Update on The Yorkshire Museum
DATE: 17 September 2021
We’re closing so we can bloom next Spring!
Thank you all for visiting us over the last four months, it has been fantastic to see so many of you enjoying the collections and exhibitions!
With the ‘Richard III Coming Home’ exhibition ending on October 31, we have decided to close the museum over winter.
It has been a tough 18 months and like many organisations, York Museums Trust are still recovering from the significant impact of the pandemic. We are now working with a much smaller team with less money as we begin our recovery and by closing this site, it will allow us to focus our resources on keeping York Museum Gardens, York Art Gallery and York Castle Museum open for everyone to enjoy over the winter.
It will also allow us time to repair the building’s roof which has suffered significantly in the summer’s heavy rains and make good some of the damage the leaks have caused inside. It also gives us the opportunity to develop new and exciting displays and events for when we reopen next year. With our smaller staff size, our brilliant Visitor Experience teams have been working very hard to provide access to all the sites over the Summer. Closing the Yorkshire Museum will enable them to have much deserved breaks and continue to provide great service to our visitors at our other sites through the Winter.
We look forward to welcoming you all back as we come into bloom for Spring next year! Please keep an eye on our social media for exciting ways to engage with our objects and collections and for the latest news on our reopening plans.
FAQ
Why is the Yorkshire Museum closing and not one of the other sites?
There are several reasons. The winter months are traditionally the quietest time of year for the Yorkshire Museum, so it makes financial sense at a time when our finances are still very stretched. It is also the site which needs the most urgent maintenance work following the summer storms which have damaged the roof and caused internal water damage. By closing this site we can fix these issues and also allow development time for some exciting new displays and events next year.
When will it reopen?
We plan to reopen in spring 2022 with exciting new displays and events – please follow our social media for the latest updates!
I have bought a ticket which lasts for 12 months – what happens to this?
Your ticket will remain valid for 12 months from the date you bought it, so we look forward to welcoming you back in spring 2022!
Are York Museum Gardens and the other York Museums Trust sites closing too?
No, these will remain open for the same times and days as they are currently operating, with some exciting new exhibitions and events coming up this autumn and winter. Please check the individual pages for up to date information.
How can I see your collections while your closed?
The Yorkshire Museum social media channels will continue to promote the Museum’s collections in fun and interesting ways, please see links below.
For those wanting to explore our collections in more depth, you can access our online collections page here: