Cliffe Castle in Bradford

Free to enter but you can always make a donation at the door the museum has a multitude of exhibits from history of keighley and area to rocks and minerals to stuffed animals and more excellent stuff Has a cafe and greenhouse as well.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Cliffe Castle is like stepping into a Downton Abbey episode… if Downton Abbey had free entry, taxidermy galore, and swans with serious attitude problems. The house itself is stunning—grand rooms, intricate stained glass, and enough history to make you feel wildly underdressed in your hoodie. The museum? Amazing. Where else can you see ancient fossils, Victorian fashion, and a stuffed badger that looks like it’s plotting world domination? But let’s talk about the café. Lovely staff, great coffee, and cake that tastes like it was baked by Mary Berry herself. Only downside? The swans outside. Do not make eye contact with them. One of them sized me up like I owed it rent, and I’m 90% sure it tried to follow me home. The highlight, though, was the kids’ area, where grown adults (read: me) were elbowing toddlers out of the way to try the hands-on exhibits. Judge me all you like—those Victorian kitchen gadgets are fascinating. In summary: history, cake, and mild bird-based terror. A perfect day out.

Beautiful place to visit with friends and family. This is Keighley treasure.

Go most days to walk dogs ground are great and different types of walk depending on fitness or how lazy you feel

Always interesting for the geological information.

Lovely.park and interesting museum with a combination of art and natural history. The café has plenty of options and great views. Dog friendly too

Once inside, you'll be amazed at the beautiful, ornate decor, artwork, and stained glass. So much to see, you might need longer than you think! Also a lovely cafe with delicious homemade cakes. A very worthwhile day out, it exceeded our expectations.

Great look round today. Nice cafe

Great museum, some lovely exhibits. And FREE to enter though donations welcomed.

Great museum and well worth a nosey - free entry and a little gift shop was a bonus! They truly have everything here from the life of the original owners to all about space and working life in the olden days. Toilets too. Plus it not being too big makes it all the more worth while.

A nice place to chill out,I had 20 min walk round grounds, then quick warm up in museum, while puroosing canveses and displays, at side of park is small wood well worth a look, shame about the Peacocks...

A fantastic museum with a very diverse collection

Was closed on the Monday we went. But the gardens were impressive. Will go back when the Castle and cafe are open

Beautiful place for family and lover spot

Very friendly helpful staff lovely castle and amazing grounds

A beautiful park and pavilion. With a play area, paths and a display of birds and small animals. The cafe is comfortable and has a good selection.

Absolutely stunning place to visit. The rooms and exhibits will keep you entertained for a good few hours...and its all free ( but do make a donation)

A good place to hang out with kids.

So good that I'm planning a return visit very soon.

I have visited before but always had cold food. This time I tried the meat lasagna. It was overcooked and crunchy (burnt) almost inedible not to mention a very small portion on a very small plate. The salad it came with was better. Not impressed as it was the most expensive on the menu.

Totally unexpected and well worth a visit and unless you donate it's free. There is the house itself to see with some of the ground floor rooms decorated in the style of earlier owners. Quite spectacular. Then it's a museum which I found quite unique with its displays nicely done. There is parkland and gardens. The food outlet is well worth a visit, great food which is well priced. If you like this sort of thing then you'll have a great visit.

Surprisingly interesting place with a wide variety of exhibitions and collections. Lovely park too!

Great place to visit, amazing house and artifacts, you can spend all day there reading and looking at all the displays, lovely gardens to walk round, small aviary and great cafe,staff very friendly and helpful, would definitely recommend

Great museum. Plenty of food on offer in cafe.

Such a diverse & interesting collection of artefacts, some related to the house and family and some connecting with the history of the local area. The furnished rooms are opulent & beautiful. Friendly, helpful staff. The park is also very pleasant and it has a café. We spent a good 3 hours there but you could easily spend longer. Car park quite small but you can park in surrounding streets. It's free entry but well worth making a donation.

Excellent cafe. Great children's playground. An all round great place to spend a few hours. Not yo mention the rabbits & birds

A beautiful places to visit with amazing wildlife, lovely gardens & walks. We were really pleased to see the cafe stocks herbal teas without plastic & a separate vegan menu. Edit. Disappointed to later see rabbits & guinea pigs in a very confined area that desperately needed cleaning. They looked unhappy, not moving. Really they need a bigger space & some stimulation.

Great place, much bigger than it looks so allow half a day if you want to see everything and read the information!

Fantastic museum - plenty to see and it was free. There is a lovely cafe on site too. Will visit again

Love place to visit, no charge to enter but they do ask for donations

Beautiful, well maintained Glasshouses and gardens. Plus a first class museum and stately home.

