City & Regional Museums in the United Kingdom
State, city and local history museums that bring the history of their region to life.
Scotland (33)
People's Palace
Scotch Whisky Experience
Shetland Museum and Archives
The McManus: Dundee's Art Gallery and Museum
Museum of Edinburgh
McLean Museum and Art Gallery
Meffan Museum and Art Gallery
Museum of Childhood
National Museum of Rural Life
Orkney Museum
City Art Centre
Doon Valley Railway
Dumfries Museum
Dundee Museum of Transport
Highland Folk Museum
Inveraray Jail
Inverness Museum and Art Gallery
Keith and Dufftown Railway
Kirkcaldy Galleries
Paisley Museum
People's Story Museum
Skye Museum of Island Life
St Andrews Museum
Stonehaven Tolbooth
The Dick Institute
Tolbooth Museum
Campbeltown Heritage Centre
Campbeltown Museum
Dunfermline Carnegie Library & Galleries
Elgin Museum
Fife Folk Museum
Gairloch Museum
Glenesk Folk Museum
South East England (25)
Carisbrooke Castle
Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway
Isle of Wight Steam Railway
Volk's Electric Railway
Brighton Museum & Art Gallery
Rye Castle Museum (Ypres Tower)
Museum of English Rural Life
SeaCity Museum
Breamore House
Museum of Oxford
Reading Museum
Tudor House and Garden
Abingdon County Hall Museum
Anne of Cleves House
Arundel Museum
Bexhill Museum
Buckingham Old Gaol
Chesham Museum
Curtis Museum
Dover Museum
Guildford Museum
Guildhall Museum, Rochester
Haslemere Museum
Horsham Museum and Art Gallery
Hove Museum of Creativity
Wales (25)
Talyllyn Railway
Ffestiniog Railway
National Slate Museum
Welsh Highland Railway
Brecon Mountain Railway
Llanberis Lake Railway
National Wool Museum
Bala Lake Railway
Fairbourne Railway
Vale of Rheidol Railway
Welshpool and Llanfair Light Railway
Ceredigion Museum
Gwili Railway
Oriel Môn
Swansea Museum
Teifi Valley Railway
Tenby Museum & Art Gallery
Welsh Highland Heritage Railway
Abergavenny Museum
Carmarthenshire Museum
Cefn Coed Colliery Museum
Chepstow Museum
Dylan Thomas Boathouse
Holyhead Maritime Museum
Llangollen Railway
North West England (16)
Lady Lever Art Gallery
Museum of Liverpool
Bolton Museum
Clitheroe Castle
Gallery Oldham
Museum of Transport, Greater Manchester
The Harris
Armitt Museum and Library
Dalton Castle
Grosvenor Museum
Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway
Turton Tower
Astley Hall
Blackburn Museum and Art Gallery
East Lancashire Railway
Greater Manchester Police Museum and Archives
South West England (16)
Bristol Museum & Art Gallery
Cornwall Museum and Art Gallery
Royal Albert Memorial Museum & Art Gallery
Geevor Tin Mine
Lynton and Barnstaple Railway
Crofton Beam Engines
Dinosaurland Fossil Museum
Dorset Museum & Art Gallery
Falmouth Art Gallery
Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway
Helston Railway
Launceston Steam Railway
Museum of Bath Architecture
Victoria Art Gallery
Dartmouth Steam Railway
National Waterways Museum Gloucester
Yorkshire and the Humber (16)
Knaresborough Castle
York Castle Museum
Middleton Railway
Leeds City Museum
Tolson Museum
Weston Park Museum
Cusworth Hall and Park
Hull Maritime Museum
Kelham Island Museum
Sewerby Hall and Gardens
Millennium Gallery
Wensleydale Railway
Abbey House Museum
Beck Isle Museum
Clifton Park Museum
Danum Gallery, Library and Museum
East Midlands (10)
Derby Museum and Art Gallery
Museum of Making
Leicester Museum & Art Gallery
Lincoln Museum
Leicester Guildhall
Bassetlaw Museum
Newarke Houses Museum
Northampton Museum and Art Gallery
Ayscoughfee Hall Museum and Gardens
Bakewell Old House Museum
East of England (10)
London (9)
West Midlands (8)
North East England (4)
Northern Ireland (1)
City & Regional Museums in the United Kingdom: Overview & Tips
Our guide lists 173 city and regional museums in the United Kingdom, spread across 12 regions and 140 towns and cities. Most of them are in Scotland (33), South East England (25), and Wales (25).
At the city level, London (8), Edinburgh (5), and Leeds (3) lead the way – ideal if you want to see several city and regional museums in a single day.
85 museums are free to visit. For the others with a published price, a regular adult ticket costs £10 at the median, and the middle half charge between £7 and £17.
