Leisure
There is lots to do in the Huddersfield area and we have provided information on just some of the leisure activities and attractions available within Huddersfield and the surrounding areas.
Disclaimer: Please note that the University of Huddersfield does not endorse any of the external websites listed on this page, or elsewhere in this guidance.
Art Galleries and Exhibitions
Art Galleries and Exhibitions
Information on art galleries and exhibitions in Huddersfield and further afield.
Family Activities
Information on family activities in Huddersfield and further afield.
Museums
Information on museums in Huddersfield and further afield.
Music, Theatre and Cinema
Information on music, theatre and cinema in Huddersfield.
Sport and Leisure
Information on sport and leisure in Huddersfield.
Galleries in Huddersfield:
Huddersfield Art Gallery
Located within the Huddersfield Town Centre, this art gallery is home to a stunning and world class collection of paintings, drawings and sculptures by internationally renowned artists.
For further information visit the Huddersfield Art Gallery website.
AC Gallery
This is a family-run independent art gallery in the Huddersfield town centre. From its early days as an arts and crafts supply shop, they now sell framed prints and originals. In addition, they host exhibitions, events and artwork-related workshops.
For further information visit the AC Gallery website.
North Light Gallery
The North Light Gallery in Armitage Bridge, Huddersfield, hosts a variety of different activities, including a permanent heritage exhibition and adult art classes.
For further information visit the North Light Gallery website.
Galleries further afield:
The Hepworth, Wakefield
The Hepworth, Wakefield is an award-winning art gallery in the heart of Yorkshire, set within Wakefield’s historic waterfront, overlooking the River Calder. Named after Barbara Hepworth, one of the most important artists of the 20th century, the gallery presents major exhibitions of the best international modern and contemporary art and has dedicated galleries exploring Hepworth’s art and working process.
For further information visit The Hepworth website.
Leeds Art Gallery
A free attraction in the heart of Leeds city centre, the gallery collection comprises a wide range of modern and contemporary art along with an extensive programme of events.
For further information visit the Leeds Art Gallery website.
Parks in Huddersfield:
Greenhead Park
Greenhead Park is Huddersfield’s largest park, located just half a mile west of the Huddersfield town centre. It opened in 1884 and has always been popular with local people, both young and old. It is a perfect place to unwind, relax and enjoy the wonderful environment and landscape.
It features a skate park, bowling greens, miniature railway, play areas, paddling pool, ornamental lake, Italian gardens and conservatory.
For further information visit the Kirklees website.
Beaumont Park
Located approximately 2 miles from the Huddersfield town centre, is Huddersfield’s first public park, officially opened in 1883. It is a fine example of a Victorian park with ornate features, cascades, grottos, steep cliffs, children’s playground and picturesque woodland walks for all the family.
For further information visit the Friends of Beaumont Park website.
Ravensknowle Park
Ravensknowle Park is located just a little over a mile from the Huddersfield town centre and is home to the Tolson Museum. There is a clock tower where you can sit in the shade and a pretty memorial garden behind the museum with stone seating. As well as two main grassed areas, there is a playground, skate park area and an adult green gym. The park hosts a number of events including the local children’s gala, music festivals, fun fairs and family fun days.
For further information visit the Kirklees website.
Play Gyms in Huddersfield:
Fizzy Lizard Play Gym
An indoor and outdoor activity centre and play gym for under 8s, located minutes from the Huddersfield town centre.
For further information visit the Fizzy Lizard Play Gym website
The Magical Forest Play Gym
An indoor soft play area for children from 0 to 10 years old, located in Marsh, Huddersfield.
For further information visit The Magical Forest Play Gym website.
Playworld Huddersfield
One of Yorkshire’s biggest indoor play centres located in Marsh, Huddersfield. They have a play gym for children aged 0 to 10 years, along with an indoor skate rink.
For further information visit the Playworld Huddersfield website.
The Zone Huddersfield
Indoor facility featuring Yorkshire’s largest indoor soft play area for children aged 0 to 11 years old, located just outside the Huddersfield town centre.
