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Free entry

The Whitaker

Rossendale
Courtesy of The Whitaker

ENTRY

Free

WHERE

Rossendale

What it’s like

Free contemporary art exhibitions and family workshops in a park setting, with a café for afterwards.

Wander through contemporary art exhibitions that change often enough to be worth a repeat trip, then let the kids loose on whatever family workshop or early years activity is running that week. It is not a hands-on science centre, so don't expect buttons to press, but the workshops seem to be where the actual doing happens, and they are pitched at younger children as well as older ones.

Entry is free, which makes it an easy one to slot into a rainy Wednesday without committing to a full day out. It's open Wednesday to Sunday, 10am to 4pm, and stays open until 8pm on Thursdays if you fancy a later look round after school. There is no booking required if you just turn up, though if you would rather book online there is a small fee attached. Book in person at the onsite shop instead and you'll dodge that charge entirely.

There's a café on site, so you can turn a look at the exhibitions into a proper outing with a coffee and something to eat afterwards. It's the sort of place you could do in an hour or stretch out longer if a workshop's running, depending on how long the art holds anyone's attention that day.

What’s on here

Facilities

Café

Need to know

Booking
Online bookings incur a small booking fee
  • Entry is free every day it's open
  • Thursdays run later, until 8pm, handy after school
  • Book online and you'll pay a small fee; book in person at the shop and you won't
  • Closed Mondays and Tuesdays

Plan your visit

How much does it cost?

Entry's free. You'll just pay for anything you buy in the café.

Do we need to book ahead?

No, you can just turn up. Booking online adds a small fee, so booking in person at the onsite shop is the cheaper way if you want to reserve a spot.

What are the opening hours?

Wednesday to Sunday, 10am to 4pm, with a later finish of 8pm on Thursdays.

What is there for younger kids?

There are early years family activities alongside the main exhibitions, plus workshops that run for families more broadly.

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