Six galleries and a programme of family friendly exhibitions in the heart of Leeds.

The galleries which include objects from natural science, social history (Leeds), archaeology, geology, world cultures, dress and textiles, industrial history, decorative and fine art. Highlights in the permanent collections include the Leeds Tiger, which has been on display for almost 150 years, and Nesyamun the Leeds Mummy, which is the only surviving mummy in the collection after the bombing of the former building.

The museum hosts a new temporary exhibition every six months, focussing on different ideas and collections, all of which have a connection to the city. Recent exhibition themes have been hip hop culture, overlooked individuals of Leeds, cultural attitudes around death, and Miffy’s 70th Birthday.

There are regular events and activities for families and adults to take part in; school holiday workshops, museum trails, weekly craft sessions, adult choir group, history talks, and specialist events. The museum also hosts community events for different groups which focuses on varying themes and interests, offering diverse outlooks on a range of topics. 

The museum also has a café on site, the Herbarium Café, which serves a selection of cakes and traybakes, lunch options, and hot and cold drinks.

The museum offers entry on a Give What You Can donation basis, with visitors being able to choose their donation amount, or visit for free if they are not able to donate.