Yorkshire Sculpture Park

Polly Checkland Harding

Visit now

Yorkshire Sculpture Park

West Bretton, Wakefield, WF4 4LG
01924 832631
  • Monday10:00am - 5:00pm
  • Tuesday10:00am - 5:00pm
  • Wednesday10:00am - 5:00pm
  • Thursday10:00am - 5:00pm
  • Friday10:00am - 5:00pm
  • Saturday10:00am - 5:00pm
  • Sunday10:00am - 5:00pm

Always double check opening hours with the venue before making a special visit.

Yorkshire Sculpture Park
Book now

Yorkshire Sculpture Park is a remarkable cultural attraction: a leading international centre for modern and contemporary sculpture situated in 500 acres of the 18th century Bretton Hall estate in West Yorkshire. Here, you’ll find an incredible, year-round programme of temporary exhibitions held in YSP’s six indoor galleries, as well as around 80 works by leading artists on display across the beautiful parkland. An independent charitable trust supporting 45,000 people each year through its learning programme, YSP is a registered museum that won the prestigious Art Fund Museum of the Year Award in 2014 – among its many other accolades. Just over a half-hour bus or approximately 17-minute drive from Wakefield city centre, the significant collection here includes site-specific works by Elizabeth Frink, Phyllida Barlow, Henry Moore and more.

The museum’s aim is to ‘ignite, nurture and sustain’ engagement with contemporary art and sculpture, particularly for people for whom cultural participation isn’t customary or familiar. This is the only place to see Barbara Hepworth’s The Family of Man in its entirety, and to explore an open-air collection that includes works such as Sophie Rider’s monumental hare sculpture, Marialuisa Tadei’s mosaic-covered octopus and Andy Goldsworthy’s Hanging Tree. Recent exhibitions from world-leading artists include incredible, logic-defying video installations from Bill Viola, and a dramatic group of 12 zodiac animal heads from Ai Weiwei.

The most recent addition to the YSP site is the £3.6m new visitor centre The Weston, situated at the threshold to the park for visitors arriving from the M1. A beautiful gallery, restaurant and shop that’s perfectly designed and built to fit in with the surrounding landscape, The Weston was shortlisted for the RIBA Stirling Prize 2019. It’s home to one of several food and drink spots at YSP; The Restaurant at The Weston features an open kitchen and Scandinavian-inspired interior including a wood-burning stove, with a fresh, seasonal and sustainable menu. Where The Kitchen, the family-friendly café at the YSP Centre, the Centre Coffee and Kiosk are open for walk-ups only, tables at The Weston’s restaurant are available to book ahead. It’s a fantastic addition to an already excellent museum.

What's on near Yorkshire Sculpture Park

the band
MusicLeeds
DIIV at Project House

Emerging from a four-year crucible of creative tension and personal reckoning, Brooklyn shoegazers DIIV return to Leeds.

From £22.50
Africana and Caribbean Food Fest
FestivalsLeeds
African & Caribbean Food Fest 2025

Calling people of Leeds and beyond! The city’s favourite African and Caribbean Food Fest is back, and this year it’s turning up the heat with Harmony of Colours, a celebration…

Free entry

Where to go near Yorkshire Sculpture Park

Newmillerdam Country Park
Wakefield
Park
Newmillerdam Country Park

With a central lake and woodland, Newmillerdam Country Park is a haven for wildlife – a welcoming expanse of greenery just outside Wakefield.

Ossett Brewery Taproom
Wakefield
Bar or Pub
Ossett Brewery Taproom

With outdoor seating just 30 minutes drive outside Wakefield, Ossett Brewery specialises in award-winning real ales and has taproom and brewery tours on site.

A Touch of Craft Yorkshire

A Touch of Craft is a fresh, clean and vibrant space to learn new skills, meet new people and have some YOU time! ​
We only started in December 2021 but since then we have had sell out class after sell out class!

Cannon Hall Museum Park & Gardens, Barnsley
Barnsley
Museum
Cannon Hall Museum Park & Gardens

Cannon Hall is a stunning Georgian country house museum with outstanding fine and decorative art collections, set in 70 acres of historic parkland and beautiful landscape gardens. It is the perfect day out for all the family.

Event venue
Cannon Hall Farm

Cannon Hall Farm opened to the public for the first time in 1989. Since that time we have added adventure playgrounds, gift shop, farm shop, two restaurants and an indoor playground.

7A Wakefield Richard Wheater, Neon Workshops (c) Nicholas Singleton
Event venue
7A Wakefield

Wakefield’s 7A is a flexible performance / exhibition space Yorkshire. It is host to a number of impressive events used by Leeds College of Music, Wakefield College and the Neon Workshops.

Sandal Castle
Wakefield
Tourist Attraction
Sandal Castle

The romantic ruins of this medieval castle stand in a commanding position overlooking the Yorkshire countryside.

Holmfield Arms
Wakefield
Hotel
Holmfield Arms

A popular lodge-style hotel set in picturesque parkland with its own restaurant, close to Wakefield city centre.

Neon Workshops
Wakefield
Neon Workshops

One of Wakefield’s coolest companies, book a workshop, visit a temporary exhibition or browse Neon Workshops’ online shop.

Wakefield
Event venue
Venue 23

Venue 23 is an independently run live music venue in Wakefield, which plays host to both local and international talent.

Culture Guides

A young boy with a white sash around his left arm cries.
Cinema in the North

Outdoor cinema announcements, a major retrospective at HOME, and the best of indie cinema.

Theatre in Manchester and the North
Theatre in the North

Experimental performance, thought-provoking new writing and our picks of Manchester International Festival - here’s what’s taking centre stage this summer.

Isabel Galleymore in conversation
Literature Events in the North

There's a lot of experimentation going on in our Literature guide, from poets playing with form to short story writers looking long.

Music in the North

Gigs are coming in hot this spring – from long-awaited returns to one-off happenings you’ll blink and miss if you're not careful.

Experience a unique deep listening art installation inviting audiences to lay down and be bathed in sound and light.
Exhibitions in the North

From city-wide art festivals to open-air sculptural installations, we have exhibitions from all around the North, both indoors and out.