Rainy-day things to do in Sussex: eight museums and indoor family outings

A wet forecast need not rule out a family outing in Sussex. Museums in Hove, Hastings, Crawley and Chichester offer free general admission, while a toy collection beneath Brighton station and scheduled planetarium shows give families two paid alternatives.

This guide focuses on eight museums, galleries and indoor cultural outings. The practical differences matter: several close early in the week, free entry does not cover every workshop, and a lift does not always mean every gallery is accessible.

Find the places on a map

Use this map to plan your visit. Select a pin for the location and open the map for directions. Check the visitor information in this guide before travelling.

Sussex indoor outings at a glance

These are regular opening patterns and advertised admission prices checked on 20 October 2026. Bank holidays, room closures and special events can change arrangements. Free admission excludes travel, parking and separately charged activities.

Hove Museum of Creativity: toys, film and crafts

Hove Museum brings toys, film and craft collections together in a manageable indoor visit. It also has Café Rust on site, making it possible to add a food stop without another journey. General entry is free, although check the price and booking arrangements for a particular activity.

Address: 19 New Church Road, Hove, BN3 4AB. Regular hours are 10am to 5pm on Monday and Thursday to Sunday. On-site parking is for Blue Badge holders; other drivers should check surrounding street-parking restrictions.

The museum’s access information has an important qualification: wheelchair users can visit the ground floor only because of restrictions associated with the upstairs fire exit. An accessible toilet and baby changing are downstairs.

Towner Eastbourne: galleries and a cinema option

Towner offers free general gallery admission, with some exhibitions, events and cinema screenings charged separately. That makes the current programme worth checking before leaving home: a free gallery visit and a booked film are different plans and budgets.

Address: Devonshire Park, College Road, Eastbourne, BN21 4JJ. The gallery normally opens Tuesday to Sunday, 10am to 5pm, plus bank holiday Mondays. College Road car park is nearby, with parking charged separately.

A large lift serves every floor and a manual wheelchair can be reserved. Hearing loops are available at the welcome desk and cinema. Towner’s Make Space programme is another place to look for family creative sessions; check the dates rather than assuming an activity runs every day.

For shops, food and another cinema option, see our Beacon guide and check the separate venue’s opening and screening times.

The Novium: a free Chichester museum stop

The Novium is a useful town-centre option for families who want an indoor visit without committing to a paid attraction. Its visitor information describes dressing-up and interactive activities, and general admission is normally free without booking. Special events can have separate charges.

Address: Tower Street, Chichester, PO19 1QH, opposite the library. In autumn the museum opens Tuesday to Friday, 10am to 4.30pm, and Saturday, 10am to 5pm. Its summer Sunday opening should not be assumed to continue through winter.

Lifts serve the floors, with accessible toilets and ground-floor baby changing. There is no on-site parking or café, so plan those parts of the outing separately.

Our Chichester visitor guide helps you combine The Novium with the cathedral, galleries and gardens.

Hastings Museum & Art Gallery: space for a packed lunch

Hastings Museum combines free admission with free on-site parking, which can make a difference to the cost of a family visit. Dressing-up and gallery interactives add ways for children to explore the collections. The Durbar Hall may be unavailable during events, so check ahead if it is a particular reason for your visit.

Address: John’s Place, Bohemia Road, Hastings, TN34 1ET. Regular hours are Tuesday to Saturday, 10am to 5pm, and Sunday, 11am to 4.30pm.

The museum provides lifts, an accessible toilet, baby changing, sensory maps and visual stories. There are designated indoor tables for packed lunches and a drinks machine, rather than a café. General visits do not require advance booking.

Worthing Museum & Art Gallery: costume and local history

Worthing Museum’s costume, archaeology and social-history collections offer different starting points for a visit, depending on what interests the family. Its galleries are free, and the museum is open following its improvements.

Address: Chapel Road, Worthing, BN11 1HP. Opening hours are Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, 10am to 5pm, and Thursday, 10am to 8pm. Galleries begin clearing 15 minutes before closing, so allow for that when planning an afternoon arrival.

The museum’s access guide describes wheelchair access, including a lift upstairs. Check the current exhibition listings and any separately bookable activities before travelling.

Crawley Museum: the story of a changing town

Crawley Museum covers the area’s history and development, with a 1903 Rex Forecar and a Bronze Age sword among its permanent displays. The museum’s published access policy confirms free entry, with donations welcome.

Address: The Tree, 103 High Street, Crawley, RH10 1DD. It opens Thursday to Saturday, 10.30am to 4pm. The museum estimates a ten-minute walk from Crawley station.

There is a ramp, a lift to the first floor and an accessible toilet. Parking is limited and needs checking with the museum; do not assume the spaces are an unrestricted public car park. Crawley Museum and Ifield Watermill are separate sites with different visiting arrangements.

For a separate shopping and food stop in central Crawley, use our County Mall visitor guide.

Brighton Toy and Model Museum: an outing beneath the station

For a paid indoor option close to rail connections, Brighton Toy and Model Museum is beneath Brighton station. Its advertised family ticket costs £20 for up to two adults and two children. Individual admission is £10 for adults and £6 for children aged five to 18; under-fives enter free.

Address: 52–55 Trafalgar Street, Brighton, BN1 4EB. Normal hours are Tuesday to Friday, 10am to 5pm, and Saturday, 11am to 5pm, with last entry at 4.30pm. Check special-opening notices before planning a Monday visit.

Almost all public areas are wheelchair accessible. The adapted toilet also has baby-changing facilities.

South Downs Planetarium: book an indoor trip into space

The South Downs Planetarium in Chichester suits a planned visit with school-age children. Public shows last about 70 minutes and are not suitable for under-sixes. Advertised tickets are £8 for adults and £6 for children aged six to 16, making £28 for two adults and two children in that age range.

Getting there: use the high-school entrance on Kingsham Road to reach the Sir Patrick Moore Building at Kingsham Farm. The venue gives PO19 8EB for satnav. There is no entrance from the Chichester bypass.

The building opens 45 minutes before scheduled shows. Free parking, two disabled bays by the entrance and accessible toilets are available; discuss particular seating requirements when booking.

What should you check before setting off?

Choose the opening day first, then check whether the activity you want is included in general admission. If step-free access, a quiet space or a particular toilet facility is essential, read the venue’s detailed access information or contact it directly. Hove’s ground-floor restriction is a good example of why a simple wheelchair symbol does not tell the whole story.

Two familiar names are absent for a reason: the Booth Museum reports a temporary closure for improvements, while Horsham Museum lists a closure until 5 January 2027 for roof repairs. Check those notices before making either the destination for a wet-weather trip.

For access details, see Crawley Museum’s access policy and South Downs Planetarium’s practical information.

More days out to consider

• Brighton and Hove with children for more family options.
• Days out across Sussex for a wider choice when the weather improves.

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