My 5 Favourite Museums in the North of England!

I’m sure you’ve all read ‘Best museums in the UK’ posts and the majority include the usual London museums, yes the British Museum, Natural History…. which we all know and love. Though this means some of the amazing museums further north in the country miss out. So I’ve decided to champion the north and share my favourites as they are just as good, if not better!

Jorvik Viking Centre, York

This museum has one of the best stories behind it, in the creation of a new shopping centre in York, excavations were done and uncovered well preserved remains from the Viking city Jorvik including buildings, wells, textiles and pottery. So part of the shopping centre is now this awesome museum experience including a 12 minute ride that takes you back in time through York’s Viking history. Unfortunately in 2015, local flooding affected the centre, but in 2017 it opened better than ever with an updated ride experience and all new galleries showcasing its superb collection of over 1,000 artefacts.

World Museum, Liverpool

I like to think this is a mini version of the Natural History Museum in London, it is very similar with its exhibits covering everything from astronomy & humans to dinosaurs & Egyptian mummies. It is easy to miss as it is not located with the rest of Liverpool’s Museums by the Docks, but the walk through the city centre is worth it. The museums building and the architecture around it are stunning with St. Georges Hall & the Walker art gallery nearby.

Museum of Science & Industry, Manchester

This museum is actually part of the Science Museum Group (who run the Science Museum in London) so the quality and exhibitions are just as good. The location of the site is actually on the oldest railway station in the world so there is a big focus on transport with some old locomotives on display as well as six aircrafts. It is a huge museum too with lots of old buildings containing the other exhibitions on industrial machines, communication, textiles and even Manchester’s Sewage system. Last time I visited for a couple of hours and only managed to see around a quarter of the entire museum so allow a full day to see everything.

The Beatles Story, Liverpool

I love this museum, the perfect place to visit for any Beatles fan, featuring an impressive collection of memorabilia such as John Lennon’s spectacles, original instruments, iconic outfits and lots more. The location is perfect too, it is hidden away in the Albert Dock, a UNESCO world heritage site, but don’t let the small entrance fool you, it winds around the tunnels of the dock and exits into one of the biggest Beatles shops – The Fab4 Store! You receive a free headset to wear as you wander around, which is really entertaining and brings the items to life as it tells you lots of stories from the bands history.

National Railway Museum, York

A giant museum just outside York’s historic city centre, holds some of the world’s most famous locomotives including the Mallard, Japanese Bullet train, The Rocket, Duchess of Hamilton and even a replica of the Eurostar train. There is a miniature railway in the gardens and a lot of the trains on display are available to board too, including Queen Victoria’s ‘Palace on Wheels’. This is the only museum in York that is free so definitely worth a visit if nearby.

Do check the opening times of all the museums as some now require a booking to be able to enter. Check each museums website for further details.

Are there any museums in the north that you think should have made the list!?

Check out some of my other posts:

How to Plan a Staycation this Summer – Help for your summer trips

What inspires me to Travel – Find some inspiration

A tour around Buckingham Palace – My trip inside the Palace!