Museums in Yorkshire and the Humber
The National Railway Museum and the Jorvik Viking Centre in York, the Royal Armouries in Leeds, the Yorkshire Sculpture Park and The Hepworth Wakefield, and the National Science and Media Museum in Bradford.
Yorkshire and the Humber Museum Guide
Our guide lists 67 museums in Yorkshire and the Humber across 32 towns and cities. You’ll find the widest choice in York (10), Leeds (8), and Sheffield (6).
Broken down by focus, the largest shares go to Castles, Palaces & Monasteries (36%), Science & Technology (22%), and History & Cultural History (15%) – 7 of our 12 categories are represented.
23 museums are free to visit. For the others with a published price, a regular adult ticket costs £12 at the median, and the middle half charge between £9 and £16.
18 museums are fully wheelchair accessible, 56 offer dedicated programs for families, and 44 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 museums in Yorkshire and the Humber
The best-known museums in Yorkshire and the Humber
Castle HowardCastles & Palaces · York
National Railway MuseumTechnology · York
Harewood HouseHistory · Harewood
Conisbrough CastleCastles & Palaces · Conisbrough
Bolton CastleCastles & Palaces · Leyburn
Yorkshire MuseumArchaeology · York
Skipton CastleCastles & Palaces · Skipton
Pontefract CastleCastles & Palaces · Pontefract
Yorkshire Sculpture ParkArt · Wakefield
Knaresborough CastleCastles & Palaces · Knaresborough
Museums in Yorkshire and the Humber with free admission
- National Railway MuseumTechnology · York
- Pontefract CastleCastles & Palaces · Pontefract
National Science and Media MuseumTechnology · Bradford
Leeds Art GalleryArt · Leeds
Royal Armouries MuseumHistory · Leeds
Bishops' HouseHistory · Sheffield
Leeds City MuseumRegional · Leeds
Tolson MuseumRegional · Huddersfield
Weston Park MuseumRegional · Sheffield
Cusworth Hall and ParkCastles & Palaces · Doncaster
Museums in Yorkshire and the Humber with programs for families
- Castle HowardCastles & Palaces · York
- National Railway MuseumTechnology · York
- Harewood HouseHistory · Harewood
- Conisbrough CastleCastles & Palaces · Conisbrough
- Bolton CastleCastles & Palaces · Leyburn
- Yorkshire MuseumArchaeology · York
- Skipton CastleCastles & Palaces · Skipton
- Pontefract CastleCastles & Palaces · Pontefract
- Yorkshire Sculpture ParkArt · Wakefield
- Knaresborough CastleCastles & Palaces · Knaresborough
Wheelchair-accessible museums in Yorkshire and the Humber
- National Railway MuseumTechnology · York
- National Science and Media MuseumTechnology · Bradford
York Art GalleryArt · York- Royal Armouries MuseumHistory · Leeds
The Hepworth WakefieldArt · Wakefield
Middleton RailwayTechnology · Leeds- Leeds City MuseumRegional · Leeds
- Weston Park MuseumRegional · Sheffield
Hull Maritime MuseumTechnology · Hull
Kelham Island MuseumTechnology · Sheffield
Museums in Yorkshire and the Humber with the highest published visitor numbers
By category
Cities with the most museums
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
How many museums are there in Yorkshire and the Humber?
Our directory currently lists 67 museums in Yorkshire and the Humber across 32 towns and cities.
What are the best-known museums in Yorkshire and the Humber?
Some of the best known are Castle Howard, National Railway Museum, Harewood House, Conisbrough Castle, and Bolton Castle.
Which museums in Yorkshire and the Humber offer free admission?
23 museums are free to visit – for example National Railway Museum, Pontefract Castle, National Science and Media Museum, and Leeds Art Gallery.
Which museums in Yorkshire and the Humber are open on Mondays?
Many museums are closed on Mondays, but according to their regular hours 27 are open, such as Castle Howard, National Railway Museum, and Conisbrough Castle.
Which museums in Yorkshire and the Humber are wheelchair accessible?
18 museums are fully wheelchair accessible, including National Railway Museum, National Science and Media Museum, and York Art Gallery. Others are partially accessible – you’ll find the details on each museum’s page.
How much does it cost to visit museums in Yorkshire and the Humber?
A regular adult ticket costs £12 at the median, with prices ranging from £4.40 to £48.95. Children, students and families usually pay less.
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