Completed Mary Rose Museum is one of England's best

I've written about the Mary Rose museum here before, but that was back with it was still unfinished.

Today, after a 35-year effort, all the scaffolding has been pulled away from the remains of the historic shipwreck's frame. Her restoration, and the amazing museum around her, are officially complete. Here are three reasons why this is possibly the finest museum in England today.

Spectacular design. The modern pavilion encircling the ship is beautiful on the outside and jaw-dropping within. The starboard half of the Mary Rose that's been preserved now stands upright with little visible support, as if she's a ghost ship under full sail. The spectral illusion continues as the lights come up and down, the sound of the sea washes over you from hidden speakers and clever three-dimensional film projections sometimes make it appear that people are going about their daily business within the wreck. The museum is arranged in "decks" that match the ship; you wander the port side examining objects where they would have been back in 1545. Now that the glass screens between the halves have been removed and the Mary Rose stands proudly, the illusion is complete. It's a magical space.

A compelling story. Curators have used the skeletons of a small group of crew members (including the dog) to understand what life was like on board. They then take us along a carefully considered path, getting to know these men as we look at their belongings, their skeletons, films about their lives and ultimately wax work recreations of what they would have looked like. It's bold, haunting, and connects with your gut in a way few museums are able to do. These were real people, caught up in a tragedy. You live through it with them.

Hands-on fun. The museum uses both technology and more traditional tricks to make your visit so much more than wandering around and looking at stuff. There are plenty of computer screens to let you dig deeper into information. Many of them are set up as games. From lining up cannon properly to disable your enemy to deciding what provisions to buy and how to pack your hold, the kid-friendly challenges are both fun, and teach valuable lessons about life on board. My favourite bit remains the weapons section, where you can lift models of pikes and halberds to get a sense of their weight, and try your best to draw back longbows. There are other copies of artifacts throughout to handle, and at the end there's a dressing-up area where kids can get into Tudor costume.

If all museums were like this, we'd have no problem getting children of all ages through the doors. Knowledge of history would skyrocket. There's nothing like entertainment to teach a lesson painlessly, and to deliver a life-long love of culture.

The Mary Rose is part of the Portsmouth Historic Dockyards complex. You can buy a ticket for it as an individual attraction (adults £18), or for another tenner get a ticket that includes many other naval-themed attractions, like the HMS Warrior, HMS Victory and a boat ride around the harbour to check out the naval ships currently in service. Tickets are good for re-admission over a full year, which is a good thing since you'll want to spend time looking around. Allow at least two hours to get the most out of the Mary Rose.