Delve into the past of the city, railways, medicine and more with the many wonderful museums in Leeds.

To visit Britain’s national museum of arms and armour, the Royal Armouries Museum take a ride on the little yellow Leeds Water Taxi along the River Aire (£3 per person per trip). Based at Leeds Dock, the museum is home to the UK’s largest collection of arms, armour and artillery, including Henry VIII’s original armour. Their annual events include horse shows, falconry, have-a-go archery, weapons demonstrations and jousting!  

Visit Leeds City Museum with amazing exhibits across six galleries including; the Leeds Tiger in the Life on Earth Gallery, the mummy of Nesyammun in the Ancient Worlds Gallery and the history of Leeds in the Leeds Story Gallery; explore thousands of years of history, from the Egyptians to the Romans and beyond.  

Roll your sleeves up for a taste of life as an 18th century worker in the industries which shaped the city at Leeds Industrial Museum.  Then hop on a train at Middleton Railway: the oldest working railway in the world!  

Thackray Museum of Medicine is welcoming visitors back after a multi-million-pound redevelopment. Find out more about the history of healthcare in Britain, learn about medical interventions that have changed the way we live, or, for the slightly gruesome, you can wander down the grimy streets of Victorian Leeds and see a gory 19th Century operating theatre. 

Explore the ruins of Kirkstall Abbey; a medieval Cistercian abbey set in wonderful parkland. Then head over the road to Abbey House Museum to step back in time and experience life as a Victorian as you wander through the enchanting streets, shops and houses.