25 FREE indoor activities & attractions in Yorkshire
Rainy days can get expensive. It’s easy to feel like you have to spend money to get everyone out of the house, but here in Yorkshire, that doesn’t have to be the case. With the help of the Yorkshire Family Events and Activities Facebook Group, we’ve rounded up 27 free indoor activities and attractions so that your family can have a day out without spending money!
FREE Indoor Activities Wakefield, Castleford & Pontefract
Wakefield Museum
📍 Address: Burton St, Wakefield WF1 2EB
🕒 Open: Monday – Saturday
Features:
- Tudor wool trade history to modern rugby league triumphs.
- Baby change facilities, café, and lift access.
- Kids’ Highlights: Crocodile exhibit and play kitchen.
National Coal Mining Museum
📍 Address: New Rd, Overton WF4 4RH
🕒 Open: Wednesday – Sunday
Highlights:
- Little Diggers indoor soft play area.
- Pit tours (fee applies for underground tours).
- Large outdoor adventure playground for sunny days.
Pontefract Museum
📍 Address: Salter Row, Pontefract, West Yorkshire, WF8 1BA, United Kingdom
🕒 Open: Monday – Saturday
Highlights:
- Explore Pontefract’s journey from the Domesday Book to the Civil Wars and its pivotal role in British political history.
- Learn how the sweet success of liquorice shaped the town’s growth and identity.
- Fully accessible for wheelchairs and prams, with baby-changing facilities and exhibits suitable for all ages.
Castleford Forum Museum and Library
📍 Address: Carlton Street, Castleford, West Yorkshire, WF10 1BB, United Kingdom
🕒 Open: Monday – Saturday
Highlights:
- Discover Castleford’s Roman Heritage: Explore the town’s fascinating Roman history, including its origins as a Roman settlement and the artifacts unearthed locally.
- Interactive Displays for All Ages: Enjoy hands-on exhibits that bring Castleford’s history to life, from ancient pottery to the town’s industrial past.
- Family-Friendly Accessibility: Fully accessible for wheelchairs and prams, with baby-changing facilities available.
FREE Indoor Attractions in Keighley, Ilkley & Bradford
Cliffe Castle Museum
📍 Address: Spring Gardens Ln, Keighley BD20 6LH
🕒 Open: Tuesday – Sunday
Features:
- Galleries on geology, natural history, and minerals.
- Kids’ play areas with building blocks and dress-up activities.
- Victorian-era displays and an ancient Egypt section with a mummy.
Manor House
📍 Address: Castle Yard, Ilkley LS29 9DT
🕒 Open: Check website for details
Features:
- Medieval building with Roman heritage displays.
- Family activities and interactive exhibits.
National Science and Media Museum
📍 Address: Pictureville, Bradford BD1 1NQ
🕒 Open: Daily
Features:
- Has hands-on exhibits like Wonderlab and interactive displays.
- Family-friendly café and picnic area.
Bradford Industrial Museum
📍 Address: 235 Moorside Rd, Bradford BD2 3HP
🕒 Open: Daily
Features:
- Industrial heritage, machinery displays, and interactive exhibits.
FREE Indoor Activities in Leeds
Leeds City Museum Museum
📍 Address: Millennium Square, Leeds LS2 8BH
🕒 Open: Tuesday – Sunday
Features:
- Life on Earth Gallery with animals, a mummy exhibit, and craft space.
- Soft play for younger kids.
- Regular family events during school holidays.
Royal Armouries
📍 Address: Armouries Dr, Leeds LS10 1LT
🕒 Open: Daily
Features:
- Five floors of galleries on war, tournaments, and hunting.
- School holiday events and activities.
- Family picnic areas and an on-site café.
FREE Rainy Days Out in Kirklees
Bagshaw Museum
📍 Address: Wilton Park, Batley WF17 0AS
🕒 Open: Most days except Monday & Friday
Features:
- Exhibits on Egyptology, rugby memorabilia, and seaside puppets.
- Weekly kids’ quizzes and trails.
Tolson Museum, Ravensknowle Park, Wakefield Rd, Huddersfield HD5 8DJ
📍 Address: Ravensknowle Park, Wakefield Rd, Huddersfield HD5 8DJ
🕒 Open: Most days except Monday & Friday
Features:
- Nearby Ravensknowle Park for outdoor fun.
- Victorian schoolroom, weaving machinery, and natural history exhibits.
FREE Indoor Activities in Halifax
Bankfield Museum, Akroyd Park, Boothtown Rd, Halifax HX3 6HG
📍 Address: Akroyd Park, Boothtown Rd, Halifax HX3 6HG
🕒 Open: Tuesday – Saturday
Features:
- Displays on local history, textiles, art, toys, and military history.
- Regular family-friendly events.
FREE Indoor Activities in Hull
Street Life Museum
📍Address: High St, Hull HU1 1PS
🕒 Open: Daily
Features:
- Experience 200 years of transport history.
- Walk down a 1940s high street or board a tram.
Hull & East Riding Museum
📍 Address: 36 High Street, Hull HU1 1NQ
🕒 Open: Daily
Features:
- Woolly mammoth display and Iron Age artifacts.
Wilberforce House
📍 Address: 23-25 High St, Hull HU1 1NQ
🕒 Open: Daily
Features:
- Birthplace of abolitionist William Wilberforce.
- Exhibits on his life, campaign, and personal artifacts.
Ferens Art Gallery, Queen Victoria Square
📍 Address: Queen Victoria Square, Hull HU1 3RA
🕒 Open: Daily
Features:
- Art for young kids (0–5 years) with interactive and creative activities.
FREE Indoor Activities and Attractions in York
National Railway Museum
📍 Address: Leeman Rd, York YO26 4XJ
🕒 Open: Daily
Features:
- Little Play Station for under-5s.
- Over 300 years of railway history.
York Art Gallery
📍 Address: Exhibition Square, York YO1 7EW
🕒 Open: Wednesday – Sunday
Features:
- Family-friendly spaces with drawing, books, and interactive trails.
FREE Indoor Activities in Sheffiel
Weston Park Museum
📍 Address: Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TP
🕒 Open: Daily
Features:
- Interactive exhibits for children.
- On-site café for families.
Millenium Gallery
📍 Address: 48 Arundel Gate, Sheffield S1 2PP
🕒 Open: Daily
Features:
- Art and museum exhibits, with permanent and rotating collections.
Bishops’ House
📍 Address: Norton Lees Ln, Sheffield S8 9BE
🕒 Open: Weekends
Features:
- A half-timbered house with trails and dress-up for kids.
Sheffield Winter Gardens
📍 Address: 90 Surrey St, Sheffield S1 2LH
🕒 Open: Daily
Features:
- Temperate glasshouse with over 2,500 plants.
FREE Indoor Activities in Doncaster & Barnsley
Cusworth Hall
📍 Address: Cusworth Ln, Doncaster DN5 7TU
🕒 Open: Saturday – Wednesday
Features:
- Wildlife exhibitions, events, and a tea room.
Experience Barnsley Museum and Discovery Centre, Town Hall, Church St, Barnsley, S70 2TA
📍 Address: Town Hall, Church St, Barnsley S70 2TA
🕒 Open: Daily
Features:
- Dress-up boxes, vintage cars, and interactive games.
The Cooper Gallery, Church St, Barnsley S70 2AH
📍 Address: Church St, Barnsley S70 2AH
🕒 Open: Monday – Saturday
Features:
- Art museum with free Art Explorer Kits for kids.
More free days out with kids in Yorkshire
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