Museums & heritage in York

Abbey House Museum

Leeds

A free museum by Kirkstall Abbey with reconstructed Victorian streets to wander round.

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Aldborough Roman Site

York

Wander a Roman town's remains with a chance to catch archaeologists mid-dig if your timing's right.

Allerton Castle

Knaresborough

A guided tour round a genuine North Yorkshire castle that only opens its doors one day a week.

Birthday partiesBooking requiredGroup bookingsFood on site+2 more

Beck Isle Museum

Pickering · ages 6+

Twenty-five gallery spaces of historic shops, blacksmith demos and hands-on exhibits, best tackled with kids aged six and up.

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Bedern Hall

York

A free medieval hall near York Minster with a squirrel-themed activity trail and a courtyard café for afterwards.

CaféGroup bookingsIndoor seatingWheelchair accessible

Best of Britain – Yorkshire Day Tours

York · ages 5+

A small-group minicoach day out on the North York Moors, with a steam train ride on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway thrown in.

blue tree gallery

York

A small independent gallery near the Minster with original paintings, prints, ceramics and jewellery to browse.

Gift shop

Castle Howard Arboretum

York · ages 0-12

120 acres of trees to wander, red squirrels to spot, and gravel paths that actually work with a buggy.

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Clifford's Tower, York

York

A steep climb up a Norman mound to a rooftop that opens up the whole of York in one go.

Corner Gallery

York

A small gallery of local paintings, prints, photography and ceramics, seen by appointment rather than dropping in.

Booking required

Dreamery Gardens and Museum

York

Fifty acres of woodland to hunt through for fairy houses, dragon nests and hidden doors, plus a maze and a fairy museum.

Birthday partiesCaféDog friendlyFree parking+2 more

Eden Camp Modern History Museum

Malton · ages 0-16

A wartime museum spread across 22 original POW huts, with two playgrounds and an escape-tunnel exercise compound to keep the kids moving.

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Grand Yorkshire - Day Trips and Tours

York · ages 5+

A full day out from York on a minibus tour taking in a steam train ride, the Herriot museum and Wensleydale Creamery.

Booking required

Harewood Castle

Leeds

A medieval castle ruin in the grounds with three adventure play areas outside and hands-on activities inside the house.

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Hazlewood Castle

Tadcaster

A pre booked history tour round an 11th century castle, plus woodland trails and trail bike hire outdoors.

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Houdini's Escape Room Experience - Leeds

Leeds · ages 2-18

Sixty minutes locked in a themed room working through puzzles and riddles as a team, with the game master watching the clock.

Booking requiredCard onlyGroup bookings

Howsham Mill

York

An 18th century watermill on its own island, with a woodland riverbank walk and a barbecue spot for picnics.

EV chargingParkingPicnic areaWheelchair accessible

Kentmere House Gallery

York

Free entry to a small art gallery with a changing display of original works, open Thursday evenings and one weekend a month.

Kirkstall Abbey

Leeds

A ruined medieval abbey to wander round, with a café for tea and cake once the legs give out.

Baby changeCaféParkingToilets

Leeds 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.

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Leeds Playhouse

Leeds · ages 0+

A proper theatre programme for kids, from babe-in-arms shows to youth drama sessions for teens.

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Lotherton

Leeds

Feed the Humboldt penguins, spot capybaras in Wildlife World, then poke round a historic house before cake in the café.

Baby changeBirthday partiesCaféGift shop+2 more

Medieval Walls

York

Climb a medieval tower's spiral staircase, work a model portcullis and sow wildflower seeds up on the ramparts.

Mountain Goat -York

York · ages 5+

Full-day minibus tours from York out into the Yorkshire Dales, North York Moors or Whitby, with a guide doing the driving and the talking.

Booking requiredFood on siteToilets

Multangular Tower

York

Free Roman ruins to wander round in York Museum Gardens, with squirrels, birds and a picnic spot thrown in.

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Museum Gardens

York

Free gardens by the river where kids can hunt squirrels and hedgehogs on a trail quiz between the ruins and the museum.

