Rainy day things to do in Leeds with kids

Each place below has its own VisitKids page with prices, toilets and access notes. For more ideas, see our Leeds hub or every place in Leeds.

Before you set off: closed days

• Mondays: Leeds City Museum is closed, except bank holidays (11am to 5pm), though its Brodrick Hall opens for Trivial Pursuit Leeds. Leeds Art Gallery is closed. Abbey House Museum is closed for general visits, except bank holidays. The Royal Armouries is closed on term-time Mondays.
• Tuesdays: the Thackray is closed, except in Leeds school holidays.
• Sundays: Leeds City Library is closed.
• Christmas: Tropical World closes on 25 and 26 December and 1 January, and at 2pm on 24 and 31 December. The Royal Armouries home page lists 21, 24, 25 and 26 December as closed days, without naming the year.
• Other holiday hours: on 12 November 2026, the Thackray booking calendar offered no entry on 24, 25, 26 or 31 December, or 1 January. The other venues’ pages gave no Christmas or New Year hours.

Free museums, a gallery and a library

• Royal Armouries Museum, Leeds Dock. Free entry to galleries of arms and armour, with free combat shows usually held daily. In term time it opens Tuesday to Sunday, 10am to 5pm. It opens every day in school holidays and on bank holidays, apart from the listed Christmas closed days. The escape room page says children aged 15 and under must stay with an adult aged 18 or over throughout the museum. This is a museum of weapons and war, gallery light can be quite low, and shows use speakers. Lifts reach every gallery. The museum sits beside a dock with deep water, so keep hold of small children outside.
• Leeds City Museum, Millennium Square. Free entry, with a suggested £5 donation. It opens Tuesday to Friday 10am to 5pm, and weekends 11am to 5pm. Toddler Town, a play area for under 5s, is on the second floor. The Ancient Worlds gallery contains human remains, and some galleries are dim. Borrow ear defenders and torches from the gift shop. There is a ramp, one lift to every floor and no on-site parking.
• Leeds Art Gallery, The Headrow. No ticket is needed, and the suggested donation is £5. Usual hours are Tuesday to Saturday 10am to 5pm, with upper galleries closing from 4pm on Saturdays, and Sunday 11am to 3pm. Artspace is a relaxed family creative space, where you can eat your own food. It closes at 4.15pm for cleaning, and earlier on Sundays. Some rooms could be loud or have flashing lights. Baby changing is in RADAR key toilets, so ask a Visitor Assistant.
• Leeds City Library, Calverley Street. Free to visit, with no need to join or borrow. On 12 November 2026 its page listed Monday to Wednesday 9am to 8pm, Thursday and Friday 9am to 5pm, and Saturday 10am to 4pm. Free Story & Rhyme for under fives is listed on Mondays at 1.30pm and Thursdays at 10.30am, until 23 December 2026. With a pushchair, use the Victoria Gardens basement entrance or the Art Gallery. There is a lift and baby change units, but no public car park.

Paid indoor days out

• Tropical World, Roundhay Park. An indoor zoo with meerkats, monkeys, crocodiles and butterflies. Adults pay £9.50, children aged 3 to 15 pay £5.50, and under 3s go free. It opens 10am to 4pm daily, with last entry 30 minutes before closing. It is hot and humid inside, and Creature Cavern is dark. There are no toilets inside the zoo part, so go at the entrance. Paths are level and wide enough for prams, with slight inclines. No dogs, including assistance dogs.
• Thackray Museum of Medicine, Beckett Street. Medical history, plus Sparks soft play for under-fives. Children aged 6 and under go free. Others choose their own price: £9, £10, £12 or £16. It opens 10am to 4pm, with last admission at 3.15pm. Sparks costs £3.50 per child and needs no museum ticket. Book a slot online or on arrival, as early booking is suggested. Up to two adults may go in with each child, and an adult must stay. The Victorian Operating Theatre and Mortuary carry a content note: peril and threat involving a child, historic surgery film and images of dead bodies. The first-floor map also marks human tissue displays and a display on sexually transmitted infections. The museum says it is fully wheelchair and buggy accessible.
• Temple Newsam Home Farm and Play Barn, Temple Newsam. A rare breeds farm with an indoor Play Barn. Adults (16 plus) and children (3 to 15) pay £9 each, and under 3s go free. Tickets include a Play Barn session, limited to 2 hours at weekends, bank holidays and school holidays. It has a toddler zone and a zone for children up to 12. Home Farm opens daily 10am to 4pm, with last entry at 3.15pm. Spaces are limited, so book early. An adult must supervise children at all times. Cobbles make a bumpy buggy ride. Only assistance dogs are allowed. Use the North Entrance via Whitkirk and Colton Road for the paid Farm Car Park.
• Abbey House Museum, Kirkstall. Three recreated Victorian streets and toy-filled Childhood Galleries. Adults pay £7.35 and children aged 3 to 18 pay £3.60. It opens Tuesday to Friday and Sunday 10am to 5pm, and Saturday 12pm to 5pm. Last admission is 30 minutes before close. Abbey Fold includes a poor undertaker’s premises. The entrance is on a fairly steep hill, and the streets have cobbles and narrow spaces. The official pages do not mention a café inside.
• Hyde Park Picture House, Brudenell Road. A cinema with a family strand, Hyde & Seek, where many screenings are Pay What You Can. Online tickets start at £3. Free tickets must be booked by email or phone at least 48 hours ahead, up to five per customer, with none for walk-ups. Standard child tickets (14 and under) are £6, or £4 at weekday matinees before 4.30pm. Toddler-friendly U screenings for ages 1 to 4 are listed on Fridays at 11am, and autism-friendly screenings on Sundays at 11am. Under 8s at Hyde & Seek need an adult aged 18 or over. Under 12s at a 12A film must be with an adult. Films are U, PG or 12A, so check each certificate. Food containing nuts or shellfish is not allowed, and products sold may contain traces. There is no car park.

Frequently asked questions

What is free to do in Leeds on a rainy day?

The Royal Armouries Museum and Leeds City Library are free. Leeds City Museum and Leeds Art Gallery suggest a £5 donation, if you are able.

Where can toddlers play indoors in Leeds?

Try Toddler Town at Leeds City Museum, or book a Sparks slot at the Thackray for £3.50 per child. The Temple Newsam Play Barn has a toddler zone, and the library lists free Story & Rhyme.

Are Leeds museums open on Mondays?

Leeds Art Gallery is closed on Mondays. Leeds City Museum and Abbey House Museum close for general visits on Mondays, except bank holidays. The Royal Armouries closes on term-time Mondays, and opens on school and bank holiday Mondays apart from its listed Christmas closed days.

Which indoor places suit sensitive children?

Hyde Park Picture House lists autism-friendly screenings at 11am on Sundays. Leeds City Museum and Leeds Art Gallery lend ear defenders. Tropical World is hot and has dark areas.

Is Tropical World open at Christmas?

It closes on 25 and 26 December and 1 January. On 24 and 31 December it closes at 2pm.

Checked on 12 November 2026 against the official websites, through our Leeds venue pages. Prices and opening times change, so check before you travel.

Photo: Mtaylor848, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.