Things to Do in Derby

Grade I listed building with a 212-foot tower, Bess of Hardwick's tomb, and Robert Bakewell's wrought-iron screen. Small but significant.

🕐 Daily 9:30–17:00 (tower climbs vary)

💡 Climb the tower for panoramic city views (£5 adult, £3 child). Check the website for the limited tower opening days. Evensong services (free) offer great acoustic experience.

A medieval church elevated to cathedral status in 1927, known for its elegant Perpendicular Gothic tower and a striking 16th-century Bess of Hardwick monument inside.

🕐 Mon-Sat 09:30-17:00, Sun 12:00-15:00

💡 Climb the tower for a good view over the city—it costs about £4, but the main cathedral is free. Check times as it's occasionally closed for services.

16th-century parish church turned cathedral, notable for its 16th-century tower with views over the city. Contains Bess of Hardwick's tomb and medieval stained glass.

🕐 Mon–Sat 9:30–17:00, Sun 12:30–14:30

💡 Tower tours cost £5 but are worth it for the panorama. Check the website – tours run on selected Saturdays in summer.

A small but elegant 18th-century cathedral with a 16th-century tower. Inside see the wrought-iron screen by Robert Bakewell and the huge modern tapestry by Ceri Richards.

🕐 Mon–Sat 09:30–17:00, Sun 12:30–15:00

💡 Climb the 189 steps of the tower for panoramic views over Derby – costs £5 but worth it on a clear day. Check the website for open tower times as they vary seasonally.

A restored Georgian townhouse showing domestic life from the 18th to 20th centuries. Period rooms, a recreated 1950s kitchen, and costume displays.

🕐 10:00-17:00 Mon, Tue, Thu-Sat (call to confirm)

💡 Phone ahead to check opening as it operates with limited hours and occasional closures for events.

A UNESCO World Heritage Site and the world's first factory, now a museum of the Derwent Valley Mills. Small display of silk-making and industrial history.

🕐 Tuesday–Saturday 10:00–16:00, Sunday 12:00–16:00, closed Mondays

💡 Combine with a riverside walk along the Derwent; the museum itself is modest (30 mins), but the river path continues to Darley Park for a longer stroll. Free entry but they welcome donations.

On the site of the world's first water-powered silk mill, this museum covers Derby's industrial innovations.

🕐 Tue-Sat 10am-5pm, Sun 11am-4pm

💡 Head straight for the ground-floor making workshops – you can try your hand at woodturning or printmaking for a small fee.

UNESCO World Heritage site (part of Derwent Valley Mills) housing exhibits on Derby's industrial history, including the Rolls-Royce jet engine and textile machinery. The building is a former silk mill from 1721.

🕐 Tue-Sat 10:00-17:00, Sun 11:00-16:00

💡 Look for the hands-on engineering corner upstairs—good for kids. The ground floor often has temporary exhibits on local innovation. Check if the adjacent river walk is open.

Georgian townhouse designed by architect Joseph Pickford in 1770. Restored rooms show middle-class life in the 18th and 19th centuries, including a working kitchen and servants' quarters.

🕐 Tue–Sat 10:00–16:00, closed Sun–Mon

💡 The attic rooms on the third floor hold the constantly changing temporary exhibitions – check what's on before visiting. Entry is free but donations suggested.

UNESCO World Heritage Site – the world's first factory, built in 1721. Now houses the Museum of Making with hands-on exhibits about Derby's industrial and railway heritage.

🕐 Wed–Sun 10:00–17:00, closed Mon–Tue

💡 Book free tickets online in advance for timed entry to avoid queues. The workshop area lets you try simple engineering tasks – good for families.

Restored 18th-century townhouse showing a Georgian gentleman's domestic life and kitchen.

🕐 Tue-Sat 11am-4pm, Sun 12pm-4pm

💡 Look for the original painted floorcloths and the maid's bell system. Quiet spot – rarely crowded.

A 16th-century church with a dramatic 19th-century tower. The interior has a striking Bess of Hardwick monument and modern stained glass.

🕐 09:30-17:00 Mon-Sat, 12:00-15:00 Sun

💡 Climb the tower for £3—the view over the city and down the Derwent Valley is worth the narrow spiral stairs.

16th-century Perpendicular Gothic church with a Bess of Hardwick tomb and fine west window.

🕐 Daily 9:30am-5pm (tower closes 4:30pm)

💡 Climb the tower for £7 – 189 steps give you cracking views over the city and the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site.

Houses Joseph Wright's paintings and a natural history collection. Covers Derby's industrial heritage including Rolls-Royce exhibits.

🕐 Tuesday–Saturday 10:00–17:00, Sunday 12:00–16:00, closed Mondays

💡 Check the basement gallery for the rarely crowded costume collection or the local archaeology finds. Quieter on weekday mornings.

Houses collections of porcelain from Royal Crown Derby, paintings by Joseph Wright of Derby, local history, natural history, and archaeology. The museum occupies a Victorian building just off the Market Place.

🕐 Tue–Sat 10:00–17:00, Sun 12:00–16:00, closed Mon

💡 The Joseph Wright gallery on the first floor is the highlight – the lighting in the paintings is extraordinary. Allow at least 90 minutes to do it justice.

A local museum with collections on archaeology, natural history, and fine art. Highlights include Joseph Wright paintings and the Royal Crown Derby porcelain display.

🕐 10:00-17:00 Mon-Sat, closed Sun

💡 Check the basement for the often-quiet military history room—small but packed with detail.

Houses the local history collection, fine art including a notable Joseph Wright of Derby painting, and a small natural history section. The building itself is a Victorian landmark.

🕐 Tue-Sat 10:00-17:00, Sun 12:00-16:00

💡 Head up to the second floor for the quieter exhibits, away from school groups. The cafe does a passable scone for under £3.

Houses Joseph Wright of Derby paintings plus local history and natural history exhibits. Also holds the city's collections of porcelain, archaeology, and coins.

🕐 Tue–Sat 10:00–17:00, Sun 12:00–16:00, closed Mon

💡 Head to the top floor first – the Wright gallery is quieter early in the day. The cafe does a good, cheap tea.

A Georgian townhouse built in 1770 by architect Joseph Pickford, restored to show middle-class domestic life in the 18th and 19th centuries. Includes period rooms and a small costume collection.

🕐 Tue-Sat 10:00-16:00

💡 It's small—allow 45 minutes. Ask at the desk for the key to the garden, which is lovely but often overlooked. Free entry but donations welcome.

Local history, ceramics and Joseph Wright paintings in a grand Victorian building.

🕐 Tue-Sat 10am-5pm, Sun 12pm-4pm

💡 Check the temporary exhibitions downstairs – often better than the main galleries.