16 Top Tourist Attractions in Sheffield, England

A former resident of the UK and now a frequent visitor, author Byan Dearsley spent eight weeks touring England while on assignment for Planetware.

England's fourth-largest city, Sheffield lies approximately 35 miles south of Leeds on the Don and Rivelin rivers at the foot of the Derbyshire Hills. An industrial city, Sheffield is one of the best places to visit if you're planning on exploring the Peak District, which is known for its bucolic vistas, manor homes, mining towns, and mineral springs.

Sheffield also has many well-tended parks and a beautiful greenbelt area for those who enjoy a little outdoor fun. Also popular, particularly among gardeners, is the 19-acre Sheffield Botanical Gardens.

When you're through enjoying the city's many green spaces, it's well worth visiting the center of this university city. Here, academic institutions have long worked closely with local industry, the most recent example being the Technology Park near the technical college.

Sheffield is also famous for its knives, all types of cutting tools, guns, and high-grade steel production, a fact Chaucer refers to back in 1478 in his Canterbury Tales, when he describes a "Sheffield thwitel," the ancestor of the modern pocket knife. Once made in home workshops, Sheffield's fine cutlery is still exported around the world.

To learn more about these and other great things to do in Sheffield, be sure to read our list of the top attractions in this northern city.

Sheffield Botanical Gardens

A Grade-II listed site, the beautiful 19-acre Sheffield Botanical Gardens were established in 1836 and showcase more than 5,000 species of plants. One of the top things to do in Yorkshire, this is a lovely spot for a stroll, especially in the spring and summer, when many of the plants are in full bloom.

Highlights include the glasshouses, also Grade II-listed, with temperate plants from Australia, Asia, and South Africa; the Victorian Garden; and the Four Seasons Garden, which is colorful at any time of year.

The gardens are a great spot to take the kids. They'll enjoy seeing the many friendly squirrels, and many music, art, and theatrical events are staged on the grounds that are guaranteed to entertain young and old alike. After exploring all the botanical beauties, you can relax at the on-site café. Best of all, admission is free.

Address: Clarkehouse Road, Sheffield, South Yorkshire

Sheffield Winter Garden

Sheffield Winter Garden is another popular attraction for those who enjoy flowers and gardening. Located close to the city center and just a short walk from Sheffield City Hall, this large greenhouse was constructed in 2003 and is one of the largest such glasshouses to be built anywhere in the world this century.

One of the UK's largest temperate glasshouses, this attractive wood-beamed structure is home to more than 2,500 plants from numerous species from across the globe. Bedding plants are rotated regularly, ensuring whatever time of year you visit there's always a great excuse to linger a while and soak up the lush surroundings.

A number of small shops are located on the premises, along with a great little cafe. There's no admission charged to enter the glasshouse, cementing its popularity as one of the top free things to do in Sheffield.

The nearby Peace Gardens are also worth a visit. Here, the water features take center stage amid patches of perfectly manicured lawns, and plenty of cafés.

Address: 90 Surrey St, Sheffield City Centre, Sheffield, South Yorkshire

Graves Park

About three miles south of Sheffield city center, Graves Park is the city's largest public green space and offers a fun lineup of things to do for the entire family. Children love the Graves Park Animal Farm, where they can see several rare breeds of farm animals and get up close to goats, llamas, and donkeys.

Two playgrounds are also located in the park for kids who want to burn off steam. There's also a fun little train that skirts the ponds during weekends and school holidays.

Other popular activities include exploring the nature trails, casting a fishing line in the pond, and participating in sports such as cricket, tennis, and football. After all your active adventures, you can enjoy a snack at the café.

Address: Hemsworth Road, Sheffield, South Yorkshire

Tropical Butterfly House Wildlife & Falconry Centre

The Tropical Butterfly House Wildlife and Falconry Centre is more than just flying insects. This popular family attraction in Sheffield is also home to an array of beasties including meerkats, lemurs, farm animals, otters, owls, reptiles, free-flying birds of prey, and brightly colored parrots.

Animal lovers can experience close-up encounters with some of the more charismatic animals. You can pat a lemur, meet the meerkats, learn all about otters on a keeper's talk, feed the farm animals, and spend hours photographing the butterflies up close.

