When the weather’s a little chilly or you just fancy an indoor activity, why not head to a museum or gallery?
Nottingham has a fantastic selection to suit all ages and interests, with most frequently hosting child friendly exhibitions and activities.
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Museums in Notts (City, West and South)
Green’s Windmill and Science Centre
Sneinton NG2 4QB
Entry Fee: Free
Children’s Activities: Yes
Car Park: Yes
Café: No
Restored windmill, built in the 1800s with museum and science centre. Green’s Windmill also hold children’s activities every school holiday including crafts, science and baking. Outdoor area with community garden, playground nearby and sculptures to spot.
Framework Knitters Museum
Ruddington NG11 6HE
Entry Fee: Adults £8, Children Free (Check opening days)
Children’s Activities: Yes
Car Park: No
Café: Yes
Learn all about lives and work of framework knitters and their families. You can try out framework knitting for yourself and even knit your own souvenir on a vintage Griswold circular knitting machine! Also has a gallery, shop and café with a community garden.
Nottingham Caves
Nottingham City Centre NG1 1HF
Entry Fee: Adults: £9.63 Children: £8.40 Under 5s free
Children’s Activities: Suitable for older children
Car Park: No – discounted parking available at NCP Stoney St
Café: No (Also no toilets)
Did you know that Nottingham has the UK’s largest network of caves? More suited to older children as it is very important to be safe and careful. Take a jumper! No pram or wheelchair access. Definitely worth visiting at least once – I still remember my visit as a teen 20+ years ago!
Nottingham Castle
Nottingham NG1 6EL
Entry Fee: £15 adults, accompanied children free (up to 3 per adult) Pay for a day visit for a year
Children’s Activities: Yes
Car Park: No
Café: Yes
The world famous castle site, now housing a museum and gallery space. Lovely grounds with magnificent views over Nottingham. Also has a children’s adventure playground. Regularly hold events for children and families.
Nottingham Industrial Museum
Wollaton Hall NG8 2AE
Entry Fee: £4 adults, children free (open weekends only)
Children’s Activities: Yes
Car Park: Yes £5 all day (weekdays) £6 weekends at Wollaton Hall
Café: Yes
Celebrating the history of industry in Nottingham and the local area. See the transport gallery, textile room and steam hall. On certain days you may even get to see some steam powered machinery live and working! A great way to extend your visit to Wollaton Hall.
Nottingham Natural History Museum
Wollaton Hall NG8 2AE
Entry Fee: £15 adults, accompanied children free (up to 3 per adult) Pay for a day visit for a year
Children’s Activities: Yes
Car Park: Yes £5 all day (weekdays) £6 weekends at Wollaton Hall
Café: Yes
Located in the beautiful Wollaton Hall, the Natural History Museum hosts a collection of 750,000 objects, ranging from fossils, minerals, plants and eggs to invertebrates, vertebrates, shells (molluscs) and taxidermy, as well as preserved ‘spirit’ animals and rare specimens from across the globe.
The Robin Hood Experience
Nottingham City Centre NG1 6EB
Entry Fee: Adults £7.95 Children 3+ £5.95 Under 3 free
Children’s Activities: Family Friendly
Car Park: No
Café: No
The Robin Hood Experience is an interactive journey back through time to the world of Robin Hood.
A family-friendly attraction located a stone’s throw from Nottingham Castle and comprises an interactive, story-based tour over three floors (not pushchair or wheelchair friendly).
UoN Museum of Archaeology
University Campus NG7 2RD
Entry Fee: Free
Children’s Activities: No but they sometimes hold family events
Car Park: Yes Free at Lakeside
Café: Yes
A small but award-winning museum that holds a collection of mainly regional archaeology covering a 250,000 year period. More suited to older children but good to pop into while at Lakeside and Highfields Park.
