Prison & Police Museum Ripon North Yorkshire

Discover the history of crime and punishment in this Victorian prison with whitewashed cells and barred windows. On the ground floor is a history of policing in Yorkshire from the Anglo-Saxons to the formation of professional policing.

Upstairs, crime and punishment is the theme – with many hands-on activities to help imagine the horror of the Victorian prison regime.

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 and Citizenship. Full details are available on our website, with a sample listed below. These include:

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

Crime & Punishment Day

Vist the Prison & Police Museum and Courthouse Museum

• Students take part in Arrest of the Sinkler Brothers trial at the Courthouse
• Sinkler Brothers role-play and object handling
• Early policing, poaching and transportation
• Doin’ Time – tour of the cells
• Lunch at the Workhouse

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

No. Costumes can be provided by the museum for certain activities.

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

• Museum shop
• Accessible lift
• Toilets
• Accessible toilets

The Prison & Police Museum is wheelchair accessible. There is an accessible lift on site and accessible toilets.

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

“All the staff and students agreed that it was a really great experience…We found the whole day to be much more exciting and interactive than we imagined.”

St Helen’s 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 opposite the museum.

Address: St. Marygate, Ripon HG4 1LX