Get a taste of America without even boarding a plane at this fascinating museum.

The American Museum in Britain is situated at Claverton Manor overlooking the Avon valley just outside Bath.

Since 1961, it has been the only dedicated museum of Americana outside the United States celebrating the development of American decorative arts.

The main house traces the American way of life from colonial times to the eve of the Civil War through a spectacular series of diverse and authentically furnished period sets that show the domestic interiors and decorative arts of some of the many cultural groups that make up America.

The museum also houses its much-renowned American quilt collection and textile room.

There are also outdoor displays, children's events, workshops, transportation exhibits, a herb shop, a country store, a dedicated folk art collection and a research library.

This year's main exhibition at the museum is Playback A Celebration of American Toys and Games', which will run from March 18 until October 29.

Take a trip down memory lane whilst playing with amazingly realistic train sets and dolls houses.

Displays of fascinating and charming toys from the past will tell of the joys and hardships of childhood and how they have changed over the years.

Examples of timeless favourite toys including Noah's Ark, toy soldiers and cut-out dolls are all on display.

A highlight of the exhibition is a fabulous Humpty Dumpty Circus by the famous American Schoenhut Company. With its bendable and movable wooden characters, today's children, like those of the early 1900's, find delight in performing their own circus shows.

This fantastic example of American craftsmanship is accompanied by a fascinating world of miniatures including detailed cardboard towns and tiny rooms made of tin.

The exhibition will also be displaying one, of only two, of the original Monopoly boards left in the world. Invented by Elizabeth Magie the game was first published in 1903.

Originally known as The Landlord's Game, Monopoly has had a long and successful history.

n The American Museum, Claverton Manor, Bath Tel: (01225) 460503.