National Horse Racing Museum

The National Horseracing Museum sits in the heart of Newmarket, the historic Suffolk town that has been the headquarters of British thoroughbred racing for over 350 years. Housed within the restored Palace House complex, once Charles II's racing palace, the museum forms part of a wider visitor attraction known as Palace House, which brings together three experiences on a single five-acre site.

The galleries trace the development of racing from the 17th century to the present day, with paintings by Stubbs and Munnings, racing silks, trophies and the personal effects of legendary jockeys and trainers. Interactive exhibits let visitors test their riding skills on horse simulators and learn how a thoroughbred is bred, trained and raced. Outside, the King's Yard contains the Rothschild Yard stables and a paddock where retired racehorses, rehomed and retrained, can be seen at close quarters.

The third strand of the site is the Fred Packard Museum and Galleries of British Sporting Art, displaying one of the finest collections of sporting paintings in the country. Newmarket itself, with its training gallops, two racecourses and the National Stud nearby, makes a natural day out for anyone interested in the turf.