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Bolling Hall Museum
Bradford Industrial Museum
Cartwright Hall Art Gallery
Cliffe Castle Museum

Families Guide

Our museums offer welcoming and inclusive experiences for families of all ages, with interactive activities, family trails and comfortable spaces to pause and relax.

Cartwright Hall Art Gallery

At Cartwright Hall, we warmly welcome all families and children to explore the world of art and enjoy quality time together, completely free of charge. The gallery brings together Victorian, modern and contemporary art alongside changing exhibitions, family activities and events throughout the year. This allows you to discover something new every time you visit, and to relax with art.
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Bradford Industrial Museum - Bradford Museums and Galleries

Bradford Industrial Museum

In Bradford Industrial Museum, we warmly welcome families of all shapes and sizes to explore displays of textile machinery, steam power, engineering innovations and motor vehicles, completely free of charge. This museum is a complex of indoor and outdoor spaces, so you can find many interesting things and various activities to spend a fun day out with your family. In addition to the main building, we have a Horse Emporium, Back-to-Back houses with historical rooms, the Mill Manager's House, a Heritage Craft space, and an outdoor picnic area with a garden and wooden tables and benches.
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Cliffe Castle Museum

Cliffe Castle in Keighley, with its diverse displays and big park, is a welcoming place for all the family, and it's completely free of charge. Here you can see sparkling Victorian rooms, paintings, furniture and art. There are also rooms dedicated to nature, the district’s archaeology and a display of stained glass by Morris and Co.
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Bolling Hall Museum

Bolling Hall Museum, with its rich history and beautiful surroundings, is a great place for families with children to discover together. Historic rooms furnished and decorated to give an accurate taste of life at different periods of the house’s history create a labyrinth hiding many secrets – a great background for curious and imaginative children of all ages. This hidden gem sits in a quiet, leafy garden and is completely free of charge.
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Family Events

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young family playing outside, with tools and pinecones. Bolling Hall in the background
Bolling Hall Museum

Museums for Play & Growth – Bolling Hall

21 October 2026 10:30 am – 21 October 2026 12:30 pm

Museums for Play and Growth are FREE drop-in sessions for children 0–5 years old inspired by “50 Things to Do Before You’re Five”.
Cliffe Castle Museum

Museums for Play & Growth – Cliffe Castle

22 October 2026 10:30 am – 22 October 2026 12:30 pm

Museums for Play and Growth are FREE drop-in sessions for children 0–5 years old inspired by “50 Things to Do Before You’re Five”.
Cliffe Castle Museum

Diwali Celebrations

27 October 2026 11:00 am – 27 October 2026 3:00 pm

Celebrate Diwali with free family activities including animal yoga, lantern making and colourful rangoli-inspired designs.
Cartwright Hall Art Gallery

Action for Nature Day

29 October 2026 11:00 am – 29 October 2026 4:00 pm

Enjoy a free family day celebrating nature with wildlife activities, walks, talks and workshops.
Bradford Industrial Museum

Spooky BIMoween

31 October 2026 11:00 am – 31 October 2026 3:00 pm

Celebrate Halloween with a spooky trail, skeleton rat hunt, crafts, face painting, ghosts in the machines and a disco.

Four people in colourful costumes
Bolling Hall Museum

Halloween Hyacinths

31 October 2026 11:00 am – 31 October 2026 3:00 pm

Celebrate Halloween with Hyacinths at Bradford’s Bolling Hall
Bradford Industrial Museum

Museums for Play & Growth – Bradford Industrial Museum

7 November 2026 11:00 am – 7 November 2026 1:00 pm

Museums for Play and Growth are FREE drop-in sessions for children 0–5 years old inspired by “50 Things to Do Before You’re Five”

a young child in a white gallery space, looking through a tube at the viewee
Cartwright Hall Art Gallery

Museums for Play & Growth – Cartwright Hall

13 November 2026 10:30 am – 13 November 2026 12:30 pm

Museums for Play and Growth are FREE drop-in sessions for children 0–5 years old inspired by “50 Things to Do Before You’re Five”.

young family playing outside, with tools and pinecones. Bolling Hall in the background
Bolling Hall Museum

Museums for Play & Growth – Bolling Hall

18 November 2026 10:30 am – 18 November 2026 12:30 pm

Museums for Play and Growth are FREE drop-in sessions for children 0–5 years old inspired by “50 Things to Do Before You’re Five”.
Bradford Industrial Museum

Baby Week Bradford – Toddlers Takeover

19 November 2026 11:00 am – 19 November 2026 2:00 pm

Babies and toddlers are invited to take over museum's jobs for a day.

Young
Bolling Hall Museum

Bolling Hall: Deck the Halls 2026

21 November 2026 11:00 am – 21 November 2026 3:00 pm

Help us Deck the Halls! Create a Christmas decoration to take home or add to Bolling Hall’s tree, with traditional Victorian festive music too.
Cliffe Castle Museum

Museums for Play & Growth – Cliffe Castle

26 November 2026 10:30 am – 26 November 2026 12:30 pm

Museums for Play and Growth are FREE drop-in sessions for children 0–5 years old inspired by “50 Things to Do Before You’re Five”.
Cliffe Castle Museum

Museums for Play & Growth – Cliffe Castle

26 November 2026 10:30 am – 26 November 2026 12:30 pm

Museums for Play and Growth are FREE drop-in sessions for children 0–5 years old inspired by “50 Things to Do Before You’re Five”.
Bradford Industrial Museum

Bradford Industrial Museum Christmas Market

28 November 2026 10:00 am – 29 November 2026 4:00 pm

Step into the festive season with a weekend of Christmas shopping, handmade crafts, unique gifts, delicious treats and local creativity.

