Natural Sciences Museum
BEST FOR
Ages 0+
ENTRY
from £2
WHERE
Sheffield
What it’s like
Fossil handling, dinosaur exhibits and Edwardian gallery cases to explore, with kids five and under going free.
This is a proper old-school museum with fossils and skeletons in cases, plus a "Dragons in the Earth" prehistoric section that leans into the dinosaur stuff hard. School groups get fossil-handling sessions and guided tours, and if you're visiting outside term time as a family you'll still get the same galleries, just without the workshop extras that are booked in for classes.
Under-5s go in free, which is generous for a museum, and a family ticket is £10. Adults are £4 and kids 5-15 are £2, so a family of four with older children comes in cheaper on the family ticket than paying separately. Opening hours are 10 to 4, Monday, Tuesday and Thursday to Sunday, and it's shut on Wednesdays, so don't turn up mid-week expecting it to be open.
The building is Edwardian and the gallery and Learning Room are only reachable by stairs, which is worth knowing if you've got a buggy or anyone who struggles with steps. There's no lift mentioned, so plan around that rather than hoping for one.
If you've got an older child who's properly into science, the Lab Experience is a separate paid activity for ages 12 and up at £8 per student per hour, with an educational discount built in, though that side of things looks aimed more at school bookings than a casual family visit. School visits themselves run as a 2-hour package with a tour and workshop, but that booking route is Monday to Friday during Sheffield school term time only, so it's not something you can just ring up and arrange on a Saturday.
Facilities
Need to know
- Best for
- Under-5s (free entry) up to school-age kids into fossils and dinosaurs
- Booking
- By booking only Mon-Fri during Sheffield School Term Time
- Parking
- Malin Bridge Park and Ride 2 min walk
- Getting there by bus or train
- Malin Bridge Tram Stop 2 min walk
- Closed all day Wednesday, so check the day before you go
- School visit bookings only run Monday to Friday in Sheffield term time
- No lift mentioned, gallery access is via stairs only
- Buses 81 and 82 run to the city centre every 30 minutes if you're not driving
Plan your visit
How much does it cost?
£4 for adults, £2 for kids aged 5 to 15, and under-5s go in free. A family ticket is £10, which is worth doing if you've got more than one child.
What are the opening hours?
10am to 4pm, Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday to Sunday. It's closed on Wednesdays.
Do we need to book?
School visits need booking in advance, but that route only runs Monday to Friday during Sheffield school term time. Family visits fit around the normal opening hours.
Is it suitable for a toddler?
Under-5s go free, but the gallery and Learning Room are only accessible via stairs in the Edwardian building, so it's more manageable with a toddler who can walk than with a buggy.
What's the Lab Experience?
It's a paid hands-on activity for students aged 12 and up, £8 per student per hour with an educational discount included. It's a separate add-on rather than part of a standard visit.
Is there parking nearby?
Malin Bridge Park and Ride and Towsure Car Park are both about a 2 minute walk away. The Malin Bridge tram stop is also just 2 minutes from the museum.
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