Museums in Notts (North / East Notts)
Creswell Crags
Worksop S80 3LH
Entry Fee: Museum – Adults £3 children free. Cave tours – £10 pp
Children’s Activities: Yes
Car Park: Yes – £4 for 3 hours, £6 all day
Café: Yes
An archaeological park where you can explore caves, gorge, and a museum. Walk in the footsteps of early humans and woolly mammoths through the gorge. You can also explore outdoors at the woodland, meadow, and reflective lake.
The D.H. Lawrence Birthplace Museum
Eastwood NG16 3AW
Entry Fee: Adult £7.50, Concession £6.75, Broxtowe residents £1.50. Children Free
Children’s Activities: ?
Car Park: No
Café: No
A small museum located in the writer’s first home.
Mansfield Museum
Mansfield NG18 1NG
Entry Fee: Free
Children’s Activities: Yes
Car Park: No
Café: No but there is an area for picnics
A family friendly museum with a variety of historical artefacts and exhibitions related to the history of Mansfield. All galleries have child friendly areas. The XPLORACTIVE gallery has children’s activities related to the environment and Mansfield’s heritage.
National Civil War Centre
Newark NG24 1JY
Entry Fee: £8 (£4 Newark and Sherwood Residents)
Children’s Activities: Yes
Car Park: No
Café: Yes
Explore one of the most fascinating times in UK history and see the realities of 17th century life through the eyes of people who lived it. A range of interactive activities and objects as well as dressing up! They also hold regular family friendly events.
Nottingham Heritage Vehicles
Hucknall NG15 7SF
Entry Fee: Free (open days held monthly)
Children’s Activities: Yes
Car Park: Yes
Café: Yes
Heritage open days take place on a regular basis and are an opportunity to see some amazing vehicles and learn about the history of transport in the local area – you can even take a ride on a vintage bus! There are also displays, stalls and activities as well as a café and shop.
Art Galleries in Notts
City Arts
Nottingham City Centre NG1 1FH
Entry Fee: Free to view window gallery
Children’s Activities: Some family friendly exhibitions and workshops
Car Park: No
Café: No
A charity art organisation that collaborates with communities and artists to create and explore art of all kinds. They hold art workshops, performances, events and exhibitions – including some for children and families.
Lakeside Arts
University Campus NG7 2RD
Entry Fee: Mostly Free (some exhibitions and shows are paid events)
Children’s Activities: Yes
Car Park: Yes
Café: Yes
Lakeside Arts is the University of Nottingham’s public arts programme. Situated at Highfields Park, Lakeside is a great indoor stop off after visiting the park or going for a walk round the lake. They host a variety of family friendly exhibitions and events, including children’s shows and workshops.
New Art Exchange
Hyson Green NG7 6BE
Entry Fee: Free
Children’s Activities: Some family friendly exhibitions and events
Car Park: No – some on street
Café: Yes
New Art Exchange (NAE) is an award-winning creative space in the heart of Hyson Green with a focus on promoting excellence in culturally diverse contemporary arts. They have a changing programme of exhibitions, public programme, creative activities for families and young people, film screenings, festival days, and live performances.
Nottingham Contemporary
Nottingham City Centre NG1 2GB
Entry Fee: Free
Children’s Activities: Yes
Car Park: No
Café: Yes
One of the largest contemporary art galleries in the UK. Very child friendly with learning packs located at the front entrance, activity sheets, baby changing facilities and lifts to all floors. Family activities every school holiday. Lovely café also. Great to pop in to while you’re out in the city!
Museums in Derbyshire
Erewash Museum
Ilkeston, DE7 5JA
Entry Fee: Free
Children’s Activities: Yes
Car Park: No
Café: Yes
This small museum is very child friendly and often has toys out in certain rooms and hosts family friendly activities in the school holidays. They also have an enclosed garden space that has a beach area in the summer holidays.
Museum of Making
Derby City Centre DE1 3AF
Entry Fee: Free
Children’s Activities: Yes
Car Park: No
Café: Yes
Located in a beautiful Silk Mill, this recently renovated museum showcases Derby’s industrial and craft history. Very child friendly with baby changing facilities, lifts and lots of activities for children.
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