Workhouse Museum & Garden
Workhouse Museum & Garden
Workhouse Museum & Garden
4.5
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Monday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
About
WALK IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF THE VICTORIAN POOR The grim atmosphere of the Workhouse Museum has been carefully maintained in order to give visitors a sense of what life in a Victorian Workhouse would have been like. The Workhouse Museum and Garden is open from 10am during school holidays with family activities taking place weekdays. Museum tickets are valid for 12 months with unlimited return visits.
Duration: 1-2 hours
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- Radiant Black5 contributionsBrilliant museumSo interesting and informative. We all really enjoyed the museum. It really brought the past to life. We spent a couple of hours looking at everything and reading all the signs and I felt like there was still more to be seen when we run out of time. The staff were all lovely as well. Really welcoming and helpful.Visited March 2023Travelled with friendsWritten 1 April 2023
- MatthewH14Amersham, United Kingdom13 contributionsRipon WorkhouseBought a combined ticket for all 3 museums in Ripon. Workhouse one was definitely the best. Lots to see, very insightful into the past, friendly staff and nice little gift shop. Would returnVisited April 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 8 April 2023
- CaronIanManchester, United Kingdom233 contributionsGood insight into the workings of the workhouse.An interesting place to visit and see how it all worked back in the day with people who struggled. Tons of history about other workhouses that existed around the areas. Self guided tour with people around to answer any questions. We we had booked all the three museums but we only had a short time in Ripon. Plenty of parking nearby.Visited April 2023Written 26 April 2023
- msmachar10Glasgow, Montana13 contributionsWould absolutely recommend a visit here.We visited on a Sunday and were surprised to find it so quiet for such a great attraction. We're told its the only workhouse in the UK still remaining in its original form. It was extremely interesting and thought provoking and one of the museum volunteers was full of knowledge and stories about it. We would thoroughly recommend it - for all ages.Visited July 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 6 July 2023
- David T19 contributionsPoignant but very interestingThe Workhouse Museum tells the story of how we looked after our poor and vagrants in times past. It is not an easy story to tell as it is of hardship and the conflict that we still experience between the haves and the have nots. The guides are very well informed and helpful and the whole place is well presented. Go with an open mind and be prepared to learn about this aspect of this countries social history brought to life.Visited July 2023Written 23 July 2023
- LeeLiverpool, United Kingdom635 contributionsGood visit with nice staffWe purchased a pass for all three museums which was great value for money, especially as you can return for free for a year. The staff were very welcoming And explained the route. The kids enjoyed the little activities sheet and sweet. The audio guide was really informative. It was a bit confusing finding our way around, often double backing on ourselves. I loved the two exhibitions relating to vagrants and disabilities in the workhouse. A good visitVisited July 2023Travelled with familyWritten 29 July 2023
- helenKingston upon Thames, United Kingdom15 contributionsWell worth a visit with childrenHad expectations that this would be a 20 min museum visit to fill a gap in a rainy day- we stayed 90 and could have stayed longer. The five children in our party (ages 8-14) loved learning about the workhouse and trying on the costumes(especially in the school room). Well worth a visit and a bargain price versus other attractions.Visited August 2023Travelled with familyWritten 2 August 2023
- wendy a1 contributionWorth a visit to the Workhouse museumThe workhouse museum is well worth a visit. It brings history and recent history to life. The enthusiastic staff/volunteers are so knowledgeable and happy to share this with you. In particular many thanks to HarryVisited August 2023Travelled with familyWritten 10 September 2023
- Alan MWetherby, United Kingdom1,003 contributionsVery thought provokingVery friendly and helpful staff. Amazing presentation and still in very good condition with horrendous stories of life not so long ago. We had to keep reminding ourselves how recently these conditions existed. The museum is larger than our last visit with more areas open which gives an even better impression of how it operated. There is also information on other workhouses in Yorkshire. We had 2 hours in the museum and could have taken more time.Visited October 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 6 October 2023
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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4.5
471 reviews
Excellent
308
Very good
137
Average
18
Poor
2
Terrible
6
alan3141
18 contributions
Feb 2024 • Couples
Very informative. We spent a long time here. Just a bit sad to learn how much worse off poor and sick people were not so long ago (vagrants were still housed here in the 1960's).
Written 4 March 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Alan
Lancaster, UK4 contributions
Feb 2024 • Couples
We spent 2 hours here. Very informative, and a valuable insight into social and medical care, not so very many years ago.
Written 19 February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helen C
United Kingdom11 contributions
Nov 2023 • Couples
We drove to Ripon, from Harrogate, yesterday, to visit the Workhouse museum. Despite the notices, and adverts, the place was closed. This was very disappointing.
Written 28 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kevin W
Telford, UK36 contributions
Nov 2023 • Couples
My wife and I visted Ripon today to see the Ripon museums. We are on holiday in the area and checked beforehand to make sure the venues were open. We were disappointed to find the workhouse closed, the sign outside confirmed that it was open everyday, and my wife rang the number on the sign but there was no answer as the phone was unmanned. This was a waste of a day.
