Free Pass Yorkshire
Royal Armouries Museum, Leeds
Royal Armouries MuseumPhoto: Tim Marchant · CC BY-SA 2.0 · via Wikimedia Commons

Free things to do in Leeds

Leeds is one of the easiest places in Yorkshire to have a good day out without spending anything. Three big museums in the city centre are free to walk into: Leeds City Museum, Leeds Art Gallery and the Royal Armouries Museum. Roundhay Park is free too, with over 700 acres of parkland, lakes and woods.

You get free art and history in town, then large parks, woods and nature reserves a short bus ride out, like Middleton Park, Meanwood Park and Kirkstall Valley Nature Reserve. The museums suit a wet day (most are closed on Mondays). The parks and the city centre Owl Trail are best on a dry one.

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Highlights

Leeds Art Gallery
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Photo: Ardfern · CC BY-SA 3.0 · via Wikimedia Commons
Leeds Owl Trail
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Photo: Alexgonzriv · CC BY-SA 4.0 · via Wikimedia Commons
Leeds City Museum
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Photo: Andrew roberts uk · CC BY-SA 3.0 · via Wikimedia Commons
Leeds Minster
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Photo: Mtaylor848 · CC BY-SA 3.0 · via Wikimedia Commons
Bear Pit
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Photo: Stephen Craven · CC BY-SA 2.0 · via Wikimedia Commons
Canal Gardens
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Photo: RichTea · CC BY-SA 2.0 · via Wikimedia Commons

Best for rainy days

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On a wet day, stay in the city centre. Leeds City Museum, Leeds Art Gallery and the Henry Moore Institute are all free and close together, and the Royal Armouries Museum by the river has free galleries plus free daily shows and demonstrations.

Leeds Art Gallery🖼️ Art gallery📍 LeedsMajor British art collection beside the Henry Moore Institute.✓ FreeLeeds City Museum🏛️ Museum📍 LeedsNatural history, ancient worlds and a giant floor map of Leeds.✓ FreeLeeds Minster⛪ Abbey & priory📍 LeedsGrade I Gothic Revival minster on the site of the oldest church in Leeds, completed in 1841.✓ Free · donations welcomeRoyal Armouries Museum🏛️ Museum📍 LeedsThe national collection of arms and armour, with live demonstrations.✓ Free · donations welcomeHenry Moore Institute🖼️ Art gallery📍 LeedsA museum or gallery near Leeds.Free entry · paid extrasThe Stanley & Audrey Burton Gallery🖼️ Art gallery📍 WoodhouseA museum or gallery near Woodhouse.Free entry · paid extras

Best for families

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Kids love the Royal Armouries Museum for its free live shows and combat demonstrations, and the Leeds Owl Trail turns a walk round town into a hunt for owls. For running about, Roundhay Park and Middleton Park both have playgrounds, woods and lots of space.

Leeds Art Gallery🖼️ Art gallery📍 LeedsMajor British art collection beside the Henry Moore Institute.✓ FreeLeeds Owl Trail🔎 Self-guided trail📍 LeedsSpot the owls hidden on the buildings of Leeds city centre.✓ FreeLeeds City Museum🏛️ Museum📍 LeedsNatural history, ancient worlds and a giant floor map of Leeds.✓ FreeRoyal Armouries Museum🏛️ Museum📍 LeedsThe national collection of arms and armour, with live demonstrations.✓ Free · donations welcomeCanal Gardens🌳 Park📍 Roundhay"Nicholson's canal garden is an example of the fashion during the 1830's to separate formal gardens from the immediate picturesque setting of the house and parkland. "✓ FreeRoundhay Park🌳 Park📍 LeedsOver 700 acres of parkland, lakes, woods and play areas.Free entry · paid extras

Best for walks and views

Roundhay Park has lakes, woods and the formal Canal Gardens, and Middleton Park covers over 470 acres including the Middleton Woods nature reserve. The waymarked Meanwood Valley Trail starts at the Henry Rowland Marsden statue on Woodhouse Moor and runs through Meanwood Park to Golden Acre Park.

