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IndoorsFree entry

Newarke Houses Museum

Leicester, 0.5 miles from the city centre
Courtesy of Newarke Houses Museum

ENTRY

Free

SETTING

Indoors

WHERE

Leicester

What it’s like

Free social-history museum with toys, a 1950s street and gardens - limited Saturday and holiday opening, so check dates.

Two Tudor houses packed with everyday Leicester stories - toys from centuries of play, a recreated 1950s street and pub, regimental galleries and a First World War trench.

General entry is free (suggested £3 donation) except on event days. Opening is limited: Saturdays May-August, selected school-holiday Wednesdays in summer, plus October half-term and Easter dates - check the museum page before you go.

No on-site parking; city car parks are a short walk. Gardens sit behind Civil War walls if you need a quiet break.

Handy for bigger kids who like history without a full theme-park day.

Facilities

School visits
Group bookings
Picnic area
Lockers

Plan your visit

How much does Newarke Houses Museum cost?

It's free to get in. Some extras are priced; the full list is on this page.

Can we eat there?

Yes, there's a picnic area if you'd rather bring your own.

Do they do birthday parties?

Yes, the venue offers group bookings. Details and booking on their site.

What if it rains?

You're covered, it's indoors.

How do we find it?

There is no parking on site; car parks and on-street parking are within a 5-10 minute walk. See the 'where to park' page on the Leicester City Council website for more information.

Areas to explore

  • 1950s Street Scene

    indoors

    A recreated 1950s Wharf Street with a draper's shop, interactive pub, grocers and other shops along a cobbled street.

  • Daniel Lambert Gallery

    indoors

    Gallery about Leicester's gaol keeper Daniel Lambert, displaying his chair and items of clothing including his shirt and waistcoat.

  • Garden Galleries

    indoors

    Three adaptable gallery spaces used for temporary exhibitions, talks, lectures and special events, also available to hire for private events.

  • Kampala to Leicester Gallery

    indoors

    Permanent exhibition using film, personal testimony and artefacts telling the story of Leicester's Ugandan Asian community after their expulsion from Uganda in 1972.

  • Newarke Houses Gardens

    outdoors

    Walled gardens where visitors can bring a picnic to enjoy on the lawn, flanked by walls marked by the English Civil War.

  • Regimental Galleries

    indoors

    Collection showing the history of the Leicestershire Regiment, including a WW1 trench experience and a Morrison Shelter home front display.

  • Toys and Games Gallery

    indoors

    A gallery of toys from the beginning of the 1500s to the present day, including a 6ft teddy bear from the Leicester toy shop DOMINOES.

Featured in 3 Huddlepin lists

61HUDDLEPIN LISTFree days outBrilliant days out that don't cost a penny to get in.62HUDDLEPIN LISTMuseums & heritageCastles, caves, windmills and museums that don't feel like homework.108HUDDLEPIN LISTRainy-day savioursIndoors, warm and dry, for the days the weather lets you down.

See all Museums in Leicester · Things to do in Leicester

Also filed underCastles, Historic Houses & Heritage in Leicester ›

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