Wakefield Museum
ENTRY
Free
SETTING
Indoors
WHERE
Wakefield
What it’s like
Free museum with craft Saturdays and a weekly Museum Minis session for the under-fives, no ticket needed.
Getting in costs nothing, which makes this an easy one to slot into a wet Wednesday afternoon without watching the clock. There's object handling to get hands on with, Family Fun craft activities every Saturday, and a weekly Museum Minis session with Alphabet Cat aimed at the younger ones. None of it needs booking, so you can just turn up.
The galleries are step-free throughout and there's a hearing loop if you need it, so a buggy or a wheelchair isn't going to be a problem anywhere in the building. The one faff is food: you can't eat or drink in the galleries, since it's there to protect the objects, so a snacking toddler is better fed before or after rather than mid-visit. Create café sits directly opposite the entrance in Wakefield One if you need a coffee and something to eat, though it shuts mid-afternoon on weekdays.
Opening hours stretch late on Wednesdays and Thursdays until 7pm, which is handy if mornings are a write-off, but it's shut on Sundays and bank holidays so don't plan a bank holiday Monday trip here. Parking at Merchant Gate is 90p an hour with a five hour cap, or there's a free city bus running every ten minutes if you'd rather not drive in.
Facilities
Need to know
- Parking
- Merchant Gate car park 90p per hour, max 5 hours, 45 disabled bays
- Food
- Create Café opposite entrance serves fresh and locally sourced food and drink, open Mon 8:45am-2pm, Tue-Thu 8:45am-3pm
- Wheelchairs
- Fully wheelchair accessible with step-free access throughout
- Dogs
- Assistance dogs welcome
- Getting there by bus or train
- Free city bus every 10 minutes connects Wakefield Bus Station, Wakefield One and Wakefield Kirkgate station
- No food or drink allowed in the galleries, so eat before or after your visit
- Closed Sundays and bank holidays, plan around that
- Wednesdays and Thursdays stay open till 7pm if you want a later visit
- A free city bus runs every 10 minutes from the bus station and train station if you'd rather skip the car park
Plan your visit
Is it free to get in?
Entry is free. Some of the bookable extra activities carry a small fee, but the museum itself costs nothing.
Do we need to book ahead?
No, you can just turn up. No ticket needed.
Is it OK for a toddler?
There's a weekly Museum Minis session aimed at young children, plus object handling and craft activities most families can join in with.
Can we eat in the museum?
Food and drink aren't allowed in the galleries to protect the historic objects. Create café is right opposite the entrance if you need to eat.
Is there parking nearby?
Merchant Gate car park is 90p an hour with a five hour maximum, and it's got 45 disabled bays.
What are the opening hours?
9am to 5pm most weekdays, till 7pm on Wednesdays and Thursdays, and 9am to 4pm on Saturdays. It's closed Sundays and bank holidays.
Is it wheelchair accessible?
It's step-free throughout the whole building.
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