Abbey House Museum
Abbey Walk
Abbey Rd
Kirkstall
Leeds
Leeds
West Yorkshire
LS5 3EH
England
Website
Telephone
0113 230 5492
Based in the heart of the Kirkstall community, Abbey House was once the gatehouse for Kirkstall Abbey. Displays in the museum enable you to steep yourself in the romantic history of the abbey. The museum also explores life in Victorian Leeds. With enchanting streets which reconstruct life in the late 19th century, and social history collections, you can immerse yourself in the sights and sounds of the time. Abbey House also has a new interactive childhood gallery, Abbot Tea Rooms, and a wide range of activities for schools, small groups and families.
Venue Type:
Museum, Historic house or home
Additional info
The Abbey House Museum hosts The Wednesday Club for adults. This is a social group which often presents talks and tours. The group meet monthly on a Wednesday at the museum at 10:30am. £5 per person which includes a set lunch in the Abbot Tea Rooms.
For children the Monkey Club regularly meets on Wednesdays from 10:15am-12noon. This offers a drop in morning to take part in craft activities and play games. The Messy Monkeys regularly meet on Fridays for fun with paints and art materials. Both are available for the under 5s and their carers.
Please see our event details for regular activities for families, children and adults. You can also find details of our half term activites, exhibitions and education workshops for schools.
The museum is also available for children's birthday parties, and wedding photography. Please call for prices and availability.
Open to the public is our Gatehouse Cafe (no museum admission necessary) serving drinks, hot and cold meals and snacks.
The museum holds large and important social history collections. This includes an archive relating to the Suffragette campaigns of Mrs Leonora Cohen (b.1873) who was one of the first women in Leeds to start campaigning for votes for women.
Leeds Museums have been collecting toys, dolls and games since at least the 1920s and now hold one of the major collections in the country. Abbey House Museum displays many acquistions from this collection along with Armley Mills Industrial Museum.
Abbey House Museum also houses a collection of period costume.
Collection details
Archaeology, Archives, Costume and Textiles, Social History, Toys and Hobbies
Fate and Fickle Fortune
The exhibition looks at popular beliefs and rituals as well as attitudes to risk, gambling and games of chance. Objects range from Ancient Egyptian amulets, lucky horseshoes and Ouija Boards to lottery tickets and furry dice
Suitable for
- Any age
Fate and Fickle Fortune
Objects range from Ancient Egyptian amulets, lucky horseshoes and Ouija Boards to lottery tickets and furry dice!
Suitable for
- Any age
Admission
Free.
Website
http://www.leeds.gov.uk/museumsandgalleries/Pages/Exhibitions.aspx
Messy monkeys
Join us at Abbey House Museum for messy creative fun with art materials and the best bit is we clear up afterwards! Please wear suitable messy clothing as sometimes we paint and sometimes we get wet!
Suitable for
- Family friendly
- Any age
When
2-4pm
Admission
Free
Arty Smarties
An afternoon of relaxing art and craft activities for families in our Victorian street.
Suitable for
- Any age
When
2-4pm
Messy monkeys
Join us at Abbey House Museum for messy creative fun with art materials and the best bit is we clear up afterwards! Please wear suitable messy clothing as sometimes we paint and sometimes we get wet!
Suitable for
- Family friendly
- Any age
When
2-4pm
Admission
Free
Arty Smarties
An afternoon of relaxing art and craft activities for families in our Victorian street.
Suitable for
- Any age
When
2-4pm
Messy monkeys
Join us at Abbey House Museum for messy creative fun with art materials and the best bit is we clear up afterwards! Please wear suitable messy clothing as sometimes we paint and sometimes we get wet!
Suitable for
- Family friendly
- Any age
When
2-4pm
Admission
Free
Arty Smarties
An afternoon of relaxing art and craft activities for families in our Victorian street.
Suitable for
- Any age
When
2-4pm
Little Scientists
Science fun for under 5's. crafts, games and activities on this months ‘splish-splash’ theme. (10:00am to 12:00pm and 14:00pm to 16:00pm).
Suitable for
- Family friendly
- Any age
When
10am-4pm
Messy monkeys
Join us at Abbey House Museum for messy creative fun with art materials and the best bit is we clear up afterwards! Please wear suitable messy clothing as sometimes we paint and sometimes we get wet!
Suitable for
- Family friendly
- Any age
When
2-4pm
Admission
Free
Arty Smarties
An afternoon of relaxing art and craft activities for families in our Victorian street.
Suitable for
- Any age
When
2-4pm
Messy monkeys
Join us at Abbey House Museum for messy creative fun with art materials and the best bit is we clear up afterwards! Please wear suitable messy clothing as sometimes we paint and sometimes we get wet!
Suitable for
- Family friendly
- Any age
When
2-4pm
Admission
Free
Silly streets: let’s go shopping fun and games
Grab a basket and join us for shopping fun and games with play tents and tills in our Education Room.
Suitable for
- Family friendly
When
10am-12pm
Admission
Free
Arty Smarties
An afternoon of relaxing art and craft activities for families in our Victorian street.
