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Isle of Wight

Photo: Christine Matthews (CC BY-SA 2.0), via Wikimedia Commons

Things to do in Isle of Wight

The best holidays are planned around great days out. Here's what's on the doorstep in Isle of Wight, from big-ticket attractions to rainy-day savers.

Showing museums, aquariums and attractions with indoor areas — the ones that work whatever the forecast.

Aquariums

Blue Reef Aquarium

11.8 mi from Isle of Wight

Blue Reef Aquarium

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Oceanarium

25.4 mi from Isle of Wight

Oceanarium

The Oceanarium is a tropical aquarium on Bournemouth's seafront, home to sharks, a loggerhead turtle, otters, jellyfish, clownfish and a colony of Humboldt penguins. You can walk t...

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Museums & Galleries

Carisbrooke Castle Museum

1.4 mi from Isle of Wight

Carisbrooke Castle Museum

Carisbrooke Castle Museum is the oldest museum on the Isle of Wight, founded in 1898 by Princess Beatrice and now caring for over 37,000 items linked to island history. Housed in t...

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Newport Roman Villa

1.7 mi from Isle of Wight

Newport Roman Villa

Newport Roman Villa was a Romano-British farmhouse constructed in 280 AD. It is located near to Newport, Isle of Wight. — Wikipedia

Museum of Island History

2.1 mi from Isle of Wight

Museum of Island History

Museum in Newport, Isle of Wight, UK

The Shipwreck Centre

2.5 mi from Isle of Wight

The Shipwreck Centre

Museum in Arreton, Isle of Wight, England, United Kingdom

Isle of Wight Glass Museum

2.5 mi from Isle of Wight

Isle of Wight Glass Museum

The Isle of Wight Glass Museum in Arreton showcases over 1200 pieces of glass across two galleries, including the world's largest collection of glass handmade on the Isle of Wight,...

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The Wight Military and Heritage Museum

4.2 mi from Isle of Wight

The Wight Military and Heritage Museum

This museum in Newport and Carisbrooke on the Isle of Wight offers a hands-on military heritage experience, with guided tours from knowledgeable volunteers, an air rifle range, arm...

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Dinosaur Farm Museum

4.5 mi from Isle of Wight

Dinosaur Farm Museum

Dinosaur Farm Museum, officially the Dinosaur Expeditions, Conservation and Palaeoart Centre, sits on the Military Road near Brighstone on the Isle of Wight and opened in 2013. Ins...

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Isle of Wight Steam Railway

4.5 mi from Isle of Wight

Isle of Wight Steam Railway

The Isle of Wight Steam Railway is a heritage railway attraction where you can ride preserved Victorian and Edwardian carriages pulled by majestic steam engines on a ten-mile round...

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Brighstone Museum

4.6 mi from Isle of Wight

Brighstone Museum

Museum in Newport, England, UK

Wight Aviation Museum

5.3 mi from Isle of Wight

Wight Aviation Museum

Wight Aviation Museum in Newchurch, Isle of Wight, celebrates over 100 years of the island's aviation history through biplanes, sea planes, jet fighters, space rockets, helicopters...

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The National Poo Museum

6.2 mi from Isle of Wight

The National Poo Museum

The National Poo Museum offers a quirky, all-new exhibition experience exhibiting species faeces and exploring the gut biome, with a focus on supporting science and charities while...

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Cowes Maritime Museum

6.2 mi from Isle of Wight

Cowes Maritime Museum

Museum on the Isle of Wight

The Gallery

6.3 mi from Isle of Wight

The Gallery

The Classic Boat Museum is a museum of boats and of the history of yachting and boating. It is located on the Isle of Wight on the West side of the River Medina. It is a working mu... — Wikipedia

Sir Max Aitken Museum

6.5 mi from Isle of Wight

Sir Max Aitken Museum

Housed in the famous pink building on Cowes High Street, this magnificent 18th century sail maker's loft holds Sir Max Aitken's personal collection of historic and nautical artefac...

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Ventnor Heritage Museum

6.6 mi from Isle of Wight

Ventnor Heritage Museum

Ventnor Heritage Centre is a small volunteer-run local history museum at 11 Spring Hill, in the centre of Ventnor opposite the Central Car Park, on the Isle of Wight. You'll find d...

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Longshoreman's Museum

6.7 mi from Isle of Wight

Longshoreman's Museum

Museum in Ventnor, England, UK

Dinosaur Isle

6.9 mi from Isle of Wight

Dinosaur Isle

Dinosaur museum on the Isle of Wight

Lilliput Doll and Toy Museum

6.9 mi from Isle of Wight

Lilliput Doll and Toy Museum

The Lilliput Doll and Toy Museum, in the ancient town of Brading on the Isle of Wight, houses a collection of over 2,000 dolls and toys dating from 2000BC to 1950. You can see uniq...

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Brading Railway Heritage Centre

7.1 mi from Isle of Wight

Brading Railway Heritage Centre

Station building in Brading, Isle of Wight, England, UK

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Theme Parks

Clarence Pier

11.8 mi from Isle of Wight

Clarence Pier

Clarence Pier is Southsea's well-known seaside amusement park on the Portsmouth seafront, offering fairground rides, arcades, indoor crazy golf and a Wimpy restaurant. The fairgrou...

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Paultons Park

22.2 mi from Isle of Wight

Paultons Park

Paultons Park is a large family theme park set within 140 acres of parkland on the edge of the New Forest National Park in Hampshire. There's plenty to do, from rollercoasters and...

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Where to stay near Isle of Wight

Places to stay within easy reach of these days out.

More around Isle of Wight

Plan it day by day

Create a free account and hit "Save to my trip" on anything below — then assign each one to a day of your holiday so the whole week is sorted before you pack. And if you haven't booked yet, see our guide to holidays in Isle of Wight for the best places to stay.

Frequently asked questions

What are the best things to do in Isle of Wight?

The list below shows attractions nearby with distances from Isle of Wight.

What can we do in Isle of Wight when it rains?

Museums, galleries and aquariums are your friends — filter the list below by category and keep a couple in reserve for wet days.

More ways to explore

Not booked yet? See the best places to stay in Isle of Wight.