Free Museums in Reedness

"We love the railway museum not least because Rebecca’s dad is a train enthusiast and could spend hours in here reading every tiny detail on every sign next to every exhibition!. Great for kids with live shows and hands-on activities. Entry is free, but if you can afford it, it’s nice to make a small donation to keep this attraction thriving in York for years to come."

"Good news: the largest railway museum in the world is also open year-round!. This museums offers tons of free activities as well as a railroad-themed play area for the kids, which makes it a slam dunk for the entire family."

"The world’s largest railway museum, see the full history of trains including The Rocket, The Mallard, Queen Victoria’s favourite carriage and the Japanese Bullet."

"Interactive multimedia exhibits aimed at bringing history to life often achieve exactly the opposite, but the much-hyped Jorvik manages to pull it off with aplomb. It's a smells-and-all reconstruction of the Viking settlement unearthed here during excavations in the late 1970s, experienced via a 'time-car' monorail that transports you through 9th-century Jorvik (the Viking name for York). You can reduce time waiting in line by booking timed-entry tickets online; there is almost always a queue to get in."

"The Jorvik Viking centre is built on the site of the Coppergate dig (1976-1981) which revealed 1000 year old houses, workshops and backyards from the Viking age. The exhibit starts with a glass floor over the Coppergate dig so you can see what is left of the site for yourself. After this, you can go on a ride through a replica Viking village made using the information they found from the Coppergate dig site."

"Offering a fascinating look into the everyday life of the English over the ages is the superb York Castle Museum. Built on the same site where the original York Castle once stood, the museum is in the south of the city center and has countless artifacts and exhibits to explore. While the museum was founded in 1938, its colossal collection is housed in various buildings that used to serve as a prison."

"York Castle, the city walls, and York Minster are some of the most popular destinations that will transport you to the past. At the end of the day, take a train westward to Liverpool."

"Kitkat, Yorkie, Quality Street, Smarties, Chocolate Orange, Black Magic, All Gold.. the list goes on, all originating from York. York is famous for its Chocolate, with names like Rowntree's and Terry's now known all over the world."

"Fairfax house is a grand, immaculately presented Georgian townhouse. Visitors can explore the elaborate dining room, elegant drawing room and the richly decorated bedrooms, though I think the museum’s highlight is the excellent basement kitchen. An adult ticket costs £7.50 with £3.00 for children."

"Art And Culture, Historical Site, Architecture , Specialty Museum. When you visit the castles and cathedrals of York, you see places where the rich and famous of old Yorkshire worked and prayed. But where did the nobility of Yorkshire live?"

"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."

"Things to Do, Attractions"

"This pink facade building on St. Helen’s Square (near Betty’s Tea Rooms) is the official residence of the Lord Mayor of York and has only recently opened to the public. The grand, 800 year old house showcases collections of silverware and ceramics, ceremonial items used by the Lord Mayor as well as recreated 18th century bedrooms and dining rooms. The downstairs kitchen has interactive exhibits and equipment to learn about Georgian cooking ."

"The Georgian-style Mansion House in York is the home of the city's Lord Mayors during their term in office. This is the earliest purpose-built house of this sort still in use – it predates the Mansion House in London by at least 20 years. The foundation stone for the building was laid in 1725, and it was completed seven years later, in 1732."

"Located in the center of the city, the Mansion House is the official residence of the Lord Mayor of York. But along with being a home, this historic house is popular with visitors. The Mansion House exhibits an impressive collection of paintings, silver and furniture."

"You can get the real taste of Mediterranean cuisine at Movida that specializes in traditional Greek, Spanish and Italian cuisine. The menu offers everything from tapas to pizza and pasta dishes as well as huge variety of meat and vegetarian main courses."

"Local produce gets a Mediterranean makeover at this bright and breezy bistro. Classic pizza and pasta dishes are complemented by more ambitious recipes such as crayfish and chorizo risotto, and Moroccan lamb..."

"Over 50 years old, the Doncaster Museum and Art Gallery holds an impressive display of natural history and archaeology, focusing on the region’s rich history. Alongside that, the museum houses the Regimental Museum of the King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, a unit formed in the late 1700s that went on to fight in Waterloo, Burma and both World Wars."

"Lotte Inch Gallery first came to York in 2012 in the form of a pop-up art gallery space – but many glorious years later and after several small pop-up exhibitions, the gallery moved from its previous space near York Minster to its current location in bustling 14 Bootham. The eponymous Lotte comes from a background in Art History and Heritage, having worked for The National Trust; Scampston Hall and Gardens; and The Stanley & Audrey Burton Gallery at The University of Leeds, amongst others – making her a mastermind when it comes to art. The gallery is the ideal place to discover new artists, designers and makers, alongside established names and figures, hoping to be a “welcoming and inclusive place with a regularly changing programme of exhibitions."