Armley Mills Industrial Museum
The Armley Mills Industrial Museum was a working cloth mill
until 1969, when the City Council turned it into an award-winning
industrial museum. In fact, it was once the world's largest wool
mill. Exhibits trace the history of textiles, clothing,
engineering, and locomotive manufacture in Yorkshire. Particularly
interesting is a section devoted to the 1920s silent movie
projectors, operating water wheels and the huge spinning mules that
were in use in the 18th and 19th centuries. The museum has an
unexpectedly lovely riverside setting and is the ideal place to
learn about the industries that the city of Leeds was built on.
Armley Mills Industrial Museum sign
russelljsmith
Thackray Museum
There is surely no more interesting day out in Leeds than a
visit to the Thackray Museum, which tells the story of medical
advances through the ages. A recreated Victorian street, complete
with sights, sounds, and smells, highlights the lives, ailments,
and treatment of a bygone era in vivid clarity, and visitors can
also step inside the human body in an interactive gallery. The
museum was the vision of Paul Thackray, a former director of a
medical supplies company, and since its opening in 1997 has become
one of Britain's best museums as well as one of the largest medical
museums in the UK.
Thackray Museum
Richard Thomson
Leeds Art Gallery
In the heart of the city, the Leeds Art Gallery offers a feast
for art lovers, its collections covering everything from
traditional prints, watercolours, paintings and sculpture to weird
and wonderful contemporary works. The gallery is renowned for
having the best collection of British art outside of London - a
fiercely contested accolade. Adjoining the gallery is the Henry
Moore Institute, with its acclaimed sculpture study centre, and a
full programme of sculpture exhibitions that run all year round.
There is no admission charge for the Leeds Art Gallery and the
collection could easily captivate visitors for a few hours.
Visitors at the Leeds Art Gallery
Paul Stevenson
Royal Armouries Museum
This fun, lively museum contains ten themed galleries, filled
with interactive displays, dramatic interpretations, action
scenarios, and some really exciting exhibits. The themes include
Hunting, Oriental, Self-Defence, Make: Believe, The Swords of
Middle Earth, Tournament, War Gallery, A Farewell to Arms,
Tiltyard, and Hall of Steel. There is a crossbow range and an
escape room for adventurous visitors. This is more a cross between
a theme park and a museum, bringing history alive in many unique
ways, from watching gunmakers ply their craft to demonstrations of
English traditions like falconry and horsemanship. Those interested
in weaponry and military history will be thrilled by the extensive
collection of the museum and the chance to witness things
previously only read about.
Royal Armouries Museum
Emeraude
Abbey House Museum
The entertaining Abbey House Museum is contained in the
gatehouse of the picturesque, ruined Kirkstall Abbey, dating from
1152. Abbey House allows visitors to walk around the streets of
1880s Leeds, while the upstairs section features galleries
detailing the history of Kirkstall Abbey and the social history of
the area. The museum has won awards for being family-friendly and
fun for children. There is a restaurant and a gift shop at the
museum. What is left of Kirkstall Abbey is set in lovely grounds by
the Aire River and it would be a great pity to visit the museum
without exploring the ruins. There is a small playground for
children outside the museum.
Abbey House Museum
Leeds experiences typical English weather with a mixture of
gloriously sunny days and overcast weather in this temperate
climate. During the summer (June to August) Leeds has plenty of
sunshine with mild weather and average temperatures between 47°F
(8°C) and 68°F (20°C), while winters (December to February) can be
long, damp and cold when snow and frost is not uncommon and
temperatures range from 32°F (0°C) to 44°F (7°C). Spring is the
best time to visit Leeds as the weather tends to be fairly mild
from March to May.
Leeds Bradford International Airport
Location: The airport is situated nine miles (14km) northwest of
Leeds.
Time: GMT (GMT +1 between the last Sunday in March and
the last Sunday in October).
Getting to the city:
The bus services run frequently from the airport to Leeds and
Bradford city centre bus and rail stations. The bus services link
the airport to Leeds City Rail Station, from where connections can
be made to all parts of the UK. Taxis and mobile app based taxi
services are also available.
Car Rental:
Avis, Europcar and Hertz are represented in International
Arrivals.
Airport Taxis:
Arrow Cars are available from the airport taxi rank outside the
terminal building.
Facilities:
Facilities at the airport include banks, ATMs, bureaux de change
and a tourist information desk. There are also shops, bars and
restaurants. The Yorkshire Premier Lounge on the first floor of the
Departure Lounge offers a full bar service, complimentary
newspapers, high-speed wifi and telephones. Entry to the lounge is
through membership or a once off entry fee of around £26.95.
Disabled facilities are good; those with special needs should
contact their airline in advance.
Parking
There is short- and long-term car parking available. Parking can
be booked in advance on the airport website. There is a courtesy
bus service between the long-stay car park and the terminal
building, operating 24 hours a day. Passengers should allow extra
time to park and get to the terminal.
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Buses serve the city and much of West Yorkshire. Travellers
should enquire about day passes as they will be cheaper. For
visitors staying in the city centre, the easiest way to get around
Leeds is on foot. Central Leeds is mostly pedestrianised, making
car travel impractical. Taxis are available, with pre-booked taxis
generally cheaper than the black and white cabs that can be hailed
on the street. Uber and other taxi apps are also available.
For those who love to shop, Leeds is pure paradise.
The city's retail areas include the Victoria Quarter, Corn
Exchange, The Core, and Trinity Leeds, all packed with top-quality,
big-name stores. With development ongoing, shopping opportunities
are continually getting bigger and better.
For cultural enthusiasts, Leeds offers major national
and international theatre, dance, opera, and music events in a
variety of top-class venues, as well as a major art gallery housing
an important collection of traditional and contemporary British
art.
Among the city's dozens of museums there is the
intriguing Thackray, offering a vivid insight into Victorian
medical practices; the Amley Mills, housed in an old woollen mill
and demonstrating industrial and railway history; and the Royal
Armouries, the oldest museum in the UK, containing a fascinating
collection of ancient weaponry and torture instruments.
Plenty to see and do means there is never a dull
moment in Leeds, and at night the action shifts to the hundreds of
pubs, bars, nightclubs and restaurants. Some of the live band
venues, like Joseph's Well and The Wardrobe, are internationally
renowned. Leeds is also recognised as one of the UK's clubbing
capitals.
Armley Mills Industrial Museum sign
russelljsmith
Thackray Museum
Richard Thomson
Visitors at the Leeds Art Gallery
Paul Stevenson
Royal Armouries Museum
Emeraude
Abbey House Museum
