Yorkshire Museum and Museum Gardens

Is it right for my child?

• Dinosaur fans can explore Yorkshire’s Jurassic World and Mary Anning Rocks, then colour at the Create table in the Dinosaur Country gallery.
• History fans can meet the Romans and Vikings in Roman York and Viking North.
• Dressing up: in the Medieval York gallery, children can put on costumes and host a dinner party at the banquet table.
• Toddlers can build a castle in the activity corner, then run around the gardens afterwards. Under 5s go free.
• Sensory notes: lighting might be kept low in places to protect objects, and some galleries may have films running. Reception and other areas can get quite noisy when busy. The Deep Blue sensory corner in the Jurassic gallery is designed for quiet reflection.

Plan your visit: a parent’s checklist

• Visit Wednesday to Sunday, 10am to 5pm. The galleries are closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.
• Check the free entry rules. Children with a City of York Council postcode go free. So do claimants of means-tested benefits such as Universal Credit, and all children in their households, with proof.
• Pack a picnic for the Museum Gardens, as there is no café or indoor picnic area in the museum.
• Leave suitcases and large backpacks at home, because the museum cannot store luggage.
• Use the toilets in the museum before you head outside, because there are none in the gardens.
• Keep your ticket for 12 months of entry.

Prices and tickets

• Museum: adult £10, child aged 5 to 16 £6. Students, or anyone aged 17 to 24, pay £9, and so do seniors aged 65 and over, with valid ID.
• Family tickets: 2 adults and 2 children £29, or 2 adults and 3 children £34.
• Free: under 5s and children with a City of York Council postcode. Free concessions include claimants of means-tested benefits, all children in their households, and carers accompanying a paying visitor who needs assistance. Concessions need ID or other proof.
• Children: all children aged 16 and under must be with an adult.
• Museum Gardens: free for everyone.
• Booking: not essential, but you may have to queue. Groups of 10 or more must book ahead.

Pushchairs, babies and toilets

• Pushchairs are welcome in the galleries. You can also leave them folded at reception, where space is limited.
• Access: there is a ramp at the entrance and lift access to most spaces.
• Lift notice: on 12 November 2026, the museum reported intermittent lift problems. Staff can help you reach the upper and lower floors.
• Toilets are on the lower ground floor, including an accessible, gender-neutral toilet. Baby changing is in the accessible toilets.
• Breastfeeding: feed wherever you feel comfortable. There are sofas in many galleries and breastfeeding cushions available.

Food and drink

• No café in the museum and no indoor picnic area.
• Picnics are welcome in the Museum Gardens. Please take litter home, and note that alcohol and barbecues are not allowed.
• Ciao York, at the Museum Street entrance to the gardens, sells sandwiches, toasties, hot drinks and sweet treats, open daily 9am to 4pm.
• Sketch, the café at York Art Gallery nearby, serves children’s food and opens Wednesday to Sunday.

York Museum Gardens

The museum sits in York Museum Gardens, over ten acres of free botanical gardens with the ruins of St Mary’s Abbey. The main gardens open 9am to 6pm and close on 25 and 26 December and 1 January. The Artists’ Garden usually opens 10.30am to 4.30pm, with a closure from 29 October to 12 November 2026 inclusive. You can walk on the grass, but ball games and climbing on the ruins are not allowed. Dogs must stay on a lead. There are no toilets in the gardens, so use the museum’s or the public toilets at Bootham Bar.

Getting there and parking

• Address: Museum Gardens, Museum Street, York YO1 7FR, next to Lendal Bridge.
• On foot: 10 to 15 minutes from York Station. There are garden entrances on Museum Street and Marygate.
• Car: there is no parking at the museum. Marygate car park has 350 spaces, five minutes’ walk away, with free Blue Badge parking just outside it.
• Bus: the number 2 stops on Museum Street, followed by a short, slightly sloped walk. York’s Park and Ride is another option.

When to visit

• Quieter times: the museum says weekdays after 3pm in term time, or opening time on Sundays, tend to be less busy. It cannot guarantee this.
• School holiday activities: Creative Family Wednesdays and Meet me at the Yorkshire Museum Saturdays are included with admission. Neither runs in the Christmas holidays.
• Christmas: the museum’s pages give its usual Wednesday to Sunday hours but no separate Christmas Day, Boxing Day or New Year hours. Check before you travel.
• Ice rink: THOR’S on Ice is a covered ice rink in the gardens behind York Art Gallery, from 13 November 2026 to 3 January 2027. Tickets cost from £12 and are booked through THOR’S.
• THOR’S Tipi: a free festive venue in the gardens from 21 October 2026 to 3 January 2027. It opens 11am to 9pm Sunday to Thursday, and 11am to 10.30pm Friday and Saturday.
• Enchanted Christmas Cinema: festive film screenings inside the museum on Monday 21 to Wednesday 23 December 2026, between noon and 8pm. Tickets cost from £14. This is a separate ticketed event, not normal gallery opening.

Additional needs and disability support

The Yorkshire Museum offers practical support for children with additional needs and disabilities.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Yorkshire Museum free for children?

Under 5s go free, and so do children with a City of York Council postcode. The standard child ticket for ages 5 to 16 is £6, and some other concessions are free.

Is the Yorkshire Museum open on Mondays?

Not for normal gallery visits. The galleries open Wednesday to Sunday, 10am to 5pm, and close on Mondays and Tuesdays. The separately ticketed Christmas cinema runs inside the museum from Monday 21 to Wednesday 23 December 2026.

Are the York Museum Gardens free?

Yes. The gardens are free for everyone. The main gardens open 9am to 6pm, except on 25 and 26 December and 1 January.

Is there a café at the Yorkshire Museum?

No. Picnic in the Museum Gardens, or try Ciao York at the garden entrance or Sketch café at York Art Gallery.

Is the Yorkshire Museum good for autistic children?

It can be, with planning. There is a sensory corner, ear defenders, communication lanyards and a visit guide. Weekdays after 3pm in term time tend to be less busy.

Can I take a pushchair in?

Yes. Pushchairs can go in the galleries, with a ramp at the entrance and lift access to most spaces.

Checked on 12 November 2026 against the official tickets, visitor information, access, families, events and Museum Gardens pages. Prices and times can change, so check before you travel.