If you're hungry after meeting all the animals, the café here serves lunch, snacks, and afternoon tea with homemade cakes.

Address: Woodsetts Road, North Anston, Sheffield, South Yorkshire

Kelham Island Museum

Kelham Island Museum, part of the Sheffield Industrial Museums Trust, focuses on exhibits related to Sheffield's industrial past, in particular steel and silverware from the past 300 years.

Craftspeople can be seen at work in the Little Mesters workshop, while the museum's huge River Don steam engine is fascinating to watch. Built in 1905 and used at one of the local steel mills, it is regularly put through its paces.

The museum also boasts an impressive collection of tools, along with historic vehicles. The area around the museum has also undergone a fair amount of redevelopment since its industrial heyday and is now popular for its dining and shopping.

Address: Alma Street, Sheffield, South Yorkshire

Sheffield Cathedral

Dedicated to St. Peter and St. Paul, Sheffield Cathedral stands on the site of a parish church founded in 1100. The new church, built in late-Gothic Perpendicular style, replaced it in the mid-15th century; only the choir and the tower remain, and the nave was built in the late 18th century.

When Sheffield became the see of a bishop in 1914, plans were afoot to make the present nave the transept of a new and much larger church. However, this project became a casualty of the two world wars, leaving the church with its unusual ground plan.

Inside the cathedral, note the font, donated in 1884 by Freemasons, and the marble tomb of the Earl of Shrewsbury (d. 1538), which shows him between his two wives. The unusual black oak portable sedilla, the seat used by the bishops, in St. Catherine's Chapel dates from the 15th century.

The main decoration provided by the colorful stained-glass windows in the Chapterhouse depict the city's history and were added in the 1960s.

The most interesting of these, the Chaucer Window, shows the miller of Trumpington, from the Reeve's Tale, with his Sheffield knife. In addition to its popular coffee shop, the cathedral also hosts regular educational programs and guided tours.

Address: Church Street, Sheffield, South Yorkshire

Weston Park Museum

Sheffield's largest museum, Weston Park Museum was founded in 1875 to house the Mappin Art Gallery, an impressive collection of artworks given to the city by a local businessman who profited from the steel industry. The facility's mandate grew over the years and today, it houses Sheffield's natural history, archaeology, social history, and decorative art collections.

Highlights include reproductions of Bronze Age art and armor, some 250 paintings from area artists, along with numerous visiting exhibits from larger museums. Weston Park itself, comprising the grounds of the former estate, is also a fun place to visit. A popular café is located on the premises.

Location: Western Bank, Sheffield, South Yorkshire

National Emergency Services Museum

The National Emergency Services Museum, billed as the largest such museum in the world, is a must-visit when in Sheffield. Highlights of the museum's vast collection are more than 50 vintage vehicles, among them numerous fire engines, police cars, and ambulances, along with uniforms and equipment.

For a truly special treat, these historic vehicles can be rented for a city tour or for private functions, and regular kids' fire engine rides are included with admission. Also worth checking out are the old prison cells and the police horse stables.

Location: Police/Fire Station, West Bar, Sheffield, South Yorkshire

Abbeydale Industrial Hamlet

Just three miles southwest of Sheffield's city center, Abbeydale Industrial Hamlet is a fascinating 18th-century Victorian village, where visitors can learn about the traditional production of steel scythes. This interesting tourist attraction features warehouses, workers' cottages, water wheels, tilt hammers, a grinding hull, and workshops, as well as the UK's last intact crucible steel furnace.

A newer addition is the attraction's Learning Centre, used to host educational programs and where you'll find a first-rate café. In a similar vein, the historic Shepherd Wheel on the city's Porter Brook allows visitors a chance to get an up-close look at one of the country's last surviving water-powered grinding workshops.

Address: Abbeydale Road South, Sheffield, South Yorkshire

Graves Art Gallery

Opened in 1934 above Sheffield's Central Library, Graves Art Gallery contains an excellent collection of old masters and English art from the 18th century to the present day. There's also a sizable collection of works by major artists of the 19th and 20th centuries such as Cézanne, Corot, Picasso, and Braque.

Other notable artworks include a collection of fine portraits, as well as contemporary paintings and sculptures. Check the gallery's website for news of upcoming exhibits. Admission is free.

