Museum Gardens
📍 Museum St, York YO1 7FR, UK
About Museum Gardens
Nestled in the heart of historic York, the Museum Gardens offer a stunning and tranquil escape. This beautiful botanical garden provides a serene setting for visitors to relax, explore, and soak in centuries of history. Boasting an impressive 4.7/5 star rating from thousands of delighted visitors, it's clearly a beloved destination.
Wander through beautifully landscaped grounds, home to a wealth of historical treasures. Discover the majestic ruins of St. Mary's Abbey, dating back to the 11th century, and marvel at significant Roman remains, offering a fascinating glimpse into York's ancient past. The gardens also surround the Yorkshire Museum, adding an extra layer of cultural exploration to your visit.
Visitors frequently praise the gardens as a perfect place for relaxing walks and exploration, with many highlighting the peaceful atmosphere. The Museum Gardens are also a popular spot for engaging events and displays, including captivating light shows and themed exhibitions that come alive after dark. Families with children often enjoy the well-organised activities, finding plenty of fun and entertainment amidst the historical backdrop.
Location
Interactive Map
View accommodation, attractions, restaurants, and events on the map
1 location
📍 Museum St, York YO1 7FR, UK
from 8,955 reviews
Google Reviews
Reviews from Google Maps.
Showing 5 of 8,955 reviews from Google Maps.Last updated 31 January 2026.View all on Google →
I absolutely love Museum Gardens, it's so relaxing. A perfect place for a walk, and to explore in York. I went to see the ghost displays there, and it was brilliant! I highly recommend, and the gardens never disappoint. Some very hungry squirrels, to be aware of 🐿🤣
We had a fantastic time with the kids at Echoes of Yorkshire last night. It was really well organised, and we had so much fun enjoying the music and light projections. It was wonderful to see the public space come alive on such a beautiful autumn evening, with the added surprise of spotting some ‘ghosts’ of 2025!
Visited to enjoy the current light show event, and we weren't disappointed! It was great to see the gardens after dark, especially with the ghosts still haunting the area. It was all very atmospheric and eerie... perfect on the run up to Halloween! The light show is self guided as you walk between areas. Each area has a different theme. My favourite was on the St Mary's Abbey ruins. The colours and sounds for each area were vibrant and atmospheric - very well done and immersive. The event was very quiet when attended, which was great to see everything. Well worth the ticket price.
Gorgeous, peaceful, tranquil and overall calming gardens open for free to the public with plenty of benches, bins, floral areas, walks and places to stop. Outside of the York Museum, it still has the original walls and parts of an old historic building, clearly well looked after and treasured. I found my visit here very nice, it’s a great place to take photos and get outside, away from the bustle of the town.
Best season to go is in autumn, so beautiful with oranges and yellow colours. I went first thing in the morning to get there before other people and walk around. Lovely gardens.