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Immersive & Touring Exhibitions in Leeds
Exhibitions here tend to be the sort you walk round rather than sit and watch. The National Science and Media Museum in Bradford is free and has an interactive light and sound lab alongside its photography and gaming galleries, with Pictureville Cinema next door if anyone wants a proper screen afterwards. Experience Barnsley Museum & Discovery Centre, also free, has an Egyptian LEGO trail and a Cleopatra exhibition, plus a Friday session kept quiet for under-5s. The Cooper Gallery, over in Barnsley too, lends sensory backpacks for kids who find busy rooms hard going. For toddlers, the quiet Friday slot at Barnsley or the Cooper Gallery's backpacks take the pressure off. Older kids will get more from the science museum's hands-on galleries, and everything above is indoors, so it works whatever's happening outside. Both Barnsley venues and the Bradford museum are free to get in, which helps if you're weighing up a longer drive against the cost of the day.
14 places 4 free to visit
FreeExperience Barnsley Museum & Discovery Centre
Barnsley
Free museum with an Egyptian LEGO trail, a Cleopatra exhibition and a Friday session just for under-5s.
Accessible toiletCaféChanging PlacesFree parking+8 more
FreeLeeds Minster
Leeds
A free look round a Victorian neo-gothic church, with organ recitals and a family service that doesn't need you to sit still and behave.
Accessible toiletFood on siteStep-free accessToilets+1 more
Leeds Playhouse
Leeds · ages 0+
A proper theatre programme for kids, from babe-in-arms shows to youth drama sessions for teens.
Accessible toiletBaby changeBirthday partiesBooking required+6 more
FreeNational Science and Media Museum
Bradford
Free galleries on photography, film and gaming, plus an interactive light and sound lab and the UK's largest cinema screen.
Accessible toiletBaby changeBlue badge parkingCafé+8 more
from £16Opera North, Howard Opera Centre
Leeds
Full opera and youth choruses for kids, with subtitles above the stage and seats from £16.
Wheelchair accessible
from £9Pictureville Cinema at National Science and Media Museum
Bradford · ages 0-18
A proper cinema screen inside the museum, with IMAX next door if the big kids want the giant screen version.
Accessible toiletBaby changeCard onlyDog friendly+2 more
from £8Shadows of York Ghost Walk
York · ages 8+
A 90 minute guided walk through York's darker history, told with proper storytelling and best kept for kids who can handle a scare.
Booking requiredGroup bookingsParkingWheelchair accessible
FreeThe Cooper Gallery
Barnsley
Free art gallery visits with sensory backpacks to borrow for kids who find busy spaces tricky.
Accessible toiletCaféGift shopPublic transport nearby+5 more
from £14The Ghost Bus Tours York
York · ages 5+
A 75-minute comedy-horror tour of York's darkest tales aboard a vintage Routemaster bus, with actors playing it up as you go.
Booking required
The Grand Theatre & Opera House Leeds
Leeds
A proper old theatre in the city centre for a live show, with Secret Seats from £22 if you fancy a gamble on where you sit.
Accessible toiletBaby changeCaféGroup bookings+2 more
from £6The Original Ghost Walk of York
York
A guided night walk round York's haunted spots, starting at 8pm and taking about 75 to 90 minutes on foot.
Card only
from £9.50The Puzzling World Of Professor Kettlestring
York · ages 5+
Nine trippy, illusion-filled rooms to wander at your own pace, no escape-room clock ticking over your shoulder.
Accessible toiletBirthday partiesBooking requiredDog friendly+6 more
Tiger Moth Experience
Leeds
A real flight in an open cockpit biplane, with a go at the controls and a pilot's uniform for the photos.
Booking requiredCafé
Wizard Walk of York
York · ages 3-10
A guided wizard-themed walk round York's streets, about an hour and a quarter of stops, stories and a photo at the end.
Booking requiredPushchair friendly
Good to know: immersive & touring exhibitions in Leeds
Are any of them free?
Yes, Experience Barnsley Museum & Discovery Centre, Leeds Minster, National Science and Media Museum and The Cooper Gallery are free to visit.
What does a paid visit cost?
Paid entry starts from £6 at The Original Ghost Walk of York. Prices, ages and facilities are listed on every place page, taken from each venue's own published price list.
Whereabouts are they?
You'll find immersive & touring exhibitions in Barnsley, Leeds, Bradford and York. Every place we list is in or around Leeds, and each listing has the full address and directions.
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