City Museum
Discover more about the City of Lancaster, one of England’s Heritage Cities, from the pre-historic era through to today. Our immersive galleries are packed with objects and stories exploring every aspect of the history of this wonderful city and its people.
The impressive City Museum is housed in Lancaster’s former town hall, right on the edge of the busy Market Square. The elegant Georgian building was constructed between 1781-3 to the designs of Major Thomas Jarrett and Thomas Harrison.
The museum itself was founded in 1923 and its varied collection and dioramas lead visitors through the social and industrial history and archaeology of Lancaster, and the stories of the people who have made the city what it is today. Don't miss our fine art collection or the programme of changing exhibitions in our ground floor gallery.
The City Museum building is also home to the King’s Own Royal Regiment Museum, a fascinating insight into the military heritage of the city’s own regiment from 1680 onwards.
We're working on plans for a complete redevelopment of the City Museum. Help shape the future by telling us what you'd like to see!
- Come to our public drop-in session on Friday 15 May, 11am - 1pm.
- Or take part in the Redevelopment Consultation online.
If you've visited any of our museums recently you can also help by sharing your thoughts on the experience:
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Take the Visitor Experience Survey
Thank you! Your feedback will help us to make the museums better places for everyone.
| Monday | 10:30 – 16:00 |
| Tuesday | 10:30 – 16:00 |
| Wednesday | CLOSED |
| Thursday | CLOSED |
| Friday | 10:30 – 16:00 |
| Saturday | 10:30 – 16:00 |
| Sunday | 10:30 – 16:00 |
The City Museum is OPEN as usual for all spring & summer Bank Holidays. Closed Christmas and New Year.
- Please check the web pages for our other museums to see their opening days and times, as each museum is different.
- Dogs: Only assistance dogs are permitted in the museum. This is because even well-behaved dogs are curious, and they sometimes need the loo. We can’t risk it for the sake of our fragile museum objects, which might get knocked over by a very waggy tail, and other visitors who may be nervous around dogs.
Standard Tickets (Single Visit)
| Lancaster District Residents | FREE |
| Children (under 18) | FREE – must be accompanied by a responsible adult if under 16. |
| 1 Adult from outside the Lancaster District | £5 |
| Joint ticket – 2 Adults from outside the Lancaster District | £8 |
| Carer accompanying a disabled visitor | FREE |
| National Art Pass holders | FREE |
| Museums Association members | FREE |
Multipass Tickets
Our weekly and annual passes are ideal for holidays or for regular visitors to the district, providing unlimited entry to all three of our museums:
- Lancaster Maritime Museum
- Lancaster City Museum (including the King’s Own Regimental gallery)
- The Cottage Museum (open Saturdays only, April-September)
| Weekly Pass – 1 adult, 3 museums, 1 week | £8 |
| Annual Pass – 1 adult, 3 museums, 1 year | £10 |
The Lancaster City Museum guide is now LIVE on the Bloomberg Connects Arts and Culture app.
Download the guide anywhere and explore the museum at your leisure. It features exhibition highlights, interactive floor plans, audio guides and more. We'll be adding to this over time as well as creating new guides for our other museums.
- View the guide or get the app (it's free!)
- Or visit our Bloomberg Connects page for more information.
From our rolling programme of exhibitions to talks, tours, kids' craft sessions and more, you can find details of events and activities at all our museums here:
Or join our events mailing list for regular updates - just email historydetectives@lancaster.gov.uk to sign up.
The Shop @ The City Museum has an ever-changing range of locally produced and sustainable goods with a historical theme.
Everyone is welcome to drop in and browse the shop without paying for museum admission.
You'll find everything from rocks and fossils to Roman-inspired jewellery. Toys and t-shirts, cards, candles and ceramics, soaps, scarves, local honey, jam and chutney, traditional homewares and cleaning products, Lancaster-themed stationery and souvenirs, and of course a huge range of books on local history. There's something for everyone, whether you're into dinosaurs, witchcraft or women's history, militaria or the middle ages.
Don't miss our seasonal specialties, or the sale cupboard in the corner!
