York Museums

UK Museums: York Museums

Museums in York, Northern England

York has some great, world class museums including the National Railway Museum and the Yorvik Centre.

Many of the museums in the city are housed in historic, restored properties.

See a listing of museums in and around York.

Bar Convent Living Heritage Centre

The Bar Convent Living Heritage Centre is England's oldest surviving convent. It dates back to a Catholic boarding school for girls founded in 1686.

Housed in a Grade I listed building, highlights include a peaceful garden, hidden chapel and lovely cafe.

17 Blossom Street, York

Barley Hall

Barley Hall is a (somewhat controversial) restored medieval townhouse and hospice dating from 1386. The building was built by the monks of Nostell Priory and was once home to the Lord Mayor of York.

The house is decorated to recall the late 15th century home of William Snawsell.

Visitors can admire the high ceilings, timber frames and Great Hall.

Coffee Yard, Off Stonegate, York, YO1 8AR.

Castle Howard

Castle Howard is the historic seat of the Earls of Carlisle and was once much bigger than it is today, covering 13,000 acres and served by its own railway station.

Castle Howard was designed by Sir John Vanburgh in 1699 and took over 40 years to complete with the help of Nicholas Hawksmoor. The pair were also involved with Blenheim Palace.

Castle Howard now has 145 rooms (many of which are open to the public), beautiful gardens and an adventure playground.

Castle Howard is a short drive north east of York off the A64.

York YO60 7DA

Clifford's Tower

Clifford's Tower was once the site of a timber keep built by William the Conqueror. The current incarnation of Clifford's Tower has looked over the city of York since 1245. Part of York Castle, the tower played a role in the Dissolution of the Monasteries and the English Civil War.

Clifford's Tower was also the site of an infamous Jewish massacre in 1190 when 150 of the local Jewish population were murdered by a mob.

The property is now managed by English Heritage.

Tower Street, York YO1 9SA

Fairfax House

Fairfax House is a restored Georgian townhouse. The elegant property dates from the mid-18th century and over the ages has been a Gentleman's Club, a Building Society and even a cinema.

Exhibits include original clocks, clothing, furniture and paintings. The museum also hosts frequent temporary exhibitions.

Visitors are guided around the property by Gregory, a child-friendly mouse.

27 Castlegate, York YO1 9RN

Merchant Adventurers' Hall

The Merchant Adventurers' Hall is a restored medieval guildhall dating from the 14th century. The Great Hall is Britain's largest timber-framed building still used for its original purpose. The hall is still used by the Company of Merchant Adventurers of the City of York, now a charitable organization.

Exhibits trace York's commercial and economic history from the wool trade, through the railways and chocolate.

Fossgate, York YO1 9XD

Monk Bar

Monk Bar was built in several stages, beginning in the early 14th century. The upper story was added in 1484 during the reign of King Richard III. It now contains the Richard III Experience visitor attraction. The Richard III Experience includes suits of armour from the period, information about the War of the Roses, between the houses of York and Lancaster as well as multimedia and interactive exhibits. A similar exhibition is the Henry VII Experience at Mickelgate Bar.

Goodramgate, York YO1 7LQ

National Railway Museum

The National Railway Museum is a world class museum dedicated to the glory days of Britain's railways. Opened in 1975 the museum is housed in a former steam locomotive depot within walking distance of York Station.

The free museum displays over 100 locomotives and nearly 200 other items of rolling stock and presents the history of the railway from the early 19th century to the present day.

On display are such iconic trains as Stephenson's The Rocket dating from 1829, The Flying Scotsman, a Japanese Shinkansen Bullet Train, the "Green Arrow," the LNER steam locomotive "Mallard," and a Royal Train.

There are also a number of foreign locomotives from around the world among the collection.

For more railway nostalgia near York ride the North Yorkshire Moors Railway.

Leeman Road, York YO26 4XJ

Treasurer's House

The Treasurer's House is more than just a museum but also includes a beautiful garden and pleasant cafe. Now owned by the National Trust the Grade I listed property was once the home of the treasurer of York Minister.

What we see today is mostly a 17th century house built over a supposedly haunted Roman cellar. The house was restored by the wealthy, eccentric and ill-tempered industrialist Frank Green (1861-1954) in the late 19th century.

The rooms display his collection of objets d'art and antique furniture. Metal studs on the floor indicate where the furniture was to be placed and Green warned he would haunt the house if his furniture was moved!

