The Hepworth Wakefield

Shame on me: I had not visited this truly fantastic museum before, despite living less than an hour from it. It is worth visiting just for the building itself. The way the whole lot is perfectly combined with the location, its surroundings, including the river, with a cute garden housing some sculptures, the main bridge to access the museum from the car park, is superb. The curated collection in the museum is simply magnificent. I visited attracted by Helen Chapwick's "Life Pleasures" exhibition, and my high expectations were gladly met: thought provoking, full of unexpected beauty, really original. The shop is well supplied, and the coffee room was quite enjoyable: well attended, with great coffee and a good variety of food. The atmosphere was the best for me, in my opinion: although not empty, it was quiet and I had the chance to go across some of the pieces without waiting for others to leave me room. I guess it helped I went in a school day. There were plenty of lockers to leave your bags should you want to. But I could enter with my small backpack. The toilets, like the rest of the museum, were very clean, and all working well. The only negative remark is the car park: my sat nav did not give me the right directions, and I found the sign directions were not totally clear? It cost £4 for the full day. Considering that the ticket to the museum was free (as a resident in Wakefield district), I do not think it is fair to complain.

What a stunning hidden gem! We honestly didn’t realise The Hepworth Wakefield has been here since 2011 — and it’s literally so close to us! The building itself is beautiful, modern and full of character, and the whole space is very calm and inspiring. Today we also discovered the Elizabeth Fritsch – “Otherworldly Vessels” exhibition, and it was absolutely fascinating — so different, unusual and artistic in a very unexpected way. The museum is well organised, staff are friendly, and there’s a lovely riverside café to relax afterwards. Perfect weekend spot for anyone who enjoys art, culture and discovering something new. Highly recommend — Wakefield is definitely more arty than I thought! 🎨👏

great place. Quiet on a sunday mid morning. nice welcome . different exhibitions of sculpture and paintings. lovely small garden along side next to old mill. food and coffee was nice. didn't experinece the shop

Great gallery, great cafe. Perfect for a day with the family, or solo. Free entry for wakey residents, cost for outside of WF postcodes. Plenty of parking, and a great amount of options on the menu. Coffee was excellent 👌🏻view of the Calder even on a dreary day.

Absolutely brilliant visit. Love the place. The current exhibitions are superb and work very well together. Excellent accessibility and inclusion. Nice gift shop - small but with some interesting stuff. They don’t accept Amex - I get how the fees are higher and they are a charity.. but kind of - I’m not if that makes sense - I am personally missing out by not using Amex. Would rather the ticket price be slightly higher if you needed but if you’re going to show Amex accepted on your contactless pay terminal you should accept it. Downside - the car park over the road has THE most confusing pay experience I’ve ever come across (I’ve been driving for 30+ years). It may not be owned or run by the Hepworth but from an outsider looking in perspective, it’s their car park, all signs suggest etc. absolutely dreadful experience.