77 museums are fully wheelchair accessible, 139 offer dedicated programs for families, and 113 have a café or restaurant. These figures come from our ongoing research – museums whose details we haven’t verified yet aren’t included in the counts.
Top 10 city and regional museums in the United Kingdom
The best-known city and regional museums in the United Kingdom
Derby Museum and Art GalleryArt · Derby
Museum of MakingTechnology · Derby
Talyllyn RailwayTechnology · Tywyn
Birmingham Museum & Art GalleryArt · Birmingham
Carisbrooke CastleCastles & Palaces · Newport
Lady Lever Art GalleryArt · Port Sunlight
Bruce Castle MuseumRegional · London
Ffestiniog RailwayTechnology · Porthmadog
Bristol Museum & Art GalleryRegional · Bristol
Knaresborough CastleCastles & Palaces · Knaresborough
City and regional museums in the United Kingdom with free admission
- Derby Museum and Art GalleryArt · Derby
- Museum of MakingTechnology · Derby
- Birmingham Museum & Art GalleryArt · Birmingham
- Lady Lever Art GalleryArt · Port Sunlight
- Bruce Castle MuseumRegional · London
- Bristol Museum & Art GalleryRegional · Bristol
Museum of the HomeHistory · London
Discovery MuseumTechnology · Newcastle upon Tyne
Leicester Museum & Art GalleryRegional · Leicester
Museum of LiverpoolHistory · Liverpool
City and regional museums in the United Kingdom with programs for families
- Derby Museum and Art GalleryArt · Derby
- Museum of MakingTechnology · Derby
- Talyllyn RailwayTechnology · Tywyn
- Birmingham Museum & Art GalleryArt · Birmingham
- Carisbrooke CastleCastles & Palaces · Newport
- Lady Lever Art GalleryArt · Port Sunlight
- Bruce Castle MuseumRegional · London
- Ffestiniog RailwayTechnology · Porthmadog
- Bristol Museum & Art GalleryRegional · Bristol
- Knaresborough CastleCastles & Palaces · Knaresborough
Wheelchair-accessible city and regional museums in the United Kingdom
- Derby Museum and Art GalleryArt · Derby
- Museum of MakingTechnology · Derby
- Birmingham Museum & Art GalleryArt · Birmingham
- Bristol Museum & Art GalleryRegional · Bristol
Herbert Art Gallery & MuseumRegional · Coventry- Museum of the HomeHistory · London
- Discovery MuseumTechnology · Newcastle upon Tyne
- Museum of LiverpoolHistory · Liverpool
Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch RailwayTechnology · New Romney
Bolton MuseumRegional · Bolton
City and regional museums in the United Kingdom with the highest published visitor numbers
- Museum of LiverpoolHistory · Liverpool
- Birmingham Museum & Art GalleryArt · Birmingham
- Bristol Museum & Art GalleryRegional · Bristol
Royal Albert Memorial Museum & Art GalleryRegional · Exeter- Herbert Art Gallery & MuseumRegional · Coventry
York Castle MuseumCastles & Palaces · York
Scotch Whisky ExperienceSpecial · Edinburgh
Brighton Museum & Art GalleryRegional · Brighton- Museum of the HomeHistory · London
Victoria Art GalleryArt · Bath
By region
Cities with the most museums
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
How many city and regional museums are there in the United Kingdom?
Our directory currently lists 173 city and regional museums in the United Kingdom across 140 towns and cities.
What are the best-known city and regional museums in the United Kingdom?
Some of the best known are Derby Museum and Art Gallery, Museum of Making, Talyllyn Railway, Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery, and Carisbrooke Castle.
Which city and regional museums in the United Kingdom offer free admission?
85 museums are free to visit – for example Derby Museum and Art Gallery, Museum of Making, Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery, and Lady Lever Art Gallery.
Which city and regional museums in the United Kingdom are open on Mondays?
Many museums are closed on Mondays, but according to their regular hours 50 are open, such as Talyllyn Railway, Carisbrooke Castle, and Discovery Museum.
Which city and regional museums in the United Kingdom are wheelchair accessible?
77 museums are fully wheelchair accessible, including Derby Museum and Art Gallery, Museum of Making, and Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery. Others are partially accessible – you’ll find the details on each museum’s page.
How much does it cost to visit city and regional museums in the United Kingdom?
A regular adult ticket costs £10 at the median, with prices ranging from £2 to £43. Children, students and families usually pay less.
Other categories: Art & Design · History & Cultural History · Natural History · Science & Technology · Archaeology & Antiquity · Memorials · Castles, Palaces & Monasteries · Open-Air Museums · World Cultures & Ethnology · People & Literature · Special-Interest Museums