York Castle Museum Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids
York Castle Museum

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Established	1938; 87 years ago (1938)
Location	York, England
Type	Social history museum
Visitors	246,973 (2016)

The York Castle Museum is a super cool place to visit in York, England. It's built right where the old York Castle used to be! This castle was first put up by William the Conqueror way back in 1068.

The museum itself started in 1938. It's inside two old prison buildings from the 1700s. These are the Debtors' Prison and the Female Prison. They even used stones from the old castle to build the Debtors' Prison!

Discovering York Castle Museum
Exploring the Museum Buildings
What You Can See at the Museum
- Current Exhibitions
Museum Awards
Images for kids
See also

Discovering York Castle Museum

How the Museum Began

In 1931, a doctor and history fan named John Lamplugh Kirk had a huge collection of old items. He wanted to find a home for them. Many towns were interested, but York won!

The Female Prison building was bought in 1934. It was changed to hold Kirk's amazing collection. The museum first opened its doors on April 23, 1938. One of the most exciting parts was a recreated street from the late Victorian times. It was called 'Kirkgate' and was the first of its kind in Britain!

The Museum During World War II

Violet Rodgers became the Deputy Curator in 1938. When John Kirk passed away in 1940, Violet took charge. She kept the museum open during the Second World War.

Violet made the museum even better for visitors. She started new education programs. She also let people touch and interact with the objects. This made history come alive! She left the museum in 1947.

New Additions Over Time

After the war, more parts of the old prison were opened to visitors. The Debtors' Prison became part of the museum in 1952. A section called 'Half Moon Court' was added in 1963.

In 1966, a special old water mill, called Raindale Mill, was moved to the museum grounds. It's a great example of how things used to work!

Recent Changes and Closures

In 2017, big plans were announced for an £18 million upgrade. A team started working on this in 2019.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the museum had to close its doors a few times. It reopened on August 1, 2020, which is Yorkshire Day! But it had to close again in November and December 2020 due to new rules. When it reopened in December, it had a fun 'Christmas on Kirkgate' experience with decorations and music.

Exploring the Museum Buildings

The York Castle Museum is made up of several buildings. They are located near Clifford's Tower. The old York Castle wall is on one side, and the River Foss is nearby. In 1969, a special walkway was built to connect the Female Prison and the Debtors' Prison.

The Debtors' Prison

The Debtors' Prison was built between 1701 and 1705. It was originally a county jail. It's a three-story building made of stone and brick.

A famous person held here was Dick Turpin. He was a well-known highwayman in the 1730s. You can even see what might have been his cell in the museum today!

The Female Prison

The Female Prison was built between 1780 and 1783. It cost £1,540 to build. The front of this building looks similar to the old court building nearby.

The York Corporation bought this prison in 1934. It then opened as the Castle Museum in 1938.

Raindale Mill

Raindale Mill is a flour mill from the early 1800s. It was moved from the North York Moors to the museum grounds in the 1960s. It opened to the public in 1966. It shows how people used to grind grain into flour.

What You Can See at the Museum

Current Exhibitions

Kirkgate: This is a recreated Victorian street. It's named after the museum's founder, John Kirk. It was updated and made bigger in 2012.
Toy Stories: Learn all about the history of children's toys.
The Sixties: Explore what life was like in the 1960s.
Period Rooms: See rooms set up like they were in different times, such as a Victorian living room or a 17th-century dining room.
The Cells: Opened in 2009, this exhibit shows what life was like inside the old Debtors' Prison cells. You can even visit the cell where Dick Turpin might have been held!
1914: When the World Changed Forever: This exhibit opened in 2014 to remember 100 years since the start of the First World War.
Shaping the Body: Food, Fashion & Life: This exhibit, which opened in 2016, explores how fashion has changed over time.