Suitable for
- Any age
When
2-4pm
Elves and pixies family fun crafts
A bit of Christmas magic in July as we start the holidays with fun elf and pixie crafts.
Suitable for
- Family friendly
When
10am-4pm
Admission
Free
Reindeer games and activities
Rudolph takes a well deserved holiday at Abbey House and joins us for some fun, games, crafts and activities in our Victorian Streets.
Suitable for
- Family friendly
Admission
Free
Splat a sprout and other foody fun and games
Join us for a day of fun foody games, activities and crafts with a bit of a Christmas twist!
Suitable for
- Family friendly
When
10am-4pm
Admission
Free
Arty Smarties
An afternoon of relaxing art and craft activities for families in our Victorian street.
Suitable for
- Any age
When
2-4pm
Knights and princesses family fun crafts
Bring along your little knights and princesses for fun crafts in our Victorian streets.
Suitable for
- Family friendly
When
10am-4pm
Admission
Free
Barry the dragon’s medieval fun and games
Met Barry the dragon and join in his medieval inspired fun and games. Double the fun by coming in fancy dress!
Suitable for
- Family friendly
When
10am-4pm
Admission
Free
Whodunit!
A murder has been committed in our Victorian Streets. Can you solve the clues and crack the case? Suitable for families and particularly those with older children.
Suitable for
- Family friendly
When
10am-4pm
Admission
Free
Batter a biscuit foody family fun
Join us for a day of fun foody games, activities and crafts! Drop-in activity for families.
Suitable for
- Family friendly
When
10am-4pm
Admission
Free
Arty Smarties
An afternoon of relaxing art and craft activities for families in our Victorian street.
Suitable for
- Any age
When
2-4pm
Witches and wizards family fun
Drop-in activity suitable for families. A day of fun crafts with a spooky theme. Come along dressed up to make things extra scary!
Suitable for
- Family friendly
When
10am-4pm
Admission
Free
Lucky the rabbit’s magic fun and games
Meet the Lucky the Rabbit and join him for lots of fun, games and activities in our Victorian Street. Drop-in activity for families.
Suitable for
- Family friendly
When
10am-4pm
Admission
Free
Faster pasta
Drop-in science activities for families. join us for a day of fun foody games, science activities and crafts!
Suitable for
- Family friendly
When
10am-4pm
Admission
Free
Arty Smarties
An afternoon of relaxing art and craft activities for families in our Victorian street.
Suitable for
- Any age
When
2-4pm
Cowboys and cowgirls family fun
Drop-in day of fun crafts with a western theme. Come in fancy dress for extra fun.
Suitable for
- Family friendly
When
10am-4pm
Admission
Free
Bear boogie: craft music and fun
Meet Albert the bear and join in for a boogie in a Victorian streets with fun games, crafts and activities.
Suitable for
- Family friendly
When
10am-4pm
Admission
Free
Fill a flan: food fun
Join us for a day of drop-in family fun foody games, activities and crafts including the chance to fill a flan!
Suitable for
- Family friendly
When
10am-4pm
Admission
Free
Arty Smarties
An afternoon of relaxing art and craft activities for families in our Victorian street.
Suitable for
- Any age
When
2-4pm
Pirates and mermaids
Drop-in family day of fun crafts with a nautical theme.
Suitable for
- Family friendly
When
10am-4pm
Admission
Free
Reggie the rat’s treasure trail
Meet Reggie the rat and complete his treasure trail of fun and games around Abbey House. Drop-in fun and games suitable for families.
Suitable for
- Family friendly
When
10am-4pm
Admission
Free
Jiggle a Jelly Science Fun and Craft
Join us for a day of family fun foody games, science activities and crafts.
Suitable for
- Family friendly
When
10am-4pm
Admission
Free
Arty Smarties
An afternoon of relaxing art and craft activities for families in our Victorian street.
Suitable for
- Any age
When
2-4pm
Crafty family fun activities
join us for a relaxing bank holiday of family crafts
Suitable for
- Family friendly
When
10am-4pm
Admission
Free
Kings and Queens crafts
A family day of fun crafts with a royal theme. Double the fun and come dressed up!
Suitable for
- Family friendly
When
10am-4pm
Admission
Free
Party with a pixie
Meet our friendly pixie for a day of fun, games and activities in our Victorian Streets.
Suitable for
- Family friendly
When
10am-4pm
Admission
Free
Beautify a bun foody fun and games –
Join us for a family day of foody fun and games including bun decorating.
Suitable for
- Family friendly
When
10am-4pm
Admission
Free
Arty Smarties
An afternoon of relaxing art and craft activities for families in our Victorian street.
Suitable for
- Any age
When
2-4pm
Arty Smarties
An afternoon of relaxing art and craft activities for families in our Victorian street.
Suitable for
- Any age
When
2-4pm
Arty Smarties
An afternoon of relaxing art and craft activities for families in our Victorian street.
Suitable for
- Any age
When
2-4pm
Arty Smarties
An afternoon of relaxing art and craft activities for families in our Victorian street.
Suitable for
- Any age
When
2-4pm
Arty Smarties
An afternoon of relaxing art and craft activities for families in our Victorian street.
Suitable for
- Any age
When
2-4pm
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