Minster Yard, YO Yo1 7JL

York Art Gallery

York Art Gallery boasts the largest collection of British Studio Ceramics in the country in its Centre of Ceramic Art (CoCA).

The 19th century building (restored 2013-2015) contains works from the 14th century to the present day including altarpieces, drawings, paintings, prints and sculpture.

Highlights include works by Pablo Picasso, L S Lowry and David Hockney.

Exhibition Square, York YO1 7EW

York Army Museum (YAM)

York has been an important military base since the IX Legion was here in Roman times.

York Army Museum displays a large and diverse collection dedicated to The Royal Dragoon Guards, The Prince of Wales's Own Regiment of Yorkshire and The Yorkshire Regiment. All have a long connection to the city.

On display are historic flags, medals, swords, uniforms and weapons from 1685 through World War I and World War II.

The museum hosts various events throughout the year.

3A Tower Street, York YO41 4AU

York Castle Museum

York Castle Museum is aimed at the whole family. It is housed in 18th century prison buildings, built over the original Norman castle.

The diverse collection of exhibits includes cells from the original prison, a recreated Victorian street (Kirkgate) and a children's toy collection. There's also a homage to the Sixties with exhibits covering counterculture, fashion, music, sport, and women's liberation.

Eye of York, YOI 9RY

York Dungeon

York Dungeon is innovative in bringing history (and some infamous characters) to life. During a whistle-stop voyage through 2,000 years you'll meet local figures including Dick Turpin, Guy Fawkes and Viking despot Erik Bloodaxe - all portrayed by a cast of actors, using authentic sets, special effects and costumes.

12 Clifford Street, YO1 9RD

York's Chocolate Story

Chocolate making has been a major industry in York for over 300 years. At its peak over 14,000 people worked in the town's chocolate factories.

Opened in 212, York's Chocolate Story relates the history of chocolate in the city and UK as a whole.

A visit includes a fully guided tour and three floors of interactive exhibits. Visitors discover the great names in York's Chocolate Story: Rowntree, Terry as well as the iconic Kit Kat. You will learn how chocolate is made and can even try your hand as well.

King's Square, York YO1 7LD

York Minister Undercroft Museum

The Undercroft Museum beneath York Minster displays the Roman, Viking and later Norman history of the city.

One of the highlights of the museum is the 1,000 year old Horn of Ulf. Fashioned from an elephant tusk, the horn was given to the cathedral by a Viking lord. Today, visitors can lift a replica of this historical treasure.

Other displays focus on the city's Anglo-Saxon and Norman past. Large wall panels and photographs explain the history of these periods. The Doomstone in the crypt dates from the Norman period and represents the gate of hell. Lost souls are pictured being boiled alive by fearsome demons.

York Minster, Deangate, York, YO1 7HH

Yorkshire Air Museum

The Yorkshire Air Museum is based at the former RAF Elvington. The original buildings and hangars house exhibits related to the history of aviation in the UK. There is a recreation of a NAAFI canteen, a World War II operations room, and a French Officers' Mess.

Other buildings display bombs, medals, model aircraft, small arms, uniforms and heavy weapons such as machine guns and surface to air missiles.

There are also around 50 aircraft on display. These include an original Nimrod, DC3 Dakota, Buccaneer and Sea Devon.

There are several replicas also on display: a Spitfire, a Messerschmitt Bf-109G6 and Wright Flyer - the first successful heavier-than-air plane.

The museum's grounds has many military vehicles including tanks, armoured cars and even fire engines.

Elvington, York YO41 4AU

Yorkshire Museum

The Yorkshire Museum in Museum Gardens has a little bit of almost everything.

There are exhibits on Jurassic Yorkshire, Roman York, Medieval York and even Yorkshire's prehistoric people.

Highlights include William Sharp's Map - the first complete map of Britain made in 1815, a life-size Roman statue of Mars, the Middlesbrough Meteorite that crashed down to earth in Yorkshire in 1881 and various pieces of superbly-crafted Medieval jewellery.

Museum Gardens, Museum Street, York YO1 7FR

Yorvik Viking Center

The Yorvik Viking Center was inspired by the Coppergate dig of 1978 which lasted 5 years and revealed York's Viking heritage.

The 2017 reopening introduced a new multilingual ride experience featuring animatronic Viking era residents replete with authentic smells. Moreover, all new galleries feature the collection of 1000 year old Viking artifacts.

The Jorvik Viking Centre in York is open April - October from 10 am-5 pm and November - March from 10 am-4 pm.