Wakefield Museums and Castles: home - Wakefield Museums and Castles
Wakefield Museums and Castles

Wakefield Museums and Castles - discover the extraordinary

Fireworks bursting from the keep at Pontefract Castle as the sun goes down

What's on

Exciting events. No-cost and low-cost activities and workshops. Expert talks and tours. Find out what's on at our sites.
A toddler in a red tunic grinning in front of Roman displays at Castleford Museum

Castleford Museum

Explore 15,000 years of local history at Castleford Museum! Uncover our Roman roots and learn about local industry.
The remains of the keep and curtain wall at Pontefract Castle with a tree overhanging in the foreground

Pontefract Castle

The Key to the North! Built around 1086 by Ilbert de Lacy, Pontefract Castle has many stories to tell.
A family doing dressing up in front of the Keirincx oil painting of Pontefract Castle in the 1640s

Pontefract Museum

Learn all about Pontefract's eventful history! From the Civil Wars to the success of liquorice - Pontefract has seen it all.
The remains of Sandal Castle in the background with bright yellow daffodils in the foreground

Sandal Castle

Visit Sandal Castle, scene of the Battle of Wakefield in 1460! Sandal was a favourite castle of Richard III.
A child using a mini pair of binoculars to look around a nature reserve recreated in paper sculptures

Wakefield Museum

Explore the history of Wakefield at work and play. Discover surprising stories from the Merrie City.
A man and a black labrador walking towards the camera, with the ruins of Sandal Castle behind, on a dramatic winter's day

Sandal Castle: your gallery

We love Sandal Castle. But, don't just take it from us!

Have a browse of what our lovely visitors have been enjoying lately.

Find out how to get your photos featured on our website.

Sandal Castle: your gallery

Three adults looking at museum objects on ceiling-high shelves in the museum store

Explore our collections

We have over 110,000 amazing objects in our collections. From Rugby League to rhubarb, liquorice to local stories. Explore them online. Enjoy expert articles and curated content.

Collections and stories

Latest news and articles

Lots of tiny pale pink flower clusters growing on the end of green leaves 2 Jun

Discover facts and folklore about common thyme. It's our Medieval Herb Garden volunteers' plant of the week.

Medieval herb garden blog: common thyme
Matthew in his green volunteering fleece talking to an adult and child at the entrance to Pontefract Castle 14 May

Matthew writes about his experience volunteering with us in this guest blog.

Matthew: my experience
A large crowd in front of dignitaries at the re-opening of Castleford Market in the late 1920s, with bunting hung from the ceiling, and a music shop and shoe shop visible 1 May

Our latest display at Castleford Museum explores Castleford’s market history. Read some of the memories we've collected from local people about their former market.

Memories of Castleford Market

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