This list of museums in North Yorkshire, England contains museums which are defined for this context as institutions (including nonprofit organizations, government entities, and private businesses) that collect and care for objects of cultural, artistic, scientific, or historical interest and make their collections or related exhibits available for public viewing. Also included are non-profit art galleries and university art galleries. Museums that exist only in cyberspace (i.e., virtual museums) are not included.
Name | Image | Town/City | Region | Type | Summary |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Aldborough Roman Site | Aldborough | North Yorkshire | Archaeology | Operated by English Heritage, excavated Roman fort and artifacts | |
Bar Convent | York | York | Religious | 17th century Roman Catholic convent that was established and operated in secret, museum of its history | |
Barley Hall | York | York | Historic house | Excavated and reconstructed medieval house | |
Beck Isle Museum | Pickering | North Yorkshire | History | Period shops displays, Victorian-era pub and parlour, historic costume gallery | |
Bedale Museum | Bedale | North Yorkshire | Local | website, local history, household and agriculture tools and items, located in Bedale Hall | |
Beningbrough Hall | Beningbrough | North Yorkshire | Historic house | Operated by the National Trust, late Georgian mansion with baroque interior, walled garden, home to over 100 portraits on loan from the National Portrait Gallery | |
Bolton Castle | Castle Bolton | North Yorkshire | Historic house | Medieval fortress where Mary, Queen of Scots was imprisoned in 1569 after her defeat at the Battle of Langside | |
Captain Cook & Staithes Heritage Centre | Staithes | North Yorkshire | Biographical | website, memorabilia and antiquities related to Captain James Cook, local history, fishing and mining | |
Captain Cook Birthplace Museum | Marton | Middlesbrough | Biographical | History and memorabilia of explorer Captain James Cook | |
Captain Cook Memorial Museum | Whitby | North Yorkshire | Historic house | 17th-century house where the young James Cook lodged as apprentice, period rooms, exhibits on Cook, his voyages and their impact | |
Captain Cook Schoolroom Museum | Great Ayton | North Yorkshire | Education | website, reconstructed early 18th century schoolroom, exhibits about James Cook's early life and education, and his later achievements | |
Castle Howard | Castle Howard | York | Historic house | Early 18th century stately home with 1,000 acres (4.0 km2) of gardens and landscapes, collections of paintings, antiquities, bronzes, furniture and tapestries | |
City Walls Experience at Micklegate Bar | York | York | History | website, located in the Micklegate Bar, history of York city walls | |
Cleveland Ironstone Mining Museum | Skinningrove | Redcar and Cleveland | Mining | website, also known as the Tom Leonard Mining Museum, ironstone mining, mine tours, skills, customs and life of the miners | |
Courthouse Museum | Ripon | North Yorkshire | Law enforcement | website, 19th century period courthouse, part of the "Yorkshire Law and Order Museums" | |
Craven Museum & Gallery | Skipton | North Yorkshire | Multiple | website, local social history, archaeology, geology, art | |
Dales Countryside Museum | Hawes | North Yorkshire | Local | Local history of the Yorkshire Dales, including school days, home life, leisure time, religion, transport, communication and tourism, farming, local crafts and industries | |
DIG: an archaeological adventure | York | York | Archaeology | Discovery centre about the science of archaeology and area excavations | |
Dorman Museum | Linthorpe | Middlesbrough | Local | Industrial designer Christopher Dresser, local Linthorpe Pottery, natural history, local history, pottery and decorative arts, Ancient Egyptian and Roman artefacts. | |
Eden Camp Modern History Theme Museum | Malton | North Yorkshire | Military | Former prisoner of war camp in World War II, themed barracks displays about the war | |
Fairfax House | York | York | Historic house | Georgian townhouse with restored 18th century interior | |
Filey Museum | Filey | North Yorkshire | Local | website, local history, culture, fishing, farming, period craft and room displays | |
Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal | Aldfield | North Yorkshire | Multiple | Operated by the National Trust, include the ruins of the 12th century Cistercian monastery, Fountain Hall, Studley Royal Park, 12th-century Cistercian cornmill, water garden | |
Gayle Mill | Gayle | North Yorkshire | Technology | Restored 18th-century cotton mill and now sawmill | |
Goddards House and Garden | York | York | Historic house | Operated by the National Trust, former home of the Terry's family with exhibits about the family and their chocolate business | |
Grassington Folk Museum | Skipton | North Yorkshire | History | website, local history, lead mining, minerals, tools, farming, period costumes, Yorkshire Dales Railway, household items | |
Green Howards Regimental Museum | Richmond | North Yorkshire | Military | History and memorabilia of the Green Howards (Alexandra, Princess of Wales's Own Yorkshire Regiment) | |
