A cold, wet late January weekend took us to Abbey House Museum in Leeds. Heidi had been with school a couple of weeks before and so was enthusiastic to go back and show what she enjoyed!
What is at Abbey House Museum?
Abbey House Museum has 2 floors full of historic exhibits. The ground floor has a Victorian street/village with houses, shops, and a school to look in. Think of it as an indoor, smaller version of Beamish. There is nothing to “do” in the village except look around, but it is very interesting to look around.
Upstairs are more modern exhibits, which change over time. In late January 2019, there was an historical toy exhibit, which the child loved to look around. There was also the “Danger Zone” exhibit, which highlighted household items through the last 200 years which were dangerouss. There were also exhibits as how those dangers were managed and how we prevent danger in the house.
What did the children enjoy?
The children loved the space to run out in the Victorian street and I would like to think that they learned a little too!! They also liked the dressing up section as part of the “Danger Zone” section. They also enjoyed the toy section, especially with the chance to play with a couple of the toys.
It might sound daft, but because Abbey House Museum isn’t too big, it meant that they were able to enjoy it all, rather than be too tired from walking!
The free playground next to the car park was also a chance for the children to get some fresh air and tire themselves out a little bit more!
What did the children not enjoy?
The fact that a lot of the toys were on display, but not able to be played with, didn’t go down well! Also, a lot of the displays are perhaps for older children/adults, so they didn’t get as much out of it as other visitors would do.
What are the facilities like?
The toilets are really good and roomy, which is perfect for talking a child. Abbey House Museum also has a cafe, but it’s safe to say that the children were far too excited to go in there. However, the food looked good!
There are lifts to all floors, so if you want to take a pushchair, you can. However, as the Vicotrian street is cobbled, then it is a bit tricky. Abbey House Museum isn’t took big, therefore you might be able to get away with not taking one.
How do I get to Abbey House Museum?
Abbey House Museum is located opposite Kirkstall Abbey and there is a free car park just over the road. As Kirstall Abbey is popular in the summer, then car parking could be a problem. However, in late January, it was fine!
The postcode to find Abbey House Museum is LS5 3EH.
Is Abbey House Museum good value for money?
We paid £11 for a family ticket (as at January 2019) which covers 2 adults and 2 children. We spent about an hour and a half running about and trying to do our best to get the children to learn. As a result, it is one of the better value for money places in the region.
Verdict
All in all, Abbey House Museum is a lovely hidden gem in Leeds. It doesn’t get the publicity of the other Leeds museums, but if youre wanting to go somewhere for a couple of hours, and want your child to learn, then this could be a place for you to go.
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