Hull and East Riding Museum

Is it right for my child?

• Big draws: Hull Museums invites families to come face to face with a life-sized Woolly Mammoth and discover real dinosaur fossils. The what to see page also mentions a Neanderthal.
• Walk-through scenes: stroll through a life-size Iron Age settlement with a thatched roundhouse and a two-horse chariot. There is also a recreated Roman town square with mosaics and shop windows.
• Hands-on bits: the families page says children can feel the weight of a knight’s chain mail and dress up medieval style. The visual story says there are some things you can touch and play with.
• A trail to follow: the visual story describes mammoth footprints that lead to the mammoth, then turn into shells and human footprints.
• Sensory notes: the access page says the Fossil, Prehistoric, Iron Age, Celtic World and Anglo-Saxon galleries can be quite dark. The visual story mentions recorded voices, animal noises and music that plays when you walk into some rooms.
• Scary for some: the visual story says some displays show skeletons or mannequins which some people might find scary.

Plan your visit: a parent’s checklist

• Entry is free and there is no need to book. Groups of 15 or more are asked to book through the Self-directed visits page or get in touch.
• Read the visual story first if your child likes to know what is coming.
• Expect a set route. The visual story says some walkways are a bit narrow. Once you start, it can be hard to go back if other visitors are there.
• Pack a lunch. There is no café, but there is an outdoor picnic area in the Museums Quarter Garden.
• Borrow sensory resources: the visual story describes a box that includes ear defenders.

Prices and tickets

Admission is free for everyone, so carers are welcome to join the people they support. There is no need to book a normal visit.

• Guided tours: Hull Museums lists a free, hour-long tour of this museum as ticketed and for adults. It runs on selected dates from 13 December 2026 to 30 March 2027.
• Tour dates: on 13 November 2026, the booking frame showed December sessions on 13 December at 11.30am and 15 December at 2.30pm. Tours are subject to volunteer availability.
• School holidays: the families page mentions free family activities, events and themed trails on the What’s on page. On 13 November 2026, that page listed only the guided tour for this museum.

Pushchairs, babies and toilets

• Step-free entry: the access page says there is step-free access at the front. The visual story says the front doors are automatic.
• Steps or a platform lift: the first displays are up 6 steps or a platform lift. The Celtic World has a ramp, with steps and a platform lift at its end.
• Upstairs: two sets of stairs and two lifts link the floors, near the front and back of the museum.
• Buggy park: the official pages we saved do not mention one.
• Baby changing: the access page puts it in the Roman gallery toilets, at the back. The Quick Access Guide adds a temporary changing table in the Ladies toilet near the shop.
• Toilets: one set, including an accessible toilet, is at the entrance near the shop. More are in the Roman gallery, about half way round.

Food and drink

There is no café at the museum. Hull Museums suggests a packed lunch in the picnic area of the Museums Quarter Garden if the weather is good. It also mentions an independent café just across from the entrance on High Street.

Getting there and parking

The address is 36 High Street, Hull HU1 1NQ, in the Museums Quarter of Hull’s Old Town, next to the River Hull.

• Train and bus station: Paragon Interchange is a 15-minute walk away, according to the plan your visit page.
• Buses: the nearest stop is Drypool Bridge on Alfred Gelder Street. The Quick Access Guide lists routes 173, 3, 14 and 82, and in the other direction 8, 56, 57, 173 and X7.
• Parking: Hull Museums mentions parking on Alfred Gelder Street and Gandhi Way, and Tower Street Car Park across the river. The access page names short stay pay and display at Lowgate car park, a five-minute walk away. The Quick Access Guide says it is cash only. No parking prices are given.
• Blue Badge: there is Blue Badge parking on Gandhi Way and on Alfred Gelder Street, opposite the White Hart pub.
• Cobbles: High Street is cobbled, with a paving stone pavement and dropped kerbs at the Museums Quarter entrances.

When to visit

Hours are Monday to Saturday 10am to 4.30pm and Sunday 11am to 4pm, with last admission 30 minutes before closing. The museum opens on bank holidays except Good Friday. It is closed 24 to 28 December and on 1 January.

The visual story says the quietest times are after 2.30pm on weekdays. It says weekends tend to be quiet before lunch if there is no event on. Events can be busy and noisy.

Additional needs and disability support

Hull Museums publishes access resources for this museum, and you can email the team before visiting.

Frequently asked questions

Is Hull and East Riding Museum free?

Yes. Admission is free for everyone and there is no need to book. Groups of 15 or more are asked to book.

Is Hull and East Riding Museum good for toddlers?

The official pages give no minimum age, and the museum has a families and under 5s page. Watch for dark galleries, narrow walkways and displays some may find scary.

Can you take a pushchair to Hull and East Riding Museum?

There is step-free access at the front. The first displays are up 6 steps or a platform lift, and two lifts run between floors. Some walkways are a bit narrow.

Is there a café at Hull and East Riding Museum?

No. Bring a packed lunch for the Museums Quarter Garden picnic area, or try the independent café across High Street.

Is Hull and East Riding Museum good for autistic children?

Hull Museums offers a visual story and a box of sensory resources, including ear defenders. Some galleries are dark and play voices, music or animal sounds.

Is Hull and East Riding Museum open at Christmas?

It is closed from 24 to 28 December and on 1 January. The official pages do not list special hours for other days around Christmas, so check before you travel.

Checked on 13 November 2026 against the official Hull Museums pages for Hull and East Riding Museum, plan your visit, access, families and under 5s, what to see and what’s on, plus the museum’s visual story and Quick Access Guide. Prices and times can change, so check before you travel.