How to Have a Fun Day Trip to Yorkshire Sculpture Park
The Yorkshire Sculpture Park is the first and best sculpture park in the UK and is funded by the National Lottery. It is an important centre for modern and contemporary art both in Britain and internationally and has been open for over 40 years. It is on a 500-acre site, which means there is lots of space, and at times – even on a sunny day – you feel like you have the place to yourself.
What’s great about the Yorkshire Sculpture Park is that it is ever-changing, and it is a fun outdoor activity for everyone. There are also inside galleries to visit, woodland, and an abundance of wildlife, including sheep, pheasants, birds and Highland cows. One surprising fact is that this landscape has been altered to look natural, and it was once the Bretton Estate and later a college.
Helpful Information for your Day Out at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park
How to Get There
The Yorkshire Sculpture Park is 7 miles from Wakefield, 20 miles from Leeds and 39 miles from York. The closest airports are Leeds, Bradford, Doncaster, Sheffield or Manchester if you are coming from abroad. If you are coming from within the UK, follow the instructions below.
Car: Exit at Junction 38 on the M1 and take the A637 towards Huddersfield. You will see the brown signs for the Yorkshire Wildlife Park, and you will arrive at a roundabout where you can turn left and arrive at the car park.
Train: the closest main train station is 7 miles from the Yorkshire Sculpture Park – Wakefield Westgate.
Bus: catch bus number 96 (Monday – Saturday) that runs between Wakefield and Barnsley.
The Yorkshire Sculpture Park plea to not park in unregistered car parks that are nearby. They are a charity that aims to bring international art for people to enjoy and by parking, in their car park, your money will support this cause.
When to Go
Luckily the Yorkshire Sculpture Park is open almost every day of the year. It is closed for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day (24th and 25th December). As most of the sculptures are outside, it is a good idea to visit when the weather is pleasant. The weather will decide for you what your day will involve. For example, on a cold winter’s day or a wet day, you may want to enjoy the indoor galleries and have a short walk around the grounds. Bring your wellies and appropriate footwear. Whereas, on a summer’s day or a clear day, you may want to walk around the gardens, woodlands and enjoy the outdoor sculptures.
If you want to see everything (outdoor and indoor), you will need to allow for a full day!
Opening Hours
Winter: 10:00-17:00
Summer: 10:00-18:00
The Coffee Bar at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park closes at 16:00. The gates to the park close at 17:00 in winter and 18:00 in summer. Please check the website to plan your trip for up-to-date information, as this may change.
Tickets
Remember to book tickets in advance on the Yorkshire Sculpture Park’s website (they do sell out). It used to be per car, but they have recently changed it per person. An adult ticket currently costs £6 and under 18s are now free. This ticket will be sent to you electronically, and you can show the QR code on your phone to enter. It does not matter whether you are in a car or entering on foot or bike; you will need a valid ticket. There are people checking tickets around the park.
Dogs
Dogs are welcome at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park, but remember to keep your dog on a lead. They are not allowed in the indoor galleries or at the Upper Lake or Menagerie Wood.
What facilities are available?
- Takeaway coffee, tea and snacks.
- Toilets and accessible toilets
- Baby-changing
- Some buggy-friendly paths
- Tap water
- Family resources on the website.
- Hand sanitising stations
- Car park and overfill car park
- Picnic Benches
- Information Kiosk
8 Things to do at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park
There are so many exciting things to do at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park that you will want to return again and again. To start, why not consider some of the following?
Explore Ever-Changing Sculptures
The clue is in the name, but over 80 sculptures are waiting to be explored in the open space. You can walk around them, look through them and see them at different angles. You can interpret them in different ways and start conversations about art and sculptures. Even if you are not necessarily the ‘arty’ type, there is something unique about the experience. If you want to find out information about the sculptures, there is everything you need to know on the Yorkshire Sculpture Park’s website, including background information about the artist and why they created it.
The sculptures are from some of the world’s finest artists, including Hepworth and Moore. If you use the grid references on the free maps, you can discover where the sculptures are or explore them at your own pace.
If you are visiting with children, it is not permitted to climb on the sculptures, so please supervise them
Have fun with the Sculpture Cam
Before you arrive at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park, download the Sculpture Cam web app. The app will allow you to create your 3D animations of 10 sculptures in the park. Each time you do it, you will learn a fact about the artist! Use the hashtag Sculpture Cam to see examples and join in the fun!
Go on a Walk with Purpose
The scenery is sensational, and due to the open space, you can feel the peaceful atmosphere whilst listening to the birds chirping. You can do many walking routes, and there are free maps available to help plan your walk, including an easy-to-follow map on the app.
We recommend the Lower and Upper Lakes through the woodland. It is peaceful, and because you never know when you will come to a sculpture, you feel like you are walking with a purpose. What will you discover? Look out for the tree roots made of metal. Yes, really. Be alert, and who knows what you will find.
Take advantage of the numerous Places to Eat or get a Coffee.
For the best views, you should head to the Restaurant at The Weston Kitchen at YSP Centre. They have indoor and outdoor seating, and on a clear day, you will be able to have panoramic views. You can also grab a coffee from Centre Coffee or the Café at Yorkshire Sculpture Park Learning. The food is freshly prepared from local supplies, which means it is of excellent quality.
Good to know: all the profits go back into the Yorkshire Sculpture Park!
Have a Picnic
Use the designated areas to have a picnic in the gardens. A picnic is glorious, especially on a sunny day, as the setting looks over the lake and sculptures in the distance. You could also get ice cream to enjoy if it is sunny enough! Remember to take all litter with you, or put it in the bins! There are picnic benches, but you can always bring a picnic blanket and deck chairs to be more comfortable if the park is busy.
Good to know: barbeques are not permitted.
See the Highland Cows and other animals.
Yes, you read that correctly. The Yorkshire Sculpture Park is home to Highland Cows. These friendly coos seem to love people and will come and say hi! Remember to keep a safe distance, as they can get protective, and do not feed them. They love to pose for a picture, though.
Enjoy the 6 Indoor Galleries
There are six indoor galleries in the Yorkshire Sculpture Park for you to explore. If you are unsure where to begin, you will find some exciting artworks in the Underground Gallery and The Weston Gallery.
Have an Afternoon Tea
Not many people know this, but you can book an Afternoon Tea at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park. Here you can enjoy a British favourite of sandwiches, cakes and tea/coffee. For two people it costs £25 or £35 with prosecco and includes your entrance fee to the park. You will need to book this at least 24 hours in advance by calling up. We don’t know about you, but it is excellent value for an afternoon tea. It was so good, Rachel once had it with her extended family.
Good to know: children can join in the fun with an afternoon tea for £6.25!
Go on a Free Guided Tour
On Saturdays and Sundays (in summer) at 11:30, you can opt to go on a free Art and Landscape Tour. The tour would help you ask questions or learn about the sculptures and their surroundings.
Indeed, the Yorkshire Sculpture Park is an exciting place to visit. You will want to return time and time again. Luckily, there will likely be new sculptures waiting to be discovered. It makes art and culture accessible, fun, starts conversations, all whilst enjoying the outdoors and the fresh air. Enjoy your day!
Photo Credits: Averagelives.com
