Leeds Discovery Centre

Collection store of Leeds Museums and Galleries with over a million objects, open for booked behind-the-scenes tours and special events.

Ask the museum for opening hoursFree admission Wheelchair accessible

Website Directions

About the museum

The Leeds Discovery Centre is a purpose-built display store for Leeds Museums and Galleries, opened in 2007 with funding from Leeds City Council and the National Lottery Heritage Fund. It keeps the city's collections in climate-controlled conditions and shows objects from different collections side by side, so that the stored items can be seen and studied.

The store holds more than one million objects. They include natural science specimens, social history items such as historic board games, textiles, world cultures and archaeology, among them Anglo-Saxon sculpture.

The centre is not open for casual visits. It runs booked themed store tours, family and half-term sessions and workshops with curators, and it also supports research, learning and group visits. Its learning team won the Sandford Award for Excellence in Heritage Learning in 2018. It operates on a give-what-you-can basis, inviting donations rather than charging admission.

Highlights

Store of more than one million objects
Themed behind-the-scenes store tours
Natural science, textiles, world cultures and archaeology collections
Half-term sessions and curator workshops
Sensory guide and quieter visit times on request

Founded: 2007
Operated by: Leeds Museums and Galleries (Leeds City Council)

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

The centre is a give-what-you-can museum with no set admission charge; donations can be made when booking a tour online, in the reception donation box or on the Leeds Museums and Galleries support page. Prices for tours and special events are set when booking and are not listed on the visit page.

Accessibility

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

A ramp on the right of the building gives step-free entry through automatic doors, and the ground floor has level access throughout. A lift serves the first-floor meeting room and offices. Accessible toilets on both floors have emergency alarms and flashing fire alarms and are not RADAR key toilets; there is no Changing Places toilet (the nearest is at the Royal Armouries, 0.1 miles away). Induction loops are in the entrance and the education room. A wheelchair can be borrowed if arranged in advance, though staff cannot push wheelchair users around. There are two designated accessible spaces in the free car park, reached by a long gradual ramp. A sensory guide is available, and a quieter, less crowded visit time can be requested when booking. Guide and assistance dogs are welcome, with bowls on request.

Kids & families

Family tours & workshops
Hands-on stations
Baby changing facilities

Half-term sessions include a store tour, a self-directed craft activity and handling of natural science objects. Baby changing is in the accessible toilets on both floors.