For further information visit The Zone’s website.
Family Attractions in Huddersfield:
Whistlestop Valley
Whistlestop Valley is based in Clayton West, Huddersfield. Here you can opt for a BIG adventure, where you can take unlimited steam train rides on the three and a half mile long Kirklees Light Railway to Shelley Station. Here, you can choose to hop off for a bite to eat, a scoop of ice-cream or play in one of the two play parks. If you opt for a LITTLE adventure, there are fabulous activities at the Clayton West Station such as the miniature ride-on railway and jumping pillow!
For further information visit the Whistlestop Valley website.
Splash Park
The Splash Park can be found at the Huddersfield Leisure Centre, within the town centre. It is ideal for all ages with a range of water features and slides for the youngsters and larger slides for older children and adults.
The Splash Park also has water buckets, water jets, lazy river, small slides and small fun pool as well as the water flume and Sidewinder which are both bigger slides.
For further information visit the Kirklees Active Leisure website.
Family Attractions further afield:
Ponderosa Zoo
Ponderosa Zoo is based in Heckmondwike. It is home to over 140 animals, including lemurs, reindeer, tortoises and alpacas and has an outdoor play area, including air bouncers, a zip wire and beach.
For further information visit the Ponderosa Zoo website.
Cannon Hall Farm
Cannon Hall Farm is an award-winning farm attraction based in Barnsley where you can spend the day admiring the scenery, seeing the animals and letting your children run off steam in the play areas.
You may have seen Cannon Hall Farm on TV, on programmes such as Springtime on the Farm and The Yorkshire Vet.
For further information visit the Cannon Hall Farm website.
Museums in Huddersfield:
Tolson Museum
Set in Ravensknowle Park, Huddersfield, the museum is a treasure house of the fascinating, the curious and the amazing. See curious vehicles from the past, learn about ‘the town that bought itself’ and view their First World War and Suffragist exhibitions.
The museum is within 15 minutes by bus from the Huddersfield Bus Station.
For further information visit the Tolson Museum website.
Holocaust Exhibition and Learning Centre
The Centre has a growing collection of archive material which reflects the extraordinary experiences and journeys of local holocaust survivors and refugees who made new lives in the North of England.
The centre is based on Level 2 of the Schwann Building at the University of Huddersfield.
For further information visit the Holocaust Learning Centre’s website.
Colne Valley Museum
Based in Golcar, Huddersfield, the museum is a Grade II listed building, housed in four cottages built in the 1840s. Step back in time and learn what life was like for a handloom weaver’s family during that time. Four 19th century weavers’ cottages form a ‘living history’ museum where volunteers, in contemporary costume, demonstrate various crafts including spinning, weaving and clogging, and will explain what life was like in the cottages.
The museum is within a 20-minute bus ride from the Huddersfield Bus Station.
For further information visit the Colne Valley Museum website.
Museums further afield:
Oakwell Hall and Country Park
A Grade I listed Elizabethan manor house furnished as a family home of the 1690s, complete with its own mysterious ghost. Oakwell Hall was visited by Charlotte Bronte in the 1830s and it was immortalised as ‘Fieldhead’ in her 1849 novel ‘Shirley’.
The hall is located in Birstall, sitting within 110 acres of Green Flag Award winning country park with period gardens, nature trails, mountain bike track, playground and picnic areas.
For further information visit the Oakwell Hall website.
Bagshaw Museum
Explore Batley and beyond at Bagshaw Museum. Go on a trip around the world and experience ‘The Kingdom of Osiris’, the atmospheric Egyptian tomb, visit the ‘Spirit of South Asia’, make music in the African Gallery or recreate a Victorian seaside day out.
The museum is set in the award-winning Wilton Park, Batley, with woodland and lakeside walks, children’s play area and café.
For further information visit the Bagshaw Museum website.
Eureka! The National Children’s Museum
Eureka! Is a fun-packed family day out for families with children aged 0 to 11 years. There are six unique zones to discover, each filled with hundreds of interactive exhibits designed to inspire enquiring minds to find out about themselves and the world around them.