Address: Leader House, Surrey Street, Sheffield, South Yorkshire

The Millennium Gallery

Art lovers will also want to visit the nearby Millennium Gallery. This bright, modern attraction features metalwork, contemporary art, and design exhibitions, as well as the city's unique Ruskin collections. It also hosts touring exhibitions from partners, including the Victoria and Albert, the Tate, and the National Portrait Gallery. A shop and café are located on-site.

Also close by are the Lyceum Theatre and the Crucible Theatre, which reopened in 1990 after extensive restoration. The fascinating Site Gallery, home to an eclectic mix of moving images, new media, and performance art, is also worth visiting.

Address: 48 Arundel Gate, Sheffield City Centre, Sheffield, South Yorkshire

Sheffield Town Hall

The colorful pedestrian precincts of Orchard Square and Fargate, with their numerous shops, restaurants, and cafés, lead south to Surrey Street, the site of Sheffield's Victorian town hall.

This impressive Neo-Renaissance building was erected in 1897 and enlarged in 1910 and 1923 and is notable for its 193-foot-high tower topped by a figure of Vulcan, the blacksmith god. Look closely, and you'll see he's holding aloft the arrows he just forged, symbols of Sheffield's predominant steel industry.

East of the Town Hall is Tudor Square, home to several museums, theaters, and Sheffield City Hall. Castle Market and Castle Square, to the north of Tudor Square, are modern, partly underground shopping centers.

Address: Pinstone Street, Sheffield, South Yorkshire

Bishop's House

Construction of the small timber-framed Bishop's House, the best surviving such structure in Sheffield, began in the 15th century, with further sections added during the 16th and 17th centuries. Its building history is explained in two rooms, and other exhibits concern Sheffield's history during the Tudor and Stuart periods. Bishops' House also hosts art and cultural events and is a popular venue for folk music concerts, family gatherings, and weddings.

Another interesting historical building worthy of a visit is Sheffield Manor Lodge, a well-preserved Tudor manor house that boasts a working farm and wildflower meadows.

Address: Meersbrook Park, Norton Lees Lane, Sheffield, South Yorkshire

Elsecar Heritage Centre

Located about 10 miles from Sheffield, the attractive village of Elsecar makes for a fun excursion. Your first stop should be the Elsecar Heritage Centre, an attraction dedicated to the preservation and sharing of the region's rich history.

In addition to its displays of antiques and artifacts, displays and exhibits showcase rural life down the centuries as well as the impact and importance of the heavy industries that came to dominate Sheffield's economy. This fascinating museum is located within the former ironworks and colliery workshops, and also features work by local craft artisans.

Also of interest to transport enthusiasts is the South Yorkshire Transport Museum in Rotherham. An easy 25-minute drive east of downtown Sheffield, highlights of its collection of 50 vehicles include buses, a tram, a locomotive, and tractors.

Address: Elsecar Heritage Centre, Wath Road, Elsecar, Barnsley

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Beauchief Abbey and Ancient Woodlands

Beauchief Abbey, which combines the remains of an abbey founded in the mid-12th century and a chapel built in 1660, is well worth a visit. Guided tours can be arranged with advance notice, and the abbey still hosts regular worship services; be sure to check ahead for schedules.

A highlight of a visit is the chance to explore the magnificent ancient woodlands nearby. This includes Parkbank Wood, Old Park Wood, and Ladies Spring Wood, the latter of which is popular among bird-watchers for its many rare species of woodpecker. These old forests are wonderful to explore, thanks to the many well-marked public footpaths that crisscross the area.

Address: Beauchief Abbey Lane, Beauchief, Sheffield, South Yorkshire

Worksop

The coal mining town of Worksop, 17 miles southeast of Sheffield, offers several interesting things to do. Most popular for visitors are Worksop Priory and the Circle Arts Centre, which features live music and arts performances. Clumber Park is also worth visiting and boasts one of the longest glasshouses in England, along with expansive parkland, woods, open heath, and farmland.

The area was once home to the Dukes of Newcastle, but all that remains of the estate are the Gothic Revival Chapel and the Victorian walled garden with the glasshouse. Also worth seeing is Mister Straw's House, an Edwardian house with displays of Victorian furniture, family mementos, and a garden.

Location: The Estate Office, Clumber Park, Worksop