Guisborough Museum | Guisborough | Redcar and Cleveland | Local | information, local social, agricultural and commercial history | |
Holgate Windmill | Holgate | York | Mill | Late 18th-century tower windmill under restoration | |
Hovingham Hall | Hovingham | North Yorkshire | Historic house | 18th century Palladian-style country house, childhood home of Katharine, Duchess of Kent | |
Jorvik Viking Centre | York | York | Archaeology | Preserved remains of the Viking city of Jórvík, reconstructed 10th century settlement with living history enactors | |
Kiplin Hall | Scorton | North Yorkshire | Historic house | 17th century Jacobean house, exhibit on George Calvert, 1st Baron Baltimore and family | |
Kirkleatham Museum | Kirkleatham | Redcar and Cleveland | Multiple | website, local history, art including works by the Staithes group, toys, mining, culture | |
Knaresborough Castle | Knaresborough | North Yorkshire | History | Ruins of medieval fortress, Courthouse Museum of local history, royal residents, medieval life exhibit, Tudor courtroom | |
Kohima Museum | Fulford | York | Military | website, located within Imphal Barracks and dedicated to the 1944 Battle of Kohima in India and the British and Indian soldiers who fought there | |
Malton Museum | Malton | North Yorkshire | Archaeology | website, local Roman-era artifacts, reconstructed village home and artifacts from Wharram Percy, a deserted medieval village | |
Mansion House | York | York | Historic house | Early Georgian townhouse, official home of the Lord Mayor of York | |
Markenfield Hall | Ripon | North Yorkshire | Historic house | 14th century medieval country house | |
Mercer Art Gallery | Harrogate | North Yorkshire | Art | website, municipal art gallery for Harrogate district's fine art collection which consists of some 2000 works of art, mainly from the 19th and 20th centuries | |
Merchant Adventurers' Hall | York | York | History | Medieval guild hall, almshouse and chapel with art, furniture and furnishings from different periods | |
Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art | Middlesbrough | Middlesbrough | Art | Contemporary art gallery | |
Moulton Hall | Moulton | North Yorkshire | Historic house | Operated by the National Trust, 17th-century manor house, open by advance arrangement | |
Museum of Victorian Science | Glaisdale | North Yorkshire | Science | website, early scientific equipment and electrical instruments, open by appointment | |
National Railway Museum | York | York | Railway | History of rail transport in Britain and its impact on society, locomotives, rolling stock, equipment, artifacts and memorabilia | |
Newby Hall | Ripon | North Yorkshire | Historic house | Late 17th-century house with interior by Robert Adam, gardens | |
Newham Grange Leisure Farm | Coulby Newham | Middlesbrough | Agriculture | Farm park and rare breed conservation centre, reconstructions of a 19th-century veterinary surgery and an early 20th-century agricultural merchants shop, history of farming since the 17th century | |
Nidderdale Museum | Pateley Bridge | North Yorkshire | History | Rural life, period rooms and trades, costumes, agriculture tools and equipment, local industries and transport vehicles | |
North Yorkshire Moors Railway | Pickering | North Yorkshire | Railroad | Heritage railroad, exhibits in the Pickering railway station | |
North Yorkshire Motor Museum | Thornton-le-Dale | North Yorkshire | Transportation | website, commercial vehicles, automobiles, motorbikes, memorabilia, operated by Mathewson's North Yorkshire | |
Nunnington Hall | Nunnington | North Yorkshire | Historic house | Operated by the National Trust, country house with 17th and 18th century period rooms, art and photography exhibits | |
Ormesby Hall | Ormesby | Redcar and Cleveland | Historic house | Operated by the National Trust, 18th-century mansion house with Victorian kitchen and laundry, gardens, weekend living history enactors | |
Prince of Wales's Own Regiment of Yorkshire Museum | York | York | Military | History and artifacts of the Prince of Wales's Own Regiment of Yorkshire; located in the same building as the Royal Dragoon Guards Museum | |
Prison & Police Museum | Ripon | North Yorkshire | Prison | website, 19th century prison and later police station, includes prison cells, pillory, stocks, whipping post, police box, history of policing, uniforms, insignia, part of the "Yorkshire Law and Order Museums" | |
Queen's Own Yorkshire Yeomanry Museum | York | York | Military | information, history and artifacts of the Queen's Own Yorkshire Yeomanry, open by appointment | |
Quilt Museum and Gallery | York | York | Art | History of British quilt making and textile arts | |
Richard III Experience at Monk Bar | York | York | Prison | Located in the Monk Bar, historic prison with exhibits of Richard III, last king of the Plantagenet dynasty | |
Richmondshire Museum | Richmond | North Yorkshire | Local | Local history, transportation, lead mining, period chemist's shop, grocer's shop and post office, set from the All Creatures Great and Small TV series | |
Robin Hood's Bay and Fylingdales Museum | Robin Hood's Bay | North Yorkshire | Local | website, local history, smuggling, fishing, shipping | |
