Free things to do in Sheffield
Sheffield is a great city for a day out that costs nothing. The council-run museums are free to enter, so you can see the Ruskin Collection and Sheffield's famous metalwork at the Millennium Gallery, then head out to Weston Park Museum to meet Snowy the Polar Bear. The Sheffield Botanical Gardens are free too, with 19 acres of themed gardens and a listed glass pavilion.
Beyond the museums there are hilltop parks with big views, like Parkwood Springs and South Street Park, plus small nature reserves along the River Don. History fans can visit the Tudor timber-framed Bishop's House in Meersbrook Park on weekends, or walk up to the Cholera Monument above the station. Indoor spots suit any time of year, while the parks and viewpoints are at their best on a clear day or at sunset.
Highlights
Millennium Galleryi
Sheffield Cathedrali
What a Stinker! (A Negative Light)i
Weston Park Museumi
Coalpit Woodi
Women of Steeli
Best for rainy days
See more ›On a wet day, Sheffield's free museums are the answer. Try the Millennium Gallery next to the station, Weston Park Museum for natural history and Ancient Egypt, Kelham Island Museum for the city's industrial story, or Site Gallery.
Sheffield CathedralSheffield's oldest building still in daily use, mixing medieval and 20th-century architecture.✓ Free · donations welcomeWeston Park MuseumSheffield's museum of everything, set in a lovely park.✓ FreeTurner Museum of GlassA museum or gallery near Sheffield.Free entry · paid extras
Site GalleryA museum or gallery near Sheffield.Free entry · paid extras
Kelham Island MuseumA museum or gallery near Sheffield.Free entry · paid extras
Best for families
See more ›Weston Park Museum is a firm favourite with kids, with Spike the Woolly Rhino, an Iron Age roundhouse and regular under-5s sessions, and Weston Park itself is right outside. For running about, try Norfolk Heritage Park, Crookes Valley Park or Heeley People's Park.
Sheffield CathedralSheffield's oldest building still in daily use, mixing medieval and 20th-century architecture.✓ Free · donations welcomeWeston Park MuseumSheffield's museum of everything, set in a lovely park.✓ FreeSheffield Botanical Gardens19 acres of gardens and historic Victorian glass pavilions.✓ Free
South Street ParkA public park and green space near Sheffield.✓ Free
PonderosaA public park and green space near Netherthorpe.✓ Free
Best for walks and views
See more ›For views over the city, climb to the top of South Street Park or Parkwood Springs, or follow the Norfolk Heritage Trail through Clay Wood to the Cholera Monument. Wilder walks are on offer at Salmon Pastures, Blackburn Meadows and Woolley Wood nature reserves.
Cholera MonumentA viewpoint with views across the area near Sheffield.✓ Free
Kelham WeirA viewpoint with views across the area near Sheffield.✓ Free
Sunnybank Local Nature ReserveA nature reserve to explore on foot near Broomhall.✓ Free
Sharrow School Green RoofA nature reserve to explore on foot near Highfield.✓ Free
Neepsend Brickworks SSSIA nature reserve to explore on foot near Neepsend.✓ Free
Best for history
Bishop's House in Meersbrook Park is one of the few timber-framed buildings left in Sheffield and is free on Saturdays and Sundays. The Cholera Monument remembers the 1832 outbreak, and in the city centre the Women of Steel statue outside City Hall honours the women who kept the steelworks going in both world wars.
All free places in Sheffield
See them all on the map ›Women of SteelPublic art to spot on a walk in Sheffield.✓ FreeSalmon of SteelPublic art to spot on a walk in Sheffield.✓ Free
Allen the PeregrinePublic art to spot on a walk in Sheffield.✓ Free
CruciblePublic art to spot on a walk in Sheffield.✓ Free
Sacred CowPublic art to spot on a walk in Sheffield.✓ Free
Weston ParkA public park and green space near Sheffield.✓ Free
Skye Edge FieldsA public park and green space near Park Hill.✓ Free
Crookes Valley ParkA public park and green space near Netherthorpe.✓ Free
Upperthorpe Peace GardenA public park and green space near Upperthorpe.✓ Free
Blake Street Nature ParkA public park and green space near Upperthorpe.✓ Free
Norfolk Heritage ParkA public park and green space near Norfolk Park.✓ Free
Boy and the BirdPublic art to spot on a walk in Pitsmoor.✓ Free
Salmon Pastures Nature ReserveA nature reserve to explore on foot near Atlas.✓ Free
Pan and AnimalsPublic art to spot on a walk in Broomhill.✓ Free
Black BankA public park and green space near Norfolk Park.✓ Free
Heeley People's ParkA public park and green space near Heeley.✓ Free
Bear statuePublic art to spot on a walk in Broomhill.✓ Free
Abbeyfield ParkA public park and green space near Pitsmoor.✓ Free
Parkwood SpringsA public park and green space near Pitsmoor.✓ Free
Neepsend Railway CuttingA nature reserve to explore on foot near Neepsend.✓ Free
Parkwood Springs NorthA public park and green space near Shirecliffe.✓ Free
Castle View ParkA public park and green space near Manor.✓ Free
Manor FieldsA public park and green space near Manor.✓ Free
Upcoming free events
Getting there and around
Sheffield station is in the city centre, with direct trains from London St Pancras, Manchester, Leeds, York, Nottingham and Birmingham, and the Millennium Gallery is a short walk away. Supertram links the centre with Meadowhall and the suburbs, and there are eight park and ride sites (including Meadowhall, Halfway, Malin Bridge, Middlewood and Nunnery Square) where parking is free, though you need to buy a travel ticket. City centre parking is paid, and the Botanical Gardens have no car park of their own, so street parking nearby is limited.
Questions people ask about Sheffield
What free things are there to do in Sheffield?
Plenty. Visit the Millennium Gallery, Weston Park Museum and Kelham Island Museum, wander the Sheffield Botanical Gardens, or walk up to the Cholera Monument and Parkwood Springs for views across the city.
Are Sheffield's museums free?
Yes. The Millennium Gallery and Weston Park Museum are free to enter, though they ask for a donation if you can. Kelham Island Museum lists free admission too, and Bishop's House is free on Saturdays and Sundays.
Are the Sheffield Botanical Gardens free?
Yes, it is free to visit the gardens, which cover 19 acres with more than 18 themed areas and a Grade II listed glass pavilion. There is no car park on site and street parking nearby is limited.
Where can I get the best free views of Sheffield?
Parkwood Springs gives sweeping views across the city centre and Kelham Island, and the top of South Street Park is a popular sunset spot. The Cholera Monument, a short walk from the station, also looks out over the city.
Also nearby
Everything within 10 miles ›
Concord ParkA public park and green space near Blackburn.✓ Free
Woolley Wood LNRA nature reserve to explore on foot near Blackburn.✓ Free
OrgreaveA viewpoint with views across the area near Waverley.✓ Free
Ecclesfield ParkA public park and green space near Ecclesfield.✓ Free
Catcliffe Flash LNRA nature reserve to explore on foot near Treeton.✓ Free
Blackburn Meadows Nature ReserveA nature reserve to explore on foot near Sheffield.✓ Free
Centenary Riverside Nature ParkA nature reserve to explore on foot near Ickles.✓ Free