision that
would end the poverty and slum conditions suffered by many in the
late Victorian era. The First Garden City Heritage Museum tells the story of the Garden
City Movement from its origins to the present day. It is housed in a
beautiful and unique building designed in 1907 by the architect Barry
Parker. Visit his office, filled with Arts and
Crafts furniture and see exhibits
exploring the social history of Letchworth Garden City.
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