A Review of York Castle Museum

A Review of York Castle Museum

A family day out in York is always a good idea, especially when you add some culture and history into the mix.

Saturday saw us visit the renowned York Castle Museum in the city centre which frankly, blew us all away. It truly is a world class museum you need to add to your must-visit destinations in Yorkshire, immediately!

A feast for all of the senses, a visit to the museum is a fully immersive experience as you are able walk down Victorian cobbles in the oldest indoor street of its kind in the UK, passing carriages from the period (props are rarely used) and perusing shops with actual Victorian shop fronts, from sweetie stores to drapers, candlemakers, a pharmacy and more!

The museum was first opened in 1938, but the building dates back to 1780, and was built to expand the overcrowded York County Gaol jail. The space now occupied by Kirkgate was the exercise yard, and was open to the sky. This building became known as the Female Prison, as women prisoners were held there, as were many men. There are layers of history to unpack walking back in time there!

The kids were fascinated with the ‘scary looking dolls’ and ‘freaky arcade games’!

Peeking into the 19th century rooms on display of Victorian Yorkshire during the first part of the tour, provided insight into how both the poor and rich lived, the furniture they used and even the food they ate. A long-time fan of antiques and snooping around other people’s homes (hehe), this was one of my most favourite parts of the tour.

Next on the list was the aforementioned Kirkgate, named after the museum’s founder, Dr Kirk – he was a medical doctor with a deep interest in the past who wanted to give visitors the experience of going back in time to a bygone age.

There really is so much to see and absorb that you can visit many times over so if you’re travelling from afar, I recommend planning a whole day at the museum. You can even venture into the prison cell of notorious highwayman Dick Turpin at the museum, if you’re brave enough (it was hard not to leave my kids there-ha), and fascinatingly, you can discover what life was like on the front line in the First World War.

There are wonderful cafes available at the museum too if you become hungry, although you can’t eat on the tour/ non designated areas.

We only allocated two hours to see everything and regretted it as soon as we left because we truly loved every minute. Even the creepy dolls!

As it was close to Valentine’s Day, we were even able to sample some ‘Conversation Lozenges’ that had been prepared as part of a cookery demonstration, and my daughter Florence, 3, rolled out dough on-hand, and cut her own biscuits in a thoughtfully designed play area for little ones.

There was also an opportunity to colour in pictures of Victorian ladies in beautiful overcoats and hats, and play in the wooden kitchens set up for imaginative play by the kitchens of the 60s and 70s.

Secrets of Dress had to be a personal favourite of mine, when it came to the exhibitions on offer, presented in the newly remodelled fashion gallery, highlighting the relevance, status and beauty of dress across the ages from 400-year-old sequins to Second World War Utility shoes, and from the cottage industry of old Yorkshire to the factory-produced fashions of the industrial age . There was even a spot of haute couture with a staggeringly beautiful Vivienne Westwood corset, skirt and shoes I would love for myself! You will be simply dazzled by this exhibition.

Children can dress up too if they like in the fancy dress outfits on a rail too, making this another example of how family-friendly the museum is.

What fun!

Word of warning, do not miss the gift shop, with its vast array of goodies from cakes to collectables, sweets to souvenirs, books and more, the prices are totally reasonable and there’s something for every desire and budget with a whole host of Yorkshire-focused items you won’t easily find elsewhere.

We left with our pockets full of old fashioned chocolate mints, and white and pink chocolate mice my kids gobbled up with glee.

Yorkshire Castle Museum you were an absolute joy!

What a highly informative, educational but most importantly fun museum so close to us.  We simply can’t wait to visit again. Thank you for having us!

This was a press visit but as always, my words are honest.