dinosaur

THE summer holidays are in full swing and if you want a fun family day out that is completely free, look no further.

From open-air museums to galleries, attractions and incredible buildings with summer activities for kids – these places will keep everyone entertained and won’t cost a penny.

Which? has revealed the top best family days out and in top spot is St Fagans National Museum of History in Cardiff.

The museum has a reconstructed historic street showing what life was like in Wales many years ago.

It’s filled with historic buildings that have been relocated to the site including a medieval church, farmhouses and a school.

In the centre of it all is St Fagans Castle, which is a 16th century manor house that has been open to the public since 1948 and is set within pretty Italian gardens.

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One visitor on Tripadvisor called it an “absolute masterpiece of living history” adding it’s in a “league of its own”.

Another added: “As far as free fun goes, this was great! It was like stepping back into time and seeing how people lived in Wales eras ago. Loved it!”

The second most highly-rated on the list is the National Railway Museum in York.

It’s considered ‘best [museum] of its kind in the world’ according to On Magazine with one visitor on Tripadvisor calling it “unique and unforgettable”.

Inside are 100 locomotives, thousands of historical artifacts, royal carriages and well-known trains like the Mallard steam engine.

There’s also the art-deco Duchess of Hamilton, and a Japanese Shinkansen bullet train too.

Here’s the full list of the the top free museums and galleries from Which?…

1. St Fagans National Museum of History, Cardiff
2. National Railway Museum, York
3. Royal Air Force (RAF) Museum Cosford
4. National Museum of Scotland
5. Cardiff National Museum
6. Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, Glasgow
7. Royal Air Force Museum, London
8. Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool
9. Oxford University Museum of Natural History
10. Scottish National Galleries

Throughout the summer there are events on every day like immersive storytelling and live shows, plus there are indoor and outdoor play areas for children.

It’s completely free to visit, but it’s encouraged to book tickets online to guarantee entry, especially during the summer holidays.

Also highly-rated as a free day out is the Royal Air Force (RAF) Museum Cosford.

It has a huge collection of military aircraft as well as interactive exhibits and even a plane-themed playground.

Then there’s the National Museum of Scotland which has galleries filled with treasures from the age of the dinosaurs to new technology.

Make sure to pop up to the roof terrace too where you’ll get a view of the Edinburgh skyline.

During the summer holiday there are drop-in activities throughout the day from exploring a dinosaur trail, to space missions and crafts.

Another top free day out from Which? is the Cardiff National Museum which is filled with world-class art work and natural history – it also has exhibitions and plenty of events.

Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum in Glasgow is another completely free destinations for a family day out.

It opened in 1901 and has 22 galleries filled with beautiful artwork and don’t miss the organ recital at 1pm from Monday to Saturday and 3pm on Sunday.

Families can pop into Durham Cathedral to see the incredible building for free.

Throughout the summer it holds kids’ workshops like creating your own stained glass,activitys backpacks whichares filled withchallengesr and a pair of binoculars.

The surrounding grounds can be explored for free too.

Other highly-rated historical attractions that are free including St David’s Cathedral and Chichester Cathedral.

On a regular visit to the Houses of Parliament you will need to buy a ticket, but there is a way to get a tour for free.

But Which? advises that if you’re keen to visit, any UK resident can contact their MP or a member of the House of Lords to request a free-5-minute guided tour.

Here are the top free historic UK attractions…

1. Durham Cathedral, Durham
2. St David’s Cathedral, St David’s
3. Chichester Cathedral, Chichester
4. Houses of Parliament, London
5. Bury St Edmunds Abbey
6. Somerset House
7. Bristol Cathedral

A MUM was forced to cancel her flight after discovering her son doodled a dinosaur in her passport just hours before a work trip abroad.

The distraught parent shared the stressful experience online, along with photos of the ballpoint scribbles, captioned: “I hate dinosaurs!”

“I feel like crying. My flight is tonight,” she said.

“I was packing, and my little one was busy scribbling on my passport. I didn’t notice when he got hold of it.

“This morning I was running around queuing at immigration.

“I’m hoping I don’t have to declare the passport as damaged.”

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The woman then went to the Immigration Department in Kajang, Malaysia before being sent to Putrajaya.

Unfortunately, her worst fears were realised.

Officials told her her passport was damaged and not valid for travel.

To make matters worse, as it was a weekend, she could not get a replacement until Monday.

She said: “I’m now on the way to Kuala Lumpur International Airport to ask Qatar Airways if I can change my ticket to Monday night.

“Please pray that everything is made easier.”

Fortunately, she was able to change her flight to Monday – though at a not insignificant price of £114.

Accepting the outcome, she wrote: “To those asking about the little one who scribbled on the passport, he’s still smiling without any sense of guilt and still saying, ‘Let’s go to the airport!’

“Please pray that our affairs are made easier as we continue our 11,977km journey soon… amen.

“Also, thank you to the immigration officer in Putrajaya who was on duty this morning and helped us accept fate with more calmness.

“God willing, there is a blessing in it.”

This is not the first time passport issues have caused last-minute travel chaos.

In August last year, a couple left their 10-year-old son behind at Barcelona Airport after discovering his passport had expired.

Determined not to miss their flight, they arranged for a relative to collect him and boarded the plane without him.

The plan quickly unravelled when airport staff spotted the boy alone and alerted police.

It is not known if the family were charged or given any sort of caution by the police.