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National Coal Mining Museum for England

Wakefield · ages 0+

Free entry to a 42 acre former colliery, with the real draw being a guided trip 140 metres underground.

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National Railway Museum

York

Free York train museum - Flying Scotsman vibes, Station Hall and optional Wonderlab.

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Nostell

Wakefield

NT house and parkland near Wakefield - gardens, woodland play and tea-room for a full day.

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Opera North, Howard Opera Centre

Leeds

Full opera and youth choruses for kids, with subtitles above the stage and seats from £16.

Wheelchair accessible

Pickering Castle

Pickering

A motte-top stone castle with three towers to explore and a trail that turns the ruins into a story to build.

Ponden Kirk & Fairy Cave

Keighley

A rocky crevice cave and gritstone outcrop on the moors above Haworth, tied to the Brontë novels.

Pontefract Castle

Pontefract

Ruined castle ruins to scramble round for free, with a playground, dungeon tours and a café that lets dogs in too.

Accessible toiletBike parkingBreastfeeding friendlyCafé+4 more

Red Tower

York

A medieval brick tower on York's old walls that now doubles as a community café and occasional heritage open day spot.

CaféPicnic area

Ripley Castle

Harrogate

A castle tour, a deer park, a walled garden and a lake with rafts, archery and kayaking to try outside.

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Royal Armouries Museum

Leeds

Free armour museum by Leeds Dock - live combats, hands-on kits and a crossbow challenge.

Gift shopFood on siteToiletsWheelchair accessible

Shadows 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

Sledmere Estate

Driffield

A working estate with a walled garden, farm animals, an adventure playground and a house full of family history to tour.

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Sledmere House & Gardens

Driffield

Wide open parkland, an 18th century walled garden, farm animals and an adventure play area, with a grand house you can tour separately.

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The Bloody Tour of York

York

A 90-minute guided walk through York's snickleways, told through tales of torture, execution and ghostly goings-on.

The Carriageworks Theatre

Leeds · ages 3+

A proper theatre stage in Leeds putting on family shows and film festivals for kids from about age three up.

Accessible toiletBike parkingBlue badge parking

The 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.

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The Middleton Railway

Leeds

A short steam or diesel train ride through Middleton Park, with woodland trails and two engine cabs to climb into.

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The 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

The 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

The Robert Fuller Gallery Ltd

Malton

Free wildlife art gallery on the Yorkshire Wolds with live nest cam feeds, documentary films and original paintings to browse.

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The Royal Dragoon Guards Museum and Regimental Association

York

A small military history museum in York with tanks, battle honours and regimental artefacts spanning 1685 to now.

Accessible toiletGift shopToiletsWheelchair accessible

The York Dungeon

York · ages 5+

Ten live-actor shows walk you through York's grislier history, dark rooms, jump scares and all, in a 75-minute loop.

Accessible toiletBooking requiredToiletsWheelchair accessible

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

West Yorkshire Astronomical Society

Pontefract

Open nights with planetarium shows and real telescope observing, run in small groups so nobody's just staring at the back of someone's head.

Booking required

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

York Castle Museum

York · ages 5+

A recreated Victorian street and two real prisons to poke about in, best tackled with kids who can walk the whole thing themselves.

CaféToiletsWheelchair accessibleBaby change+1 more

York Mansion House

York · ages 0+

A working Georgian townhouse with puzzle trails and daily cooking demos, best tackled as a short indoor stop rather than a full morning.

York's Chocolate Story

York · ages 4-15

A guided tour through 4000 years of chocolate history, ending with truffle rolling and a lolly you get to decorate yourself.

Accessible toiletBooking requiredCaféGift shop+2 more

Yorkshire Museum

York

York museum in Museum Gardens - Romans, Vikings and dinosaurs without Soft Play.

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Yorkshire Wolds Railway

Driffield

Hop aboard a genuine steam-era carriage for a heritage ride along the old Malton and Driffield line, with a working restoration shed to peer into afterwards.

Dog friendlyFree parkingToiletsWheelchair accessible