Free Museums in The Stank

"When I said Jorvik was York’s best-known attraction I should probably have said its equal best-known attraction because the National Railway Museum is also very famous. And, because it’s just a five-minute walk from the train station, it’s an obvious first port of call for many people. Tracing the history of rail travel around the world, this museum holds over a million different exhibits and if your kids are train buffs they will absolutely LOVE it here."

"We ended our day in York at the National Railway Museum. Despite the small size of the city, York has one of the most important railway stations on the British railway network. This might sound surprising but York plays an important role as a key railway junction approximately halfway between London and Edinburgh."

"Learn about the history of Vikings in York on the very site where the excavations had taken place. Different to most historical exhibitions or museums, at the Jorvik Viking Centre you are transported abound in what they call a “ride experience” (a bit like a very slow cable car, but only inches off the ground – nothing to be scared of!) – really good fun!. This attraction got a big thumbs up by an excited 4 year old (Rebecca’s friend’s son) – it was his second favourite thing that we did in York when he visited – and we did a lot!"

"Set on the site of a major Viking settlement, Jorvik Viking Centre whisks visitors back in time to ninth-century England. Glass floors reveal remnants of the original village uncovered by archaeologists in the 1970s, while a train ride takes passengers past detailed diorama-style displays that recreate typical scenes from Viking life—complete with animatronic figures, a soundtrack, and more."

"Return of the Vikings ~ JORVIK Viking CentreThe year is AD960 and the last Viking King in Jorvik, Eric Bloodaxe, has been banished. The city is thriving with a flourishing manufacturing centre and wide trading links. There are new buildings, new peoples and new stories to be told..."

"This award-winning museum attempts to bring 400 years of the city’s history together in one place. The interactive style of this museum is full of loyal recreations that accurately imitate how life would have been; a street plucked straight from the Victorian era, a row of iconic shops straight from the 1970s and much more. Children enter for free with a paying adult and there is enough variety to keep all ages happy."

"One of the best York photography spots is the Victorian street recreated in the York Castle Museum. Head there towards the end of the day, maybe 30-40 minutes before the closing time, so you can get the street empty and take some stunning photos there. York Castle Museum is one of my favourite Instagrammable spots in York."

"York’s Chocolate story is a great family attraction in the centre of York. Here you’ll learn all about the history of chocolate and in particular York’s chocolate history. The attraction is really interactive and there are plenty of chocolate samples to try."

"Two words that you might not have heard put together before are ‘chocolate’ and ‘museum’, but it’s happened in York and all our dreams have come true. You’ll find it fairly tough to drag yourself out of here…. View this post on Instagram"

"One of the UK’s finest Georgian townhouses, Fairfax House on Castlegate was designed by John Carr. Originally the winter retreat of Viscount Fairfax, the house was converted into a dance hall and cinema in the 20th Century. The York Civic Trust however restored it to its former Georgian glory, and today it’s open to the public with the Noel Terry collection of furnishings, ornaments, decorative arts and paintings on display inside."

"This 18th-century townhouse offers a glimpse into the tastes, fashions, and daily life of Georgian-era nobility. It began as the home of Viscount Charles Gregory Fairfax and then enjoyed brief stints as a gentlemen’s club, cinema, and dancehall before being restored to its Georgian-era glory."

"Fairfax House is a Georgian town house open to the public between February and December. The house displays a collection of eighteenth-century furniture and shows how Georgians lived in their day. 901 metres from the Minster.Castlegate, York, North Yorkshire YO1 9RN, United Kingdom"

"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."

"As well as an impressive collection of Old Masters, York Art Gallery possesses works by LS Lowry, Pablo Picasso, Grayson Perry, David Hockney, and the controversial York artist William Etty who, in the 1820s, was..."

"Barley Hall is a timber framed medieval townhouse lying behind Stonegate, accessed by a narrow snicket. The 14th century house was concealed under the framework of a more modern building and was only discovered during renovation work in the 1980’s. Barley Hall, particularly its recreated banqueting hall, will provide visitors with an accurate experience of what life was like in medieval York."

"This restored medieval townhouse, tucked down an alleyway, includes a permanent exhibition of life in the times of Henry VIII. It was once the home of York’s Lord Mayor. The centrepiece is a double-height banquet..."

"Yates serve a value breakfast until 12 noon, with options like the Full English (Two sausages, two rashers of bacon, two fried eggs, baked beans, two hash browns, mushrooms, half a grilled tomato, toast and butter), Breakfast Wrap (Flour tortilla wrap, with a burger cheese slice, filled with sausage, bacon, fried egg and hash browns)or their Even Bigger Breakfast (Four sausages, four rashers of bacon, three fried eggs, two hash browns, baked beans,two flat mushrooms, grilled tomato, two slices of toast and a portion of chips.)"

"Tucked away down a cobbled side street just round the corner from York’s famous Shambles, this modern, laid-back restaurant and bar (plus tiny attic cinema with big comfy armchairs) makes a great pit stop for breakfast, reasonably priced lunch or late night nosh. Vegetarians, vegans and people with dietary allergies are well catered for and there are plenty of non-meat sausages and vegetable stir fries in among the homemade pies and bangers and mash. On the odd occasion York gets hot enough, there’s a pretty, covered walled garden in the courtyard."

"This courtyard complex houses a bar, a cocktail lounge and even a private cinema, along with an appealing 1st-floor restaurant serving a menu of crowd-pleasing classics like sausage and mash, Sunday roasts and..."

"Ed’s Easy Diner is an American 1950’s style diner specialising in burgers, shakes and hot dogs. They also do breakfast!. The menu includes Ed’s Big Breakfast (Three rashers of smoked bacon, two sausage patties, two griddled eggs with chilli seasoning, three hash browns, baked beans, mushrooms and two slices of buttered toast), The Full American (Two rashers of smoked bacon, two griddled eggs with chilli seasoning, sausage patty, two fluffy pancakes, two hash browns, maple flavoured syrup and baked beans), Freshly Made Pancakes (Two pancakes stacked with a sausage patty, two rashers of smoked bacon, two hash browns, griddled egg with chilli seasoning and drizzled with maple flavoured syrup) and Fried Chicken and Waffle (Fried chicken breast between two waffles with maple flavoured syrup and icing sugar)."

"Ed’s Easy Diner is a 1950’s American inspired diner near Monks Cross serving a range of classic American meals from burgers to hot dogs. 3 mile(s) from the Minster.Kiosk 1 & 2, Vangarde Retail Park, York, North Yorkshire YO32 9AE, United Kingdom"