Museums
Ripon Workhouse & Garden Museum
Follow the story of poverty, crime and punishment through our three museums. Desperation often led the poor to a life of petty crime, and the punishments were cruel and severe. Discover what life was like in the workhouse, prison and courthouse. Find out why people ended up here and what happened to them. Experience the Victorian Workhouse starting at the original gatehouse building, with the Guardians' Room, inmates' bathing area, Vagrants' Cells and the Receiving...
Royal Pump Room Museum
Visit the strongest sulphur wells in Europe, where over 15,000 people used to come every summer. Discover Harrogate's connection...
Ripon Workhouse & Garden Museum
Follow the story of poverty, crime and punishment through our three museums. Desperation often led the poor to a...
Ripon Prison and Police Museum
Follow the story of poverty, crime and punishment through the three Ripon Museums. The museum is housed in the...
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From the history of sulphur waters and the sudden growth of this beautiful spa town as it became a favourite of Queen Victoria, Harrogate Museums have a story to tell.
The Nidderdale Museum must surely win the award for the 'Most Packed Museum' with countless artefacts from Nidderdale and the surrounding communities filling every room, rewarding the second and even third visit.
Beside the ruins of the Castle in medieval Knaresborough you can discover the history of some of Knaresborough’s most remarkable residents in the Castle Museum.

The History of Lives and places
The theme of Law and Order runs through several of our museums, whether you stand in the Dock in the Castle Museum in Knaresborough, or do time at the Workhouse Museum in Ripon which is also home to a working Kitchen Garden museum, a treat for gardening enthusiasts.
The stories told by Harrogate museums go back further still; Aldborough’s Roman Site just to the East of Boroughbridge was once the capital of the Romanised Brigante tribe and is home to Roman mosaics and an on-site museum.
All our museums are open throughout the year and opening hours are often extended for school holidays.
More Museums
Royal Pump Room Museum
Ripon Prison and Police Museum
Ripon Courthouse Museum
Butter Market Museum
Nidderdale Museum
Ripon Workhouse & Garden…
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