Eastern England – Norwich and Around

Norwich and Around
1. The Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts
Located at the University of East Anglia in a sleek hangar like building designed by Norman Foster, is the Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts, which houses one of the most varied collections of painting and sculpture in the country. Works by Degas, Seurat, Picasso, Giacometti, Bacon and Henry Moore rub shoulders with Mayan and Egyptian antiquities, Art Nouveau and architecture and design. Facilities include a cafe, a restaurant and gallery shop.

2. Lenwade Dinosaur Park
Lenwade Dinosaur Adventure Park has thrills and spills for children of all ages. Confront the impressive dinosaurs, take part in the Scavenger Hunt, track T-Rex, ride on the Raptor Racers, dig for fossils and follow the Dinosaur Trail. Make friends with the animals in the Secret Animal Garden, and come face to face with iguanas, snakes, bugs and insects in the Creepy Crawlies zone. Play dinosaur themed crazy golf at Jurassic Putt, and visit the themed cafe and gift shop.

3. Blickling Hall
Built in the early 17th century, Blickling is one of England’s great Jacobean houses. View fine Mortlake tapestries, intricate plasterwork ceilings, an excellent collection of furniture and paintings, and the 19th-century Hungerford Pollen painted ceiling. The glorious gardens are beautiful all year round with thousands of spring bulbs, swathes of bluebells, vibrant summer borders and rich autumn colours. Facilities include a gift shop, plant sales and a restaurant.

4. Banham Zoo
Banham Zoo is set amongst 35 acres of beautiful parkland and gardens with innovative and exciting enclosures, providing sanctuary for almost 1000 animals ranging from big cats to birds of prey and siamangs to shire horses. Get close to the animals and learn about their habits in one of the unique presentations, see the bird of prey display which features up to nine vultures flying together, or attend one of the feeding talks for the Snow Leopards, penguins, seals and tigers and more.

5. Bewilderwood Forest Treehouse Adventure Park Bewilderwood is a huge forest adventure crammed full of fun things for kids from to see and do, with treehouses, trails and a host ofunique characters. Climb aboard your Bewilderboat for your ride into Bewilderwood along the Dismal Dyke. Explore the Muddle Maze, Wobbly Wires, and clamber through a treetop village. Watch out for Mildred the Crocklebog! Lots of children’s events take place in the woods throughout the year, from flower planting to Halloween evenings.

6. The RAF Air Defence Radar Museum
In September 1941 the first secret radar system was installed at RAF Neatishead, near Horning in Norfolk. The museum traces the history and development of Air Defence Radar since its invention in 1935. See the history and development of Detection, Air Intelligence Photography, Air Defence Radar and Air Battle Management from the 1930’s to the modern computer technology of today. Memorabilia and photo albums showing the history of the station are also on display.

7. Norwich Castle Museum and Art Gallery
One of the City’s most famous landmarks, Norwich Castle was built by the Normans as a Royal Palace 900 years ago. Now the County’s principal museum, the Castle is packed with treasures to inspire and intrigue visitors of all ages. Its outstanding collections of fine art, archaeology and natural history are of national importance and include the best collections anywhere of paintings by the Norwich School of Artists and the world’s largest collection of ceramic teapots.

8. Norwich Cathedral
Norwich’s magnificent Romanesque Cathedral is set in beautiful grounds and is an awe-inspiring and welcoming building, with spectacular architecture, magnificent art and a fascinating history. Look out for the Despenser Reredos, a superb painted panel commissioned to celebrate the crushing of the Peasants’ Revolt in 1381, and intricate carving in the cloisters of the Apocalypse and pagan green men and fertility symbols. There is a licensed restaurant nearby, housed in a striking modern building.

9. The Royal Norfolk Regimental Museum
The Royal Norfolk Regiment was formed iin 1865 and served around the globe, bringing back some interesting items from their various campaigns, some of a military nature, and some more unusual. Follow the story of Norfolk’s soldiers and their families in shaping three centuries of global history and see a fascinating collection of equipment, souvenirs and memorabilia. An important photographic collection records the regiment’s time in India, and the medal collection contains two Victoria Crosses.

10. The Forum, Norwich
The Forum Library and Tourism Centre is the venue for a unique range of city centre events including comedy, photography and art exhibitions, children’s events and fashion shows. New Fusion is a permanent public access digital screen gallery, showing the work of artists and film makers on a 24 x 2.5 metre screen. Find out about evening classes, buy a coach ticket, borrow a DVD or send emails, have a break for coffee and pick up some birthday presents all in one visit.

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