Bradford Industrial Museum

Bradford Industrial Museum is set inside Moorside Mills, a former worsted spinning mill built around 1875 in Eccleshill. Bradford Council transformed it into a museum in 1974, and it now holds permanent displays covering textile machinery, steam power, engineering innovations and motor vehicles. On the right day, you can watch the spinning machines running at full speed and take in the sights, sounds and smells of working Victorian industry.

There is a lot to explore across the building, including the weaving gallery, outbuildings, and a row of back-to-back terrace houses that give a real sense of what life was like for mill workers. Knowledgeable volunteers are on hand throughout, and regular events include blacksmithing demonstrations, weaving and spinning sessions, and free drop-in play sessions for under-fives. It is the kind of place that keeps kids genuinely busy for a few hours rather than just ticking a box.

Entry is free, with a donations box on site. The museum is open Tuesday to Friday from 10am to 4pm, and Saturday to Sunday from 11am to 4pm (closed Mondays). There is free car parking on site, including disabled spaces, and the building has a wheelchair-accessible entrance and toilets. Old lifts mean prams are no problem either, and there is a small café serving sandwiches and hot drinks.