Baseball players are superstitious — it comes with the territory.

But not even UCLA coach John Savage, who has coached the Bruins since 2004, has seen something that rivals pitcher Angel Cervantes and his mini toy dinosaur, Jerry.

A two-inch triceratops, Jerry sits behind the 6-foot-2 freshman every time the righty takes the mound, serving as a familiar — albeit tiny — face Cervantes can turn to for reassurance.

“[Cervantes] used the word childish,” Savage recalled. “And I kind of like that because that’s the first thing you think, like, ‘What the hell? Baby dinosaur? What are we doing?’ And so, he got a little chuckle out of it. He doesn’t take himself too serious, and I like that from a young guy. But it’s something that he loves and works off and, you know, good for him.”

Jerry took the world by storm as Cervantes, making his postseason debut Sunday, tossed five scoreless innings in UCLA’s 3-2 11-inning win over Oregon in the Big Ten championship game. The broadcast crew zoomed in on the dino, and the rest remains history.

Cervantes didn’t expect his mini dinosaur to be a hot topic throughout college baseball. The pitcher found it “crazy” to see himself and Jerry showered with love in social media posts shared by ESPN and MLB.

However, as the virality increases, Cervantes has been an open book about Jerry.

“Jerry, he’s a big part of my plan,” he said. “He just keeps me calm.”

The triceratops has been calming Cervantes since his senior year at Downey’s Warren High School.

In George Redfox’s photography class, Cervantes and his classmates were assigned to take pictures of mini dinosaurs on the ground at varying angles. With the longtime teacher’s approval, Cervantes and a friend kept a pair of dinosaurs; one was named Tom, and the other Jerry, inspired by the show Cervantes loved watching with his dad growing up.

Cervantes first placed Jerry behind him on the mound during a game at Angel Stadium and has made it routine ever since.

“I put my hand on my lid, I look down, and I close my eyes,” Cervantes said of his superstition. “And once I open my eyes, I look at Jerry, and that’s when I know it’s time to go. If I’m [ahead] 0-2, I like to slow myself down. I don’t want to think ahead. Or, after a first-pitch strike [or] the beginning of the inning, you know, whatever. Whenever I think the moment’s getting a little big, I want to slow things down.”

Some players pat their gloves. Others chew gum or spit seeds. But Cervantes? He just looks at his little pal.

UCLA pitcher Angel Cervantes holds his good luck toy dinosaur.

(Joaquin Ruiz / For The Times)

As Savage said, the arrangement is unique.

However, what works, works. And the Bruins, when they’re not worrying about stepping on Jerry or watching the tiny-but-mighty dino get obliterated by a grounder up the middle, are all for anything that will empower Cervantes to be his best.

“I remember seeing [Jerry] for the first time in the fall, and I just thought it was funny,” UCLA junior catcher Cashel Dugger said. “I think it’s just his thing, and it keeps him comfortable out there. And if he’s comfortable out there, then I think everybody else is good for it …”

Jerry didn’t just help Cervantes thrive in the biggest game of his life to help the Bruins earn their first Big Ten conference title.

Rather, the dino helped Cervantes evolve from an adapting freshman into a trustworthy arm — that enters the NCAA tournament with a 3.86 ERA with just one run given up over his last five outings — in a rotation that needed a boost, as right-handed ace Logan Reddemann has been out with arm soreness since mid-April.

“He was not ready, three [to] four months ago, to be a weekend starter,” Savage said of Cervantes, who the Pittsburgh Pirates selected with the No. 50 overall pick in the 2025 MLB draft. “In terms of Angel, it’s really been a fun progression. It’s really, I think, the epitome of development, of not rushing a guy with high expectations. I mean, he [was the] 50th pick … you would think [he’d] be plug-in-and-go. But in today’s world of college baseball, being barely 18 years old … he just wasn’t there yet, and he needed to fall.”

Jerry isn’t on UCLA’s roster and probably won’t be sized for championship rings any time soon.

But don’t get it twisted: there’s only one tiny dinosaur Cervantes looks to when he feels the heat, or for a lift when he falls. The two, quite literally, are inseparable.

“He’s in my backpack,” Cervantes said when asked where Jerry goes after games. “So, he’s still with me. I don’t want to keep him in my pocket — maybe I’ll grab my wallet, and he suddenly falls out. I’m always on top of where I keep him.”

Jerry has the trust of everyone in Westwood as UCLA begins its quest for a second national title in program history on Friday against Saint Mary’s.

The Bruins love him. The fans love him. Heck, even umpires can’t help but smile when met with the triceratops.

“Every time they do checks — like, they check my hands and glove — they’re always asking what’s in my pockets or hand, because before they do that, I put Jerry in the pocket. And I just put my hand out, and Jerry’s just right there. ‘Oh, OK, cool. Go get ‘em.’ So they’re always having a smile on their face.”

Cervantes and the Bruins still have a ways to go before they’re champions of the world. But if anything is certain, it’s that Jerry will be there every step of the way, whether on the mound with the freshman or in his backpack.

Oh, and if Cervantes ever gets to make that dream big-league appearance one day, he made it clear: He’d do everything he could to share the experience with Jerry.

“Someone said that if the batter ever gets mad and goes up to the pitcher, that Jerry will be right behind him,” Cervantes said of his favorite social media comment about his mini companion. “And that we should get a helmet for Jerry.”