Grove Lane Nature Area🦆 Nature reserve📍 MeanwoodA nature reserve to explore on foot near Meanwood.✓ FreeKirkstall Valley Nature Reserve🦆 Nature reserve📍 KirkstallA nature reserve to explore on foot near Kirkstall.✓ FreeKillingbeck Fields🦆 Nature reserve📍 KillingbeckA nature reserve to explore on foot near Killingbeck.✓ Free

Best for history

Kirkstall Abbey Park surrounds the ruins of an abbey over 870 years old. The park is free, and going inside the ruins works on a suggested donation. In town, the Royal Armouries Museum holds the national collection of arms and armour, and Roundhay Park has its own castle folly to walk up to.

Leeds Minster⛪ Abbey & priory📍 LeedsGrade I Gothic Revival minster on the site of the oldest church in Leeds, completed in 1841.✓ Free · donations welcomeBear Pit🏯 Folly or tower📍 Hyde ParkA folly or tower to walk up to in Hyde Park.✓ FreeSir Peter Fairbairn🗿 Monument📍 LeedsA historic site to explore near Leeds.✓ FreeRoundhay Castle (Folly)🏰 Castle📍 RoundhayA historic site to explore near Roundhay.✓ Free

All free places in Leeds

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Briggate Minerva🎨 Public art & sculpture📍 LeedsPublic art to spot on a walk in Leeds.✓ FreeThe Dortmund Drayman🎨 Public art & sculpture📍 LeedsPublic art to spot on a walk in Leeds.✓ FreeThe Black Prince🎨 Public art & sculpture📍 LeedsPublic art to spot on a walk in Leeds.✓ FreeJoseph Priestley🎨 Public art & sculpture📍 LeedsPublic art to spot on a walk in Leeds.✓ FreeWalter Hook🎨 Public art & sculpture📍 LeedsPublic art to spot on a walk in Leeds.✓ FreeJohn Harrison🎨 Public art & sculpture📍 LeedsPublic art to spot on a walk in Leeds.✓ FreeJames Watt🎨 Public art & sculpture📍 LeedsPublic art to spot on a walk in Leeds.✓ FreeHibiscus Rising🎨 Public art & sculpture📍 LeedsPublic art to spot on a walk in Leeds.✓ FreeSteeped Vessels🎨 Public art & sculpture📍 LeedsPublic art to spot on a walk in Leeds.✓ FreePlayhouse Gardens🌳 Park📍 LeedsA public park and green space near Leeds.✓ FreeA Reflective Approach🎨 Public art & sculpture📍 LeedsPublic art to spot on a walk in Leeds.✓ FreeMaster of the Universe🎨 Public art & sculpture📍 LeedsPublic art to spot on a walk in Leeds.✓ FreeSt. George's Fields (Woodhouse Cemetery)🌳 Park📍 WoodhouseA public park and green space near Woodhouse.✓ FreeStatue of Duke of Wellington🎨 Public art & sculpture📍 Hyde ParkPublic art to spot on a walk in Hyde Park.✓ FreeHolbeck Moor Park🌳 Park📍 HolbeckA public park and green space near Holbeck.✓ FreeStatue of Queen Victoria🎨 Public art & sculpture📍 WoodhousePublic art to spot on a walk in Woodhouse.✓ FreeStatue of Henry Rowland Marsden🎨 Public art & sculpture📍 WoodhousePublic art to spot on a walk in Woodhouse.✓ FreeHunslet Moor Park🌳 Park📍 HunsletA public park and green space near Hunslet.✓ FreeMonument Moor🌳 Park📍 WoodhouseA public park and green space near Woodhouse.✓ FreeWoodhouse Moor Park🌳 Park📍 Hyde ParkA public park and green space near Hyde Park.✓ FreeCinder Moor🌳 Park📍 Hyde ParkA public park and green space near Hyde Park.✓ FreeLittle Moor🌳 Park📍 Hyde ParkA public park and green space near Hyde Park.✓ FreeEast End Park🌳 Park📍 East End ParkA public park and green space near East End Park.✓ FreeBeggar's Hill🌳 Park📍 HolbeckA public park and green space near Holbeck.✓ Free
See everything within 10 miles of Leeds ›

