Things to do in West Yorkshire

Polly Checkland Harding

Last Updated 2 September 2021

West Yorkshire is a northern county particularly packed with cultural attractions, from the award-winning market town of Hebden Bridge on its western edge, to the incredible Yorkshire Sculpture Triangle in the east of the area. There’s so much going on in West Yorkshire, in fact, that we’ve dedicated two separate guides to Bradford in the north – including Ilkley and Saltaire – and to the wonderful city of Leeds. Here, though, we explore the siren call of Hebden Bridge, Halifax, Huddersfield and Wakefield, all of which call this great county their home.

Discover the thriving cultural scene in Hebden Bridge, driven by a tight-knit community and spanning the legendary Trades Club, Picture House, bustling market and annual arts festival. Explore Halifax, the former heart of the English wool trade, where the oldest remaining cloth hall in Europe has been transformed into a hub for heritage, shopping and culinary delights – or Shibden Hall, filming location for BBC One series Gentleman Jack. Or perhaps Huddersfield takes your fancy: why not, when the town is home to the UK’s largest international festival of contemporary music, an award-winning literature festival and the UK’s first eco spa. For more of the best things to do in West Yorkshire, including Wakefield‘s £35m art museum The Hepworth, and the outstanding locations in the surrounding area, read on.

Discover our top picks

Jadé Fadojutimi at The Hepworth Wakefield

Exhibitions Until 19 March 2023, from £10

Jadé Fadojutimi: Can we see the colour green because we have a name for it? at The Hepworth Wakefield

This September, The Hepworth Wakefield is giving audiences the opportunity to experience the wonderfully colourful world of Jadé Fadojutimi.

Exhibitions Until 8 January 2023, from £0.00

Robert Indiana: Sculpture 1958-2018 at Yorkshire Sculpture Park

A major exhibition of Robert Indiana’s sculptures and two-dimensional work will adorn the rolling hills and Underground Gallery of the Yorkshire Sculpture Park.

Activity Until 1 December 2022, FREE

Stone carving at West Riding Stonecarving Association

The West Riding Stonecarving Association is dedicated to keeping the art of hand-carving stone alive and bringing it to the general public.

Exhibitions Until 5 June 2023,

Silence – Alone in a World of Wounds at Yorkshire Sculpture Park

Stop and spend an hour or two with this special creation, nestled within a stand of birch trees beside Yorkshire Sculpture Park’s Upper Lake.

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Exhibitions Until 31 May 2023, FREE

Damien Hirst at Yorkshire Sculpture Park

Experience YBA artist Damien Hirst’s towering and provocative outdoor sculptures at Yorkshire Sculpture Park.

Exhibitions Until 1 May 2023, from £1.00

Hannah Starkey: In Real Life at The Hepworth Wakefield

The Hepworth Wakefield presents a major survey of work by Hannah Starkey, tracing the development of two decades of her photographic practice.

Exhibitions 1 January 2023 10:00 am, from £0.00

When Dreams Confront Reality: The Sherwin Collection at The Hepworth Wakefield

One of the most most important privately-owned collection of British Surrealism has found a permanent home at The Hepworth Wakefield.

Photograph entitled 'A Tangled Mind' by artist Louisa Hammond, depicts a man wrapped in string and what looks like balloons

Exhibitions Until 9 December 2022, FREE

Recollections May Vary at the Mental Health Museum, Wakefield

Inspired by the museum collection of objects and documents related to mental health, ‘Recollections May Vary’ gathers the work of 12 artists, resulting in a powerful display of very personal responses.