Christmas Tree by a malachite chimney piece (Green and gold)
Cliffe Castle Museum

Christmas at the Castle 2026

5 December 2026 11:00 am – 6 December 2026 3:00 pm

Christmas magic returns to Cliffe Castle! Browse festive craft stalls, find unique gifts, and meet Father Christmas in the Grand Drawing Room for a truly magical day out.
Bradford Industrial Museum

Museums for Play & Growth – Bradford Industrial Museum

5 December 2026 11:00 am – 5 December 2026 1:00 pm

Museums for Play and Growth are FREE drop-in sessions for children 0–5 years old inspired by “50 Things to Do Before You’re Five”

a young child in a white gallery space, looking through a tube at the viewee
Cartwright Hall Art Gallery

Museums for Play & Growth – Cartwright Hall

11 December 2026 10:30 am – 11 December 2026 12:30 pm

Museums for Play and Growth are FREE drop-in sessions for children 0–5 years old inspired by “50 Things to Do Before You’re Five”.

young family playing outside, with tools and pinecones. Bolling Hall in the background
Bolling Hall Museum

Museums for Play & Growth – Bolling Hall

16 December 2026 10:30 am – 16 December 2026 12:30 pm

Museums for Play and Growth are FREE drop-in sessions for children 0–5 years old inspired by “50 Things to Do Before You’re Five”.
Bradford Industrial Museum

Museums for Play & Growth – Bradford Industrial Museum

2 January 2027 11:00 am – 2 January 2027 1:00 pm

Museums for Play and Growth are FREE drop-in sessions for children 0–5 years old inspired by “50 Things to Do Before You’re Five”

a young child in a white gallery space, looking through a tube at the viewee
Cartwright Hall Art Gallery

Museums for Play & Growth – Cartwright Hall

8 January 2027 10:30 am – 8 January 2027 12:30 pm

Museums for Play and Growth are FREE drop-in sessions for children 0–5 years old inspired by “50 Things to Do Before You’re Five”.

young family playing outside, with tools and pinecones. Bolling Hall in the background
Bolling Hall Museum

Museums for Play & Growth – Bolling Hall

20 January 2027 10:30 am – 20 January 2027 12:30 pm

Museums for Play and Growth are FREE drop-in sessions for children 0–5 years old inspired by “50 Things to Do Before You’re Five”.
Cliffe Castle Museum

Museums for Play & Growth – Cliffe Castle

28 January 2027 10:30 am – 28 January 2027 12:30 pm

Museums for Play and Growth are FREE drop-in sessions for children 0–5 years old inspired by “50 Things to Do Before You’re Five”.
Bradford Industrial Museum

Museums for Play & Growth – Bradford Industrial Museum

6 February 2027 11:00 am – 6 February 2027 1:00 pm

Museums for Play and Growth are FREE drop-in sessions for children 0–5 years old inspired by “50 Things to Do Before You’re Five”

a young child in a white gallery space, looking through a tube at the viewee
Cartwright Hall Art Gallery

Museums for Play & Growth – Cartwright Hall

12 February 2027 10:30 am – 12 February 2027 12:30 pm

Museums for Play and Growth are FREE drop-in sessions for children 0–5 years old inspired by “50 Things to Do Before You’re Five”.

young family playing outside, with tools and pinecones. Bolling Hall in the background
Bolling Hall Museum

Museums for Play & Growth – Bolling Hall

17 February 2027 10:30 am – 17 February 2027 12:30 pm

Museums for Play and Growth are FREE drop-in sessions for children 0–5 years old inspired by “50 Things to Do Before You’re Five”.
Cliffe Castle Museum

Museums for Play & Growth – Cliffe Castle

25 February 2027 10:30 am – 25 February 2027 12:30 pm

Museums for Play and Growth are FREE drop-in sessions for children 0–5 years old inspired by “50 Things to Do Before You’re Five”.
Bradford Industrial Museum

Museums for Play & Growth – Bradford Industrial Museum

6 March 2027 11:00 am – 6 March 2027 1:00 pm

Museums for Play and Growth are FREE drop-in sessions for children 0–5 years old inspired by “50 Things to Do Before You’re Five”

a young child in a white gallery space, looking through a tube at the viewee
Cartwright Hall Art Gallery

Museums for Play & Growth – Cartwright Hall

12 March 2027 10:30 am – 12 March 2027 12:30 pm

Museums for Play and Growth are FREE drop-in sessions for children 0–5 years old inspired by “50 Things to Do Before You’re Five”.

young family playing outside, with tools and pinecones. Bolling Hall in the background
Bolling Hall Museum

Museums for Play & Growth – Bolling Hall

17 March 2027 10:30 am – 17 March 2027 12:30 pm

Museums for Play and Growth are FREE drop-in sessions for children 0–5 years old inspired by “50 Things to Do Before You’re Five”.
Cliffe Castle Museum

Museums for Play & Growth – Cliffe Castle

25 March 2027 10:30 am – 25 March 2027 12:30 pm

Museums for Play and Growth are FREE drop-in sessions for children 0–5 years old inspired by “50 Things to Do Before You’re Five”.

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