Upcoming free events

Wed28OctLight Night Leeds🎆 Lights & fireworks📍 LeedsLeeds' free festival of light art returns over two evenings in half term, with more than 40 projections and installations across the city centre.✓ FreeSun15NovLight for Leeds – Interfaith Event at Kirkstall Abbey🏛️ Heritage📍 LeedsA free drop-in afternoon at Kirkstall Abbey to close Interfaith Week, with music, quiet reflection and stalls from many faiths and none.✓ Free · donations welcomeThu19NovLeeds Christmas Market – Thor's Winter Village🛍️ Market📍 LeedsLeeds' Christmas market comes back to City Square with a new layout: around 60 Yorkshire traders and food vendors, bars, and a family Elf Hunt trail.Free entry · paid extrasSat5DecBradford’s Retrospective: DNA Tapestries🧒 Family📍 UndercliffeFREE entry Discover the DNA of Bradford through this youth-led pop-up mini museum created by Bradford District Museums and Galleries’ Young Ambassadors.✓ Free

Getting there and around

Leeds station is right in the city centre, and most of the free museums and galleries are a short walk from it. Leeds has three park and ride sites at Elland Road, Temple Green and Stourton, with free parking and buses into the centre in about 10 to 15 minutes. City centre car parks charge, including the one at the Royal Armouries. Roundhay Park and the Kirkstall Abbey car park next to Abbey House Museum are both listed as free.

Questions people ask about Leeds

What free things are there to do in Leeds?

Leeds City Museum, Leeds Art Gallery, the Henry Moore Institute and the Royal Armouries Museum are all free to visit. Outdoors, there are big free parks such as Roundhay Park, Middleton Park and Meanwood Park, plus the self-guided Leeds Owl Trail around the city centre.

Is the Royal Armouries in Leeds free?

Yes. Entry to the Royal Armouries Museum is free, and so are its galleries, daily live shows and combat demonstrations. Some special events and exhibitions charge, and the museum's car park on Armouries Drive is paid.

Is Kirkstall Abbey free to visit?

The park and grounds around Kirkstall Abbey are free, and so is the large car park next to Abbey House Museum. Going inside the abbey ruins works on a 'give what you can' basis, with a suggested donation of £5 per person.

What is the Leeds Owl Trail?

It's a free, self-guided walk around 25 owl sculptures and carvings on buildings in Leeds city centre. It's split into two routes starting near Millennium Square, and doing both takes about two hours.

Also nearby

Everything within 10 miles ›
Kirkstall Wildflower Garden🌳 Park📍 Kirkstall2.6 mi from LeedsA public park and green space near Kirkstall.✓ FreeBeckett Park🌳 Park📍 Headingley2.7 mi from LeedsA public park and green space near Headingley.✓ FreeMeanwood Park🌳 Park📍 Meanwood2.7 mi from LeedsA public park and green space near Meanwood.✓ FreeMiddleton Park🌳 Park📍 Middleton2.8 mi from LeedsA public park and green space near Middleton.✓ FreeQueen Victoria Commemoration Monument🗿 Monument📍 West Park3.0 mi from Leeds"To commemorate the visit of Queen Victoria for the inauguration of the Town Hall at Leeds. 1858."✓ FreeFarnley Balancing Reservoir💧 Lake or reservoir📍 Farnley3.0 mi from LeedsA lake or reservoir with walks around it in Farnley.✓ FreeKirkstall Abbey Park🌳 Park📍 Sandford3.1 mi from LeedsA public park and green space near Sandford.✓ FreeKirkstall Abbey Guest House Ruins🧱 Ruins📍 Sandford3.1 mi from LeedsA historic site to explore near Sandford.✓ Free

More free things to do in West Yorkshire ›

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