Hull & East Riding Museum

The Hull and East Riding Museum is a fantastic trip back in time, located right in the heart of the Museums Quarter in Hull (HU1 1PS), East Riding of Yorkshire.

This isn’t your typical dusty museum; it’s an immersive walkthrough of 235 million years of history. You’ll start in the world of mammoths and fossils before wandering through a settled Iron Age village. One of the biggest hits is the Roman section—you can actually walk across stunning original floor mosaics. There’s also a life-sized “wooden” Roman boat and a realistic medieval street scene that really makes you feel like you’ve stepped back centuries.

Know Before You Go:

• Budgeting: The absolute best part? Entry is completely free for everyone.
• Time Spent: Most visitors spend about 1.5 to 2 hours here. It’s the perfect length to stay engaged without getting “museum fatigue.”
• Food & Drink: Since the museum is in the Old Town, you are spoiled for choice with nearby historic pubs and quirky cafes. However, if you’re watching the pennies, there are lovely benches in the Museums Quarter gardens right outside for a picnic.
• Parking: There is no dedicated on-site parking. Your best bet is using one of the nearby multi-storeys or pay-and-display lots in the city centre and enjoying a short walk through the cobbled streets.
• Insider Tip: Many people mention how surprisingly “un-boring” it is for younger ones because of the life-sized figures and the walk-through environments. It’s very tactile and visual rather than just reading labels on a wall.

Make a Day of It:
Because it’s located in the Museums Quarter, you can easily pair this with a visit to Streetlife Museum (right next door and also free!) or the Wilberforce House Museum. After you’ve had your fill of history, take a five-minute stroll over to The Deep, Hull’s massive aquarium, or wander down to Hull Marina for a drink by the water.