Courthouse Museum Ripon North Yorkshire

Our elegant Georgian Courthouse remains virtually unchanged since it was built in 1830. Following closure of the Magistrates Court in 1998, it was opened as a museum a year later. The permanent display offers an illustrated history of the use of the Courthouse, suitable for all ages.

Discover what happened in a courtroom in the 1800s at the Courthouse Museum and learn about the Liberty of Ripon. Experience standing in the dock and waiting for your sentence.

The attraction is managed by Ripon Museum Trust, who also run the nearby Prison & Police Museum and Courthouse Museum. Together, the three museums tell the story of poverty, crime and punishment in Yorkshire.

Come to Ripon Museums for a high-quality learning experience that stimulates people to ask perceptive questions, think critically, weigh evidence and develop judgement. We are lucky to have three museums in our group, all important Victorian institutions in their original buildings – a Workhouse, a Prison & Police Station and a Courthouse. Our workshops make the most of this atmospheric environment with dramatic role-play and hands-on activities.

Our learning programme can accommodate groups from Key Stage 1 through to university level, exploring themes of poverty, crime and punishment linked to a range of curriculum subjects, from History to English and Citizenship.

We are an Arts Award centre and a current recipient of the Sandford Award.

We offer workshops and activities for groups from Key Stage 1 through to University level. These are particularly aimed at students of English, History, Law and Citizenship. Full details are available on our website, with a sample listed below. These include:

Crime & Punishment Day

(Visit two museums: Courthouse and Prison & Police)

At the Courthouse Museum:

• Children take part in a trial at the Courthouse
• Lower KS2 trial is about a stolen loaf of bread
• Upper KS2 trial is about a stolen horse and cart
• Lunch at the Workhouse

At the Prison & Police Museum:

• Sinkler Brothers role-play
• Early policing, poaching and transportation
• Doin’ Time tour of the cells.

Rich & Poor Day

Vist three museums – Workhouse, Prison & Police and Courthouse

• Students take part in a trial at the Courthouse
• Prison & Police Museum: Sinkler Brothers role-play
• Early policing, poaching and transportation: Doing’ Time – Punishment Tour
• Lunch at the Workhouse
• Stern introduction from Matron
• Guardians’ role-play
• Hands-on Laundry/Chores session

Poverty, Public Health and the State – Workhouse and Courthouse Museum

• Stern introduction from Matron
• Guardians’ Role-play
• Workhouse tour
• Lunch at the Workhouse – indoor space provided

then either

• Enquiry-led study based on Charles Husband, Workhouse Medical Officer (Workhouse) OR
• Students take part in historic trial (Courthouse)

19th Century Social Justice

Courthouse Museum

• Students take part in Tools of the Trade trial

Prison & Police Museum

• Sinkler Brothers role-play
• Early policing, poaching and transportation
• Tour of the Cells

Workhouse Museum

• Lunch at the Workhouse
• Introduction by Matron
• Guardians’ Role-play
• Workhouse tour with hands-on laundry/chores

The Courthouse Museum can cater for one class of up to 30 children, although groups can also attend the two other museums managed by Ripon Museum Trust (Prison & Police Museum, Workhouse Museum). Across all three museums we can accommodate a group of 90 students.

Our Learning Team can also offer digital resources including downloadable worksheets, videos and interactive online workshops. Please enquire about this when booking.

Groups can take photographs or film during their visit, as long as they do not photograph other visitors to the museum.

We provide risk assessments and information for visiting teachers, including a COVID-19 risk assessment.

Learning and Outreach Manager: Katy O’Malley

E: learning@riponmuseums.co.uk

M: 01765 690799

Visits cost £10 per pupil, staff and helpers go free. Space for lunch is provided at the Workhouse Museum.

Museum staff are first aid trained and first aid kits are available on site.

If arranging a trip to the Courthouse Museum, school groups will be given space for lunch at the Workhouse Museum, where there are toilets available.

The Workhouse Museum is open to the public Tuesday to Sunday, 11am – 4pm (10am – 4pm during school holidays).

The Prison and Police Museum and Courthouse Museum are open Tuesday to Sunday 1pm – 4pm. School visits can also be arranged on Mondays.

“We had a brilliant time and the children loved it!”

St Wilfrid’s Primary

“A great visit that really helped bring the subject to life!”

York College

“We thought the whole experience was amazing.”

Rossett Acre Primary

There is no coach parking on site, but the St Marygate public car park is five minutes’ walk from the museum.

Address: Courthouse Museum, Minster Road, Ripon HG4 1QS