Royal Dragoon Guards Museum | York | York | Military | History and artifacts of the regiment | |
Royal Pump Room Museum | Harrogate | North Yorkshire | Local | Local history, culture, artifacts from Ancient Egypt, sulphur well, spa town heritage, Victorian home life | |
Rotunda Museum | Scarborough | North Yorkshire | Natural history | Jurassic fossils and minerals, geology | |
Ryedale Folk Museum | Hutton-le-Hole | North Yorkshire | Open air | website, historic buildings from different eras, trades and types, art gallery | |
Scampston Hall | Scampston | North Yorkshire | Historic house | 1690 country house, remodeled in the late 1700s, decorated in 1860 and 1910, collection of paintings, porcelain and furniture, known for contemporary walled garden | |
Scarborough Art Gallery | Scarborough | North Yorkshire | Art | website | |
Scarborough Fair Collection | Lebberston | North Yorkshire | Amusement | Mechanical organs, steam engines, fairground rides, vintage cars, miniature vehicles and model railways | |
Shandy Hall | Coxwold | North Yorkshire | Historic house | Home of the Rev. Laurence Sterne, who is famous for his novel The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman | |
Skipton Castle | Skipton | North Yorkshire | Historic house | Medieval fortress castle with six drum towers | |
Sutton Park | Sutton-on-the-Forest | North Yorkshire | Historic house | 18th century Georgian country house | |
Swaledale Museum | Reeth | North Yorkshire | Local | Local history, geology, lead mining, trades, farming, culture | |
Thirsk Museum | Thirsk | North Yorkshire | Local | website, local history, culture, 19th century period cottage kitchen, Victorian bedroom, early 20th century period sitting room, period shop displays, archaeology, cricketing memorabilia | |
Tockett's Mill | Guisborough | Redcar and Cleveland | Mill | website, restored water-driven corn mill and restaurant | |
Treasurer's House | York | York | Historic house | Operated by the National Trust, reflects different periods from the Roman to Edwardian eras, collection of antique furniture, ceramics, textiles and paintings from a 300-year period | |
Whitby Abbey | Whitby | North Yorkshire | Religious | Operated by English Heritage, remains and artifacts of the Benedictine abbey, visitor centre in Cholmley House | |
Whitby Lifeboat Museum | Whitby | North Yorkshire | Maritime | website, lifesaving history and artifacts, a lifeboat, models, paintings, medals, photographs, lifeboat kit, items from famous rescues, famous coxswains Henry Freeman and Tom Langlands | |
Whitby Museum | Whitby | North Yorkshire | Multiple | Local history, social history, Pannett Art Gallery, costumes, Whitby jet, Captain James Cook and HM Bark Endeavour, whaling industry, natural history, jewellery, | |
Winkies Castle Folk Museum | Marske-by-the-Sea | Redcar and Cleveland | Local | Local history, culture | |
Workhouse Museum | Ripon | North Yorkshire | History | website, 19th century workhouse, part of the "Yorkshire Law and Order Museums" | |
World of James Herriot | Thirsk | North Yorkshire | Biographical | Life and works of veterinarian and author James Herriot, 1940s period house with veterinary science exhibits | |
York Art Gallery | York | York | Art | Collection includes paintings from 14th century to contemporary, and 20th century ceramics | |
York Castle Museum | York | York | History | Recreated Victorian street with shops, period rooms including a Victorian parlour and Jacobean dining room, displays of everyday life, 1960s memorabilia, wartime experience in World War II, York Castle Prison | |
York Cold War Bunker | Holgate | York | Military | Secret Cold War bunker to monitor nuclear explosions and fallout in the event of nuclear war | |
York Minster | York | York | Religious | Cathedral, tower, stained glass window conservation centre, exhibits of art and history of the cathedral | |
York St. Mary's | York | York | Art | Contemporary visual art space in a deconsecrated medieval church, operated by York Museums Trust | |
Yorkshire Air Museum | Elvington | York | Aviation | Historic aircraft, history of RAF Elvington, military vehicles, exhibits on air gunners, RAF Bomber Command | |
Yorkshire Museum | York | York | Multiple | Natural history, geology, archaeology and astronomy | |
Yorkshire Museum of Farming | Murton | York | Agriculture | Agriculture equipment, rural life, changes in farming, small section of the Derwent Valley Light Railway, live animals | |
Zetland Lifeboat Museum and Redcar Heritage Centre | Redcar | Redcar and Cleveland | Maritime | website, houses the Zetland lifeboat, exhibits about lifesaving rescues, replica fisherman's cottage, area maritime heritage | |
The National Science and Media Museum, located in Bradford, West Yorkshire, is part of the national Science Museum Group in the UK. The museum has seven floors of galleries with permanent exhibitions focusing on photography, television, animation, videogaming, the Internet and the scientific principles behind light and colour. It also hosts temporary exhibitions and maintains a collection of 3.5 million pieces in its research facility.
