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Attractions in Leeds

Carmel Smickersgill, Tours & Activities Editor

There are lots of attractions in Leeds with the city cultivating a reputation thanks to its increasingly popular arts scene. There are numerous theatres, music venues and galleries which, as well as traditional offerings, aim to inspire and challenge audiences with their content. The interior in the city art gallery’s tiled hall is particularly striking and the West Yorkshire Playhouse is must for theatre lovers. If history is more your thing, be sure to check out the Royal Armouries’ collection of arms and armour which has been gathered across continents and generations. Just one of Leeds’ dynamic museums which provide a fun day out for families and curious individuals alike. Leeds is also home to several parks and green spaces that are a joy to explore all year round as many include a stately home. Once you scratch the surface of this northern destination there are plenty of places to see and explore.

Our top picks

The Tetley

The Tetley, Hunslet Road, Leeds, Yorkshire, LS10 1JQ - Visit now

Housed in the 1931 art deco headquarters of the Joshua Tetley & Son brewery, The Tetley opened in 2013 and has sat at the very epicentre of the Leeds art scene ever since.

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Leeds Playhouse

Leeds Playhouse, Playhouse Square, Quarry Hill, Leeds, Yorkshire, LS2 7UP - Visit now

West Yorkshire Playhouse offers two performance spaces and hosts a wide range of high-quality productions.

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The Henry Moore Institute in Leeds

The Henry Moore Institute in Leeds, 74 The Headrow, Leeds, LS1 3AH - Visit now

Founded by Henry Moore himself, who claimed “there wasn’t a single piece of sculpture in my home town” (Castleton) while “Leeds Art Gallery had nothing of any value”, today the institute boasts one of the strongest public collections of sculpture in Britain, and leads an ambitious programme of exhibitions and research designed to ‘make a significant impact on the future of art history’.

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Henry Moore Institute
Henry Moore Institute

Belgrave Music Hall

Belgrave Music Hall, 1-1A Cross Belgrave Street, Leeds, LS2 8JP - Visit now

This music hall and canteen recently opened in the former site of Leeds Children’s Palace – a three-storey recreation hall and nursery school. As well as multiple bars, kitchens and a roof terrace, its 300-capacity event space plays hosts to the likes of Dinosaur Jr, Broken Social Scene and A Certain Ratio – plus plenty of rising stars.

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Belgrave music hall Leeds
Belgrave music hall Leeds

Kirkstall Abbey

Kirkstall Abbey, Abbey Road, Leeds, LS5 3EH - Visit now

Founded in 1152, Kirkstall Abbey on the bank of the River Aire is one of the most complete examples of a medieval Cistercian monastery in Britain. Its dramatic ruins have inspired artists such as JMW Turner over the centuries, and provided the perfect setting for Yorkshire’s Gothic Film Festival in 2013

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Kirkstall Abbey in Leeds
Kirkstall Abbey in Leeds

Where to go in Leeds

Gallery
Leeds
Gallery
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BLANK_is a Leeds-based gallery, run by the School of Creative Arts at University Centre Leeds. It encompasses a physical exhibition space and a publication that showcases new contemporary visual art…

Leeds
Event venue
Leeds Print Workshop

The workshop is a co-operative, membership-based printmaking studio, open to all those with an interest in print.

Test event
Leeds
Gallery
Aire Place Studios

Aire Place Studios is a creative studio in Leeds which prides itself on an upholding of equality, solidarity and safe-space values.

Leeds
Gallery
Basement Arts Project

Come and visit Leeds’ most unique gallery space. Taking the notion of ‘underground’ artists literally, the Basement Arts Project is situated in the basement of a terraced property in Beeston.

Leeds
Gallery
SCREW Gallery

SCREW Gallery is a not-for-profit, artist-led exhibition space that showcases bold and revitalising art by local and international artists.

The Gallery at 164, Leeds
Leeds
Gallery
The Gallery
at 164

The Gallery at 164 is an independent gallery in Leeds City Centre, exhibiting an eclectic mix of styles and media from both established and emerging talents.

Sunny Bank Mills Gallery
Leeds
Gallery
Sunny Bank Mills Gallery

Sunny Bank Mills Gallery is a light and airy art gallery inside a former cloth warehouse, in the heart of Farsley village.

Leeds
Gallery
Bowery

A welcoming space to create and be inspired, the Bowery provides a home for West Yorkshire’s artistic community.

Henry Moore Institute
Leeds
Gallery
The Henry Moore Institute in Leeds

The Henry Moore Institute boasts one of Britain’s strongest public collections of sculpture, and ‘makes a significant impact on the future of art history’.

OPEN/CLOSED — lewdjaw, courtesy of Serf, art galleries in Leeds
Leeds
Gallery
Serf in Leeds

Underpinned by an open, inclusive and communal ethos, Serf facilitates a brilliantly eclectic, ‘non-curated’ programme of exhibitions.

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Cinemas in Leeds Everyman Leeds
Cinemas in Leeds

From the latest art-house gems to the biggest blockbuster on the biggest screens, there’s a cinema to suit all needs in Leeds.

Kirkstall Abbey in Leeds
Museums in Leeds

Discover the treasures waiting to be discovered as you work your way through our hand-picked selection of museums in Leeds.

Music Venues in Leeds

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Walks in Leeds
Walks in Leeds

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Theatres in Leeds
Theatres in Leeds

From family-friendly fun to unique productions, there's something for everyone in Leeds. Check out our guide to the best theatres in Leeds.

Ego Death
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Culture Guides

Theatre in Manchester and the North
Theatre in the North

Dynamic dance, party-performance, high-energy stand-up and a site-specific show set in a pub. All this and more in our newest theatre guide.

image shows pinned butterflies and pretty paper with frames
Tours and Activities in the North

Boozy tours, art workshops and a 'hobby house' that champions all things DIY, get the creative cogs whirring with our latest batch of tours and activities.

A large sphere floats in a dark room with an ornate wall pattern, flanked by two arched windows and a checkered floor.
Exhibitions in the North

From precarious ceramics to photography festivals, spring is here and brings with it a breath of fresh air in visual art and exhibitions.

Okechukwu Nzelu
Literature Events in the North

If it's inspiring, inclusive events and avant-garde, experimental afternoons you're after, look no further than live literature this spring – we've got you covered.

the artist
Music in the North

The outsiders, the oddities and the outrageous – we’re keeping it weird with a hot new batch of underground gigs about to hit Manchester, Leeds, and Liverpool.

A woman sits in a car with hands holding the steering wheel.
Cinema in the North

Vintage Alfred Hitchcock and a family friendly film festival are amongst our highlights this May.