Experience Barnsley

About the museum

Experience Barnsley opened in 2013 on the ground floor of Barnsley Town Hall. It tells the story of the town and the surrounding borough through objects, photographs, documents, films and memories donated and loaned by local people. The museum describes the project as the result of several years of collecting and community involvement.

The Town Hall itself was designed by Briggs and Thornely of Liverpool and opened in December 1933. It is a classical building clad in Portland stone, with a structure of Barnsley brick. The museum shares the building with Barnsley Archives and Local Studies.

The main gallery centres on the Barnsley Wall, a display of rare archaeological finds, objects, archive material, films and interactive elements that follows the history of Barnsley from prehistory to the 21st century. Themes include working life, leisure and home and family. A major redisplay in 2020 added stories such as disability in Victorian Barnsley and a prisoner of war’s experience in Greece during the Second World War. A separate gallery hosts changing exhibitions drawn from the museum and archive collections.

The museum won the national Family Friendly Museum Award in 2025, and had earlier won the Best Accessible Museum category in 2022.

Highlights

• The Barnsley Wall, a timeline from prehistory to today
• Stories of mining, industry and working life
• Archaeology and Roman finds
• Winner of the Family Friendly Museum Award 2025
• Step-free, with Changing Places toilet and sensory backpacks

Permanent exhibition

• The Barnsley Wall – A display of archaeological finds, objects, archive material, films and interactives following the history of Barnsley from prehistory to the 21st century.

Founded

2013

Operated by

Barnsley Museums

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

Entry is free and no booking is needed.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator
• Accessible restroom
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description

The museum is step-free throughout, although some areas have ramps or slopes. Wheelchairs can be borrowed at the front desk. Lifts serve all floors of the Town Hall. Seating is available throughout, and portable seating can be carried around. There are accessible toilets and a Changing Places toilet on the ground floor; a radar key is collected from Town Hall reception on weekdays or from the gift shop on Saturdays. Portable hearing loops are available at the front desk and all films have subtitles. Audio descriptions are available for a selection of objects. Assistance dogs are welcome in all areas. Visual stories, a free sensory backpack, sunflower lanyards and Makaton videos are available, and SENsational sessions run in school holidays.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
• Hands-on stations

Winner of the Family Friendly Museum Award 2025. Family judges praised the trails for all ages, dressing up and hands-on games. SENsational sessions run in school holidays.

Getting there & parking

Coaches drop off and pick up along Sadler Gate.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Museum shop

The Old George at the Town Hall is an independent coffee shop serving breakfast, lunch and cakes, open Monday to Friday from 09:00 to 15:00 and closed on Saturdays except for events. The gift shop sells Barnsley-themed gifts, local history books, toys and games.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit