Leeds City Museum, originally established in 1819, reopened in 2008 in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It is housed in the former Mechanics' Institute built by Cuthbert Brodrick, in Cookridge Street, which has been redeveloped to a design by Austin-Smith:Lord architects and Buro Happold engineers.
Six galleries and a programme of family friendly exhibitions in the heart of Leeds.
FREE ENTRY
Opening hours:
Facilities
Accessibility
We aim to provide a friendly, accessible environment for all our visitors and the widest possible access to our building, exhibitions and collections.
Entrances
There are two entrances to the museum. The main entrance is accessed via steps with a handrail, or by a ramp (the bottom of the ramp is on the left of the building as you face it). The main entrance has two double doors. The double doors on the left are automated with a press button, and they open outwards.
Inside the main entrance, you will be greeted by a member of staff who will explain which galleries are on which floor, and offer you a floorplan of the museum. The museum has four floors which are all accessed by stairs or a lift. The lift on the Ground floor is on the left.
Alternatively, you can enter the museum at lower ground level through the café. The automated doors with a push button are located on the left, and they open outwards.
Disabled parking
The nearest accessible on-street parking bays are located on the corner of Cookridge and Rossington Street. They are four hours max stay. Rossington Street is next to Millennium Square. Millennium Square is pedestrianised and the museum is located on the right as you come onto the square from Rossington Street.
Further accessible parking bays are available on Cookridge Street and at the Merrion Centre, Woodhouse Lane, The Light and Rose Bowl car parks, approximately a 5-10 minute walk away.
Drop off point
Cookridge Street bends around Millennium Square and becomes Rossington Street. This is a good point to access the pedestrianised square.
If you are arriving by coach or minibus, there are drop off bays for coaches on Great George Street which is just around the corner from Millennium Square.
Accessible toilets
There is an accessible toilet on each floor of the museum. Facilities in the toilets include rails at the sides of the toilet and basin, emergency alarms and fire alarms with flashing lights. These toilets are not RADAR key operated.
Leeds City Museum has a Changing Places toilet. This is located on floor 3 of the museum.
Blind and partially sighted visitors
Large print exhibition guides are available in a folder near the start of each gallery.
Light levels are low in certain galleries. This is to protect and conserve the objects in those areas. Please ask a member of staff if you would like to borrow a torch during your visit. Our sensory map shows which parts of the museum have natural light and which have lower light levels.
There are a number of tactile, audio, visual and interactive exhibits and spaces throughout the museum.
Assistance and guide dogs
We welcome assistance and guide dogs. A bowl and water is available from the reception desk.
Visitors with physical disabilities and wheelchair users
All floors of the museum can be accessed via lift. The lift has capacity for up to two wheelchairs on any one journey.
Seating is available around the museum, in every gallery and in the café. You can find where the seating is located on our sensory map (PDF, 763KB).
The museum has two wheelchairs available for visitors to borrow. Please telephone 0113 378 5001 (10am – 4pm) in advance of your visit to ensure a chair is available or ask a member of the team during your visit.
There are a number of tactile, audio, visual and interactive exhibits and spaces throughout the museum. Many of the exhibits are displayed at a lower level. There is a lower height counter at the shop.
