Visiting Hull

Hull Maritime Museumhttps://www.hullmuseums.co.uk/wilberforce-house-museum
Located in the heart of the city centre, this museum explores Hull’s seafaring past: whaling, fishing, merchant trade, and the city’s relationship with the North Sea.
Highlights:
Whaling artefacts
Ship models
Maritime paintings
Hull’s role in Arctic exploration
(Currently undergoing major refurbishment as part of the Hull Maritime Project — reopening soon.)

Streetlife Museum of Transport https://www.hcandl.co.uk/museums-and-galleries/streetlife-museum
One of Hull’s most immersive museums, taking you through 200 years of transport history.
What you’ll see:
Vintage cars
Trams
Carriages
A recreated 1940s street
Old shops and period scenes
It’s atmospheric, hands‑on, and brilliant for families.

Hull & East Riding Museum https://www.hullmuseums.co.uk/hull-east-riding-museum
Right next door to Street life, this museum covers archaeology, Roman history, and the deep past of East Yorkshire.

Highlights:
The Hasholme Logboat (a huge Iron Age boat)
Roman mosaics
Viking artefacts
Prehistoric finds
It’s one of the best archaeology museums in the region.

Wilberforce House Museum https://www.hullmuseums.co.uk/wilberforce-house-museum
Dedicated to William Wilberforce, the Hull-born abolitionist who led the movement to end the slave trade.
What you’ll find:
Exhibits on slavery and abolition
Personal items belonging to Wilberforce
Powerful, modern displays on human rights
It’s moving, important, and beautifully curated.

Ferens Art Gallery https://www.hullmuseums.co.uk/ferens-art-gallery
Hull’s main art gallery — and one of the best in northern England.
Highlights:
European paintings
Modern art
Maritime works
Touring exhibitions
Family-friendly creative spaces
Ferens is central, free, and always worth a visit.

Hull’s Museums Quarter
Streetlife, Hull & East Riding Museum, Wilberforce House, and Hands-on History all sit together in the atmospheric High Street area — perfect for a half‑day cultural walk.

Hull Old Town
Hull’s Old Town is one of the city’s gems: cobbled streets, historic pubs, medieval lanes, and Georgian architecture.
Key spots:
High Street — museums, old warehouses, river views
Scale Lane Bridge — a modern swing bridge you can walk across
Ye Olde White Harte — famous for the “Plotting Parlour”
The Old House — Hull’s oldest domestic building
It’s atmospheric, photogenic, and full of character.

The High Street is perfect for slow wandering, photography and soaking up Hull’s maritime past.

Scale Lane Bridge — A Modern Icon You Can Walk Across
Scale Lane Bridge is one of Hull’s most unusual landmarks — a swing bridge that pedestrians can stay on while it moves. When it rotates to let boats pass, you can stand on the deck and glide across the river with it. It’s a rare experience, combining modern engineering with Hull’s long relationship with the River Hull. The bridge links the Museums Quarter to the Fruit Market, making it a scenic route between old and new Hull.

Ye Olde White Harte — Home of the Plotting Parlour
Ye Olde White Harte is one of Hull’s most historic pubs, tucked away on Silver Street. It’s a timber‑framed, 17th‑century building full of dark wood, low ceilings and centuries of stories — but one room stands above all the rest.
⭐ The Plotting Parlour
This small upstairs chamber is said to be where Sir John Hotham and his allies met in April 1642 to decide whether to deny King Charles I entry to Hull — a moment that helped spark the English Civil War.
Whether every detail is historically precise or not, the symbolism is powerful. Hull was a major arsenal, and refusing the King access was an act of open defiance. The Plotting Parlour is remembered as the room where that decision was made.
Inside, you’ll find:
Heavy oak panelling
A large fireplace
Old portraits and artefacts
A brooding, atmospheric feel that makes the past feel close
It’s one of the most characterful historic interiors in Hull — a must‑see for history lovers, photographers and anyone exploring the Old Town.

The Old House — Hull’s Oldest Domestic Building
Located on Scale Lane, The Old House (formerly known as Blaydes House) is Hull’s oldest surviving domestic building, dating back to the 14th century. It’s a rare example of medieval domestic architecture, with:
Timber framing
Uneven floors
Historic rooms that show how Hull’s merchants once lived
Today it’s used for events and heritage displays, but even from the outside it’s a fascinating glimpse into Hull’s medieval past.

Why Hull Old Town Is Special
Hull’s Old Town blends medieval streets, Georgian merchant wealth, Victorian industry, and modern architecture — all within a walkable area. It’s atmospheric, photogenic, and full of character, offering everything from Civil War intrigue to riverside views and world‑class museums.

Hull Marina & Fruit Market
Hull’s waterfront has transformed into a modern cultural district.
What to see:
Independent cafés
Restaurants
Street art
Humber Street Gallery – Contemporary art in the Fruit Market district — photography, installations, and modern culture. Great to combine with The Deep.
Marina views
Live music and markets
It’s one of the best places in Hull for food, drink, and relaxed wandering.

Hands On History Museum
Victorian life and Egyptian artefacts inside a former school building. Small but interesting. Limited opening hours.

Hull Minsterhttps://hullminster.org/
Hull Minster (formerly Holy Trinity Church) is one of the largest parish churches in England.
Why visit:
Stunning medieval architecture
Peaceful interior
Regular events and exhibitions
A beautiful setting in Trinity Square
It’s a centrepiece of Hull’s Old Town.

Queen’s Gardens & City Centre
A green oasis in the heart of Hull, surrounded by civic buildings and fountains.