Barnsley is a market town in South Yorkshire, England. It is the main settlement of the Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley and the fourth largest settlement in South Yorkshire. The town's population was 96,888 in 2021, while the wider borough had a population of 244,600 in the 2021 census.
Settle is a market town and civil parish in North Yorkshire, England. Historically in the West Riding of Yorkshire, the town had a population of 2,421 in the 2001 census, increasing to 2,564 at the 2011 census.
Weston Park Museum is a museum in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. It is one mile west of Sheffield city centre within Weston Park. It is Sheffield's largest museum and is housed in a Grade II* listed building and managed by Museums Sheffield. Until 2006 it was called Sheffield City Museum and Mappin Art Gallery.
Sheffield, England, has a large population of amateur, working and professional visual artists and artworks.
Leeds Art Gallery in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England, is a gallery, part of the Leeds Museums & Galleries group, whose collection of 20th-century British Art was designated by the British government in 1997 as a collection "of national importance". Its collection also includes 19th-century and earlier art works. It is a grade II listed building owned and administered by Leeds City Council, linked on the West to Leeds Central Library and on the East via a bridge to the Henry Moore Institute with which it shares some sculptures. A Henry Moore sculpture, Reclining Woman: Elbow (1981), stands in front of the entrance. The entrance hall contains Leeds' oldest civic sculpture, a 1712 marble statue of Queen Anne.
Leeds City Museum, originally established in 1819, reopened in 2008 in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It is housed in the former Mechanics' Institute built by Cuthbert Brodrick, in Cookridge Street. It is one of nine sites in the Leeds Museums & Galleries group.
The Larco Museum is a privately owned museum of pre-Columbian art, located in the Pueblo Libre District of Lima, Peru. The museum is housed in an 18th-century vice-royal building. It showcases chronological galleries that provide a thorough overview of 5,000 years of Peruvian pre-Columbian history. It is well known for its gallery of pre-Columbian erotic pottery.
York Art Gallery is a public art gallery in York, England, with a collection of paintings from 14th-century to contemporary, prints, watercolours, drawings, and ceramics. It closed for major redevelopment in 2013, reopening in summer of 2015. The building is a Grade II listed building and is managed by York Museums Trust.
The Yorkshire Museum is a museum in York, England. It was opened in 1830, and has five permanent collections, covering biology, geology, archaeology, numismatics and astronomy.
The Rotunda Museum is one of the oldest purpose-built museums still in use in the United Kingdom. The curved grade II* listed building was constructed in 1829 as one of the country's first purpose-built museums. Situated in the English coastal resort of Scarborough, North Yorkshire, it houses one of the foremost collections of Jurassic geology on the Yorkshire Coast.
Doncaster Museum and Art Gallery is a museum in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England.
Leeds is known for its culture in the fields of art, architecture, music, sport, film and television. As the largest city in Yorkshire, Leeds is a centre of Yorkshire's contemporary culture and is the base for Yorkshire's television and regional newspapers.
Norman Toynton is a British abstract painter who lived for many years in America, where his work was acclaimed for its 'grand visual and tactile splendour' and for 'marshal(ling) all the sensuous force of color and oil paint to induce us to look with truly questioning attention'. He was the Chair of Fine Arts at the Massachusetts College of Art and exhibited widely in New York and Boston. In 2006 he returned to England, where he lives and works on the North Norfolk coast and is currently in an exhibition at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park.
York Museums Trust (YMT) is the charity responsible for operating some key museums and galleries in York, England. The trust was founded in 2002 to run York's museums on behalf of the City of York Council. It has seen an increase in annual footfall of 254,000 to the venues since its foundation. In both 2016 and 2017, it saw its annual visitors numbers reach 500,000 people.