Galleries, Museums and Indoor Attractions

A region full of inspiration, Yorkshire offers a variety of cultural sights to satisfy all tastes. From galleries and exhibitions, to interactive museums and bold stately homes, you'll be spoiled for choice, and as these indoor attractions are scatteed across the region, you will have the chance to explore more fully what Yorkshire has to see and do.

Bradford has developed from a city of industry to become a cultural hotspot in West Yorkshire. The 1853 Gallery at Salts Mill is a large and varied exhibition located in the World Heritage Site of Saltaire. Four comprehensive galleries feature over 400 works by David Hockney in this Grade II listed mill building, bult in 1853, hence the name. Salts Mill and Saltaire include various retail outlets and a beautiful park for lazy Sunday afternoons. The mill also houses a diner providing food and drinks in fine surroundings. The entire area is great for a day out loosing yourself in an area of architectural and cultural interest.

The Bronte Parsonage Museum was formelly the Bronte's home,1820-1861 and now a museum, it has opened its doors to visitors giving you the chance to soak up the literary atmosphere and see the clothes, furiture and personal possessions of these world famous sisters. Set in the unique village of Haworth, yet close to wild moorlands beyond, this homely Georgian house still retains the atmosphere of the Brontes' time.

The Bradford Industrial Museum has a perminent display of textile machinery, steam power, engineering and motor vehicles, along with an exciting exhibitions programme. Enjoy the splendour of the Mill Owner's House, or visit the more humble mill-workers' terraces. Moorside Mills is also home to the museum's team of working horses. Some of the horses may be out working on the streets of Bradford or even starring in a film or television programme, but there will always be at least one in the stables waiting to meet you.

Calderdale is home to Bankfield Museum, located in Halifax. Set in a wonderful Victorin mill owners house, Bankfield has a growing reputation as a centre for textiles and contemporary craft. With its internationally important collection of textiles, wierd and wonderful objects from around the world, plus commissions by leading makers and a varied programme of exhibitions and events, there is much to see and enjoy. Don't miss the Toy Gallery, the Duke of Wellington's Regimental Museum and the Marble Gallery. Eureka! The Museum for Children, also in Halifax is Britain's leading intractive museum for children, opening up a fascinating world of hands-on exploration. Over 400 interactive exhibits invite children up to the age of 12 years to unleash their imaginations and discover more about themselves and the world around them.

Hull is renowned for its museums, and even has a Museum Quarter wich consists of free entry sites. The Deep is Hull's award-winning 'submarium' and is the place to go to experience the dramatic story of the world's oceans, from the dawn of time and into the future. Home to 40 sharks and 3500 fish, highlights include the Twighlight Zone, the world's largest exhibition featuring wierd animals from the deep, and slime! Where you can discover how animals ooze, stick and slide to survive.

The Streetlife Museum of Transport is a free-entry must-see museum. Visitors are able to experience a first-class collection of transport exhibits, including trams to tricycles. The award-winning galleries allow visitors to sample the sights, sounds and smells of 200 years of transport history and guarenee a fun filled day out, for enthusiasts and families alike.

Dinostar is full of prehistoric wonders. Dinosaurs hold a fascination for youngsters and Dinostar is just the place to go for your prehistoric fill! This is an exciting interactive exhibition full of information about these historc creatures. See a full-scale T-Rex skull, Triceratops bones you can actally touch, or play with the sound box to recreate all kinds of strange noises.

Leeds has a vibrant and lively cultural scene with all sorts of attractions and exhibitions to keep your mind alive. Harewood House is the outstanding home of the Earl of Harewood and is renowned for its stunning architecture and exquisite Adam interiors, containing a rich collection of Chippendale furniture, fine porcelain and outstanding art collections.  'Below Stairs' at Harewood displays over 1000 objects to hel you unravel the stories of the House and the lives of those who lived and worked there. HMS Tropical World offers an unforgettably fun adventure on a tropical island. Land on the sandy white beach before trekking inland to the rainforest where you will find waterfalls tumbling into jungle pools, exotic animals including meercats, snakes and lemurs, plus many unusual insects!

Wakefield has a Cathedral which forms the focal point of the town. People attend, not only for regular worship, but also for bigger services that every Cathedral and Civic Church provides. Enjoy the prayers, or simply soak up the peace and stillness. The building itself has remined unchanged throughout the last century, so truly is an hisorical treasure. Pontefract Museum is small and compact, yet full of life, history an artefacts from the town's earliest beginnings to the present day.

York is a place of historical interest and countless cultural attractions. Visit Barley Hall, an ideal place to step back in time to the War of the Roses and explore the home of William Snawsell, Lord Mayor and Goldsmith of the City of York, under the Royal Houses of Lancaster, York and Tudor. Barley Hall is a real hands-on experience - try out the furniture, handle the pottery, glass and metalwares and even try on some Medieval costume!

The Yorkshire Wheel is York's landmark must see attraction. Soar 60 metres ino the sky and experience some of the best views in the country. Located in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Castle Howard is a magnificant 18th century house situated in breathtaking parkland, dotted with temples, lake statues and fountains; plus formal gardens, woodland gardens and potager. Seasonal displays include daffodils, thododendrons, roses and delphiniums which are magical, or you may wish to share the story of the house itself with a guided tour of the collections, architecture and landscapes.

Some other Access Sites in Yorkshire:

South Yorkshire has many galleries and musuems hosting a variety of events, exhibitions and specialities for all tastes. Millennium Galleries is both elegant and innovative, breaking with the traditional institutional image of an art gallery and is a welcoming and vibrant place to be for pleasure, education or business. With four individual galleries under one roof, there are all sorts of wonderful things to see and enjoy. Be inspired by treasures from the past, admire masterpieces from Britain's national collections and discover new creations by artists and makers still working today.

Cusworth Hall is an imposing 18th cetury country house set in extensive landscapedparklands, once home to the Battie-Wrightson family. The Grade I listed house is deemed a Site of Special Interest due to the preservation of all elements of a Georgian Country House. It hosts displays mainly of Doncaster and its people. Doncaster Racecourse is a place of sheer spectacle and excitement. A prestigious world-class venue for horse racing in Yorkshire, the Racecourse is very proud of the position it holds within the heritage of the sport, both nationally and internationally. Get amongst the crowds and have a great day out in Doncaster, and who nows, maybe even win!

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