York Museum Gardens

Yes, York Museum Gardens are free to explore. Donations are gratefully received and go to help the York Museum Trust to maintain the gardens for future generations to enjoy. There is no need to book in advance.

The York Museum Gardens covers ten acres around the Yorkshire Museum from the river Ouse to the York Art Gallery. The gardens are a listed Botanical Garden and contain a variety of evergreen and deciduous trees, many species of plants, and some historical ruins.

You’ll also find the York Observatory here. Built in 1832, it is the oldest working observatory in Yorkshire. It has a refractor telescope and a clock that tells the time based on the positions of the stars. Unfortunately, the observatory is not currently open to the public.

The Yorkshire Museum

The Yorkshire Museum, where the York Museum Gardens are situated, is home to some of the finest historical treasures in Britain. There is a charge for entry, but it’s a fantastic place to spend a few hours, especially on a rainy day in York. Why not spend the day exploring both the gardens and the museum?

What are the ruins in Museum Gardens York?

You can see a few different ruins in the gardens, including:

• St Mary’s Abbey
• Hospitium
• St Leonard’s Hospital
• Roman fortress

St Mary’s Abbey

St Mary’s Abbey was first built in 1088. It was once one of the richest and most powerful Benedictine monasteries in England and covered the entire site of the gardens.

You can now see the remains of the walls of the nave and crossing of the abbey church, as well as the abbey walls. These walls are the most complete set of abbey walls in the UK.

Hospitium

This medieval timber and stone building might have once been a guesthouse or barn for the monastery.

St Leonard’s Hospital

St Leonard’s Hospital treated the ailments of the people who lived in York. It was the largest medieval hospital in England.

Roman Fortress

This fortress was built in 70AD as a place for the soldiers of the VIth legion to stay.
 

Yes, there is a café called Ciao York, which is open every day, situated at the Museum Street entrance. On the menu are gourmet sandwiches, toasties, hot and cold drinks, pastries, and cakes.

If you’d prefer to bring your own food, you can enjoy a picnic in the gorgeous settings of the gardens. Prepare some sandwiches and snacks in the well-equipped self-catering kitchen at YHA York and dine al fresco.

The York Museum Gardens is an excellent place to visit for families with children. Kids can follow the Squirrel’s Trail to ten points throughout the gardens, discovering a fact at each one.

There is also an online quiz that you can do once you get back to YHA York to carry on the fun and learning.

The gardens are fully wheelchair accessible. There are gentle sloping pathways and ramps. Assistance dogs are welcome.