Written 27 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
robbly
London372 contributions
Oct 2023 • Couples
My wife and I visited this museum whilst travelling around Yorkshire and found it to be really interesting. The staff were all friendly and helpful. The museum is set out well and was interesting to learn how it evolved over the years. We took a look at the gardens to the rear of the museum where they still grow vegetables that would have been grown there in Victorian times. They have a nice shop to buy bits and bobs. We bought a 12 month concession pass which gave access to two other museums in Ripon, the Police Museum and the Courthouse Museum. We only managed the Police Museum on a different day because of time restraints. There is free parking outside the workhouse museum if you have a parking card and there is pay car park next to the Police Museum
Written 16 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Tony s
5 contributions
Oct 2023 • Family
Very welcoming and informative visit. The site is being looked after well and the guides have good knowledge
Written 11 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Alan M
Wetherby, UK1,003 contributions
Oct 2023 • Couples
Very friendly and helpful staff.
Amazing presentation and still in very good condition with horrendous stories of life not so long ago.
We had to keep reminding ourselves how recently these conditions existed.
The museum is larger than our last visit with more areas open which gives an even better impression of how it operated.
There is also information on other workhouses in Yorkshire.
We had 2 hours in the museum and could have taken more time.
Amazing presentation and still in very good condition with horrendous stories of life not so long ago.
We had to keep reminding ourselves how recently these conditions existed.
The museum is larger than our last visit with more areas open which gives an even better impression of how it operated.
There is also information on other workhouses in Yorkshire.
We had 2 hours in the museum and could have taken more time.
Written 6 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Patti E
Penzance, UK550 contributions
Sept 2023 • Couples
Amazing and humbling! The Ripon workhouse museum has been renovated and is run by volunteers. The volunteers are a happy bunch who are more than willing to talk to visitors and recount how it was run. They're absolutely fascinating and worth listening to. The workhouse museum is a salutary lesson in the dreadful way families who fell on bad luck were treated. We spent a good couple of hours there and could have spent longer had we not been very hungry for our lunch! Surprisingly the workhouse was still in operation in the 1970s.
Written 5 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Christine H
Liverpool, UK125 contributions
Sept 2023 • Couples
Purchased a ticket for the Workhouse, Police & Prison and Courthouse museums which was good value especially as you could get a discount as well with your National Trust card. All 3 museums were extremely interesting with lots of information and exhibits. We joined a tour of the Workhouse Museum which was very good. The garden at the Workhouse is a credit to the volunteers who look after it in bringing it back to what it was like when a Workhouse. Would thoroughly recommend a visit to the 3 museums and by doing them in order of Police/Prison, Workhouse and Courtroom you see how they all link up together.
Written 2 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
wendy a
1 contribution
Aug 2023 • Family
The workhouse museum is well worth a visit. It brings history and recent history to life. The enthusiastic staff/volunteers are so knowledgeable and happy to share this with you. In particular many thanks to Harry
Written 10 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Victoria C
16 contributions
Is it haunted?
We certainly do think that the Workhouse Museum is atmospheric - there have been one or instances but we wonder if there is a reason for you asking?
How much to get into museum
KOMall
Ripon, UK2 contributions
Hello,
We have a range of admission prices for single visits or annual passes for individuals and family groups. please see the break down below...
PRICES
Visit all three museums with our special combined ticket which gives entry to the Workhouse Museum & Garden; Prison & Police Museum and the Courthouse Museum:
Adult £15.50
Concession (over 60; students; Armed Forces Discount; Disabled; Unemployed. Proof may be required) £14.50
Family & Friends £31.00 (Includes up to 2 adults and 3 children 6-15yrs)
Small Family £21.00 (one adult and one child 6-15yrs)
to find out individual museum admission prices and more information you can visit our website page called essential info.
If you google Ripon Museums it will take you to the home page and you can navigate from there.
Enjoy your visit to Ripon Museums, we hope to see you soon!
Warm regards
Katy
Learning Officer
ken a
5 contributions
Are dogs allowed
We are sorry but dogs are not allowed in any of the Ripon Museums - apart from assistance dogs of course.
Hi, can I take my well behaved dog?
Kathleen C
42 contributions
I am sorry, I can’t recall their policy on animals!
Mo S
10 contributions
how much is the joint ticket for workhouse etc cheers mo
KOMall
Ripon, UK2 contributions
Hello Mo - sorry for the delay in answering - we'd not had a prompt you had messaged us.
The combined entry ticket for all 3 museums - valid for 12 months is £12 per adult, £26 for a family (2 adults and up to 3 children) for all our information please visit our website.
Thank you for your question and I hope we will see you in the museums soon.
Are dogs allowed?
KOMall
Ripon, UK2 contributions
Hello I'my sorry only assistance dogs are allow in the museums
Thank you for you question and I hope you visit us soon!
Katy
Admin and marketing assistant
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Claim your listingWORKHOUSE MUSEUM & GARDEN: All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)
Frequently Asked Questions about Workhouse Museum & Garden
- Workhouse Museum & Garden is open:
- Sun - Sat 10:00 - 16:00
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