The museum is located in Halifax and is easily accessible by car or public transport. It is next door to Halifax Railway Station and 5 minutes’ walk from Halifax Bus Station.
For further information visit the Eureka! Website.
Shibden Hall
The hall dates back to 1420 and offers a fascinating journey through the lives of the people who lived and worked there, including the noted diarist Anne Lister, who you may know as the main focus of the BBC drama series ‘Gentleman Jack’.
The hall is surrounded by the beautifully restored gardens and estate that forms Shibden Park and is based in Halifax. There are a range of features and attractions, including a café and visitor facilities, miniature railway, boating lake, walking trails, play area, orienteering course and woodland in which to roam.
For further information visit the Shibden Hall website.
National Coal Mining Museum
The museum is based in Overton, Wakefield, on the main road between Wakefield and Huddersfield. Here you can journey 140m underground and discover 180 years of mining history. Find out about the people and communities at the heart of the industry and uncover how miners lived at work and play. You can also explore acres of woodland, find how the excess water from the mine is cleaned and pumped back into a local river, then let of steam in their adventure playground.
For further information visit the National Coal Mining Museum website.
National Science and Media Museum
The National Science and Media Museum sits in the heart of Bradford. Here you can explore the science and culture of image and sound technologies and their impact on our lives. The galleries and exhibition spaces investigate and celebrate photography, film, television, animation, video games and sound technologies. There are also three cinema screens, including an IMAX theatre.
For further information visit the National Science and Media Museum website.
Music:
Huddersfield has a fantastic musical heritage and a thriving live music scene with everything from folk, blues, jazz and rock to steel bands, reggae, kirtan, brass bands, choirs and choral societies.
Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival (HCMF)
HCMF is the UK’s largest international festival of new and experimental music. HCMF is an annual festival which takes place over 10 days and consists of approximately 50 events including concerts, music theatre, dance, multi-media, talks and film. The HCMF is in partnership with the University of Huddersfield.
For further information visit the HCMF website.
Theatre:
Lawrence Batley Theatre
The theatre is located just a few minutes’ walk from the University. They present a wide-ranging year-round programme of in-house and visiting productions from drama and contemporary dance to circus and pantomimes.
For further information visit the Lawrence Batley Theatre website.
Huddersfield Town Hall
The town hall is located in the heart of the town centre. It is a spectacular concert hall which seats up to 1200 people and hosts numerous events from classical to comedy and from choral to community events.
For further information visit the Kirklees Town Hall website.
Cinema:
Currently Huddersfield has one cinema, however, a new development is underway called Kingsgate Leisure. This new development will include a £250m cinema and leisure complex including an 8-screen cinema, luxury bowling, games arcade, state of the art climbing centre and much more. The target opening date is September 2024.
Odeon
The Odeon Huddersfield offers 9 screens. It is located outside of the Huddersfield town centre and is next door to the John Smith’s Stadium.
For further information visit the Odeon website.
The John Smith’s Stadium is home to both the Huddersfield Giants Rugby League club and the Huddersfield Town Football Club. The Yorkshire Sport Foundation website directory may help you to locate other sports clubs or activities which may be of interest to you.
Rugby
Huddersfield is the home of Rugby League – the town invented the sport in 1895 in a dispute over payments to players.
Football
ActiveHUD
ActiveHud is the University’s Gym. They have partnered with Kirklees Active Leisure to provide a great value Gym, Class and Swim offer to students and staff at the University.
More information can be found on the ActiveHUD website.
Walking
Huddersfield has plenty of walking routes and public rights of way for everybody to enjoy the views and get fit. There are also plenty of activities that everyone can join in with including grouped walks and volunteering.
You can search for walking routes on the Kirklees Council website along with walking activities such as short group walks and Nordic walking.
There are also a number of walks provided by Yorkshire Water including accessible routes with flat tarmacked surfaces, gentle strolls around reservoirs and challenging hikes.