A very nice and pleasant place. We went to the cafe and enjoyed a really nice coffee and scones under a covered outdoor area.

Cliff castle , Keighley it is very nice place It is totally free

Excellent, last time I went sadly they were bo bees, the bees have returned

Wow what an amazing free museum with such great views too. We popped in on wet windy Sunday to get out of the weather. What a treat. Beautiful architecture and features of the house. Interesting exhibits too and all for free.

Had a lovely time. Visited 3 times during the summer holidays from Accrington. Lots to do. Cafe, greenhouse. Lovely and beautiful gardens. Play area overlooking keighley.

A Cliffe Castle museum visit will be like no other museum visit you've ever experienced. Normally museums are very formal and maybe even a little oppressive, but Cliffe Castle museum is exactly the opposite! The exhibits are set out over several floors with the top level being a galleried level with exhibits all around the walls. The museum has very varied subjects set out in an almost random manner which means a surprise lies around almost every corner. The best entertainment I've ever had for free! Well worth a visit with a first class cafe in the conservatory area. Well worth a visit.

Pleasantly surprised by the amount of things to see and great made displays.

As an American citizen and a devoted fan of Texas Wranglers, I have had the unfortunate experience of visiting Cliffe Castle. Unfortunately, my visit left me thoroughly unimpressed and disappointed. Here's why Cliffe Castle is truly terrible: Lackluster Atmosphere: Upon entering Cliffe Castle, I was struck by the lack of energy and enthusiasm that permeated throughout the premises. The atmosphere felt flat and uninspired, completely failing to capture the vibrant spirit that I've come to associate with American entertainment venues like Texas Wranglers. Poor Customer Service: The customer service at Cliffe Castle left much to be desired. Staff members seemed disinterested in providing adequate assistance or addressing concerns, leaving me feeling neglected and unvalued as a patron. Limited Options: Compared to the vast array of options available at Texas Wranglers, Cliffe Castle's offerings felt limited and uninspiring. The menu lacked variety and creativity, and the selection of drinks was similarly disappointing. Outdated Infrastructure: Visually, Cliffe Castle appeared dated and worn out. The decor and furnishings seemed to have seen better days, and the overall aesthetic was lackluster compared to the modern, well-maintained facilities I've enjoyed at Texas Wranglers. Expensive Prices: Despite the subpar experience, the prices at Cliffe Castle were significantly higher than what I'm used to paying for similar experiences in America. As an American citizen, it felt like a significant waste of money. Unpleasant Surroundings: The general surroundings of Cliffe Castle left much to be desired. The location lacked the charm and character that I've come to expect from unique venues in Texas, instead feeling generic and unremarkable. Inefficient Operations: During my visit, I noticed several inefficiencies in the operations at Cliffe Castle. Lines were long, service was slow, and there seemed to be a general lack of organization and coordination among staff members. Limited Entertainment Options: While Texas Wranglers offers an incredible variety of performances and entertainment options, Cliffe Castle fell short in this regard. The limited selection of acts and activities available made for a dull and uneventful experience. In conclusion, my visit to Cliffe Castle was a letdown on multiple fronts. As an American citizen and a fan of Texas Wranglers, I hold high standards for entertainment venues, and unfortunately, Cliffe Castle failed to meet them in many ways. From its lackluster atmosphere and poor customer service to its outdated infrastructure and expensive prices, there are much better options available for those seeking a memorable experience.

Very good museum with a range of quirky exhibitions. Lovely gardens too!

Such a lovely but underrated museum, I assume Keighley team needs help for marketing this lovely museum.

Wonderful place for family day out Good ambiance and maintained area Rides for younger children and scenic walking track Toilets are not available and hard to find. cafe closes earlier so if staying late come prepared!

Very big place . You would need at least 1 to 2 hours to see everything . Lovely cafe , very friendly staff

Really nice day out, I recommend it

Keighley's jewel 💖. Absolutely love Cliffe Castle and everything it has to offer. Most especially the cafe which is set out beautifully overlooking the gardens. Excellent food and lovely staff. There most weekends as I love it so much.

What a breath of fresh air. An aviary, tropical greenhouse ponds and lovely walks for the dogs. The castle was extremely interesting

Beautiful park and gardens, great location for the Eco Festival and excellent band stand for events.

Another underrated gem of a museum with fascinating exhibits and stories.

This place is fantastic so much to see and do the staff are lovely everything is free but they ask for a donation

Closed Monday but the gardens were open lots of space.

Visited sunday 28th July. Weather was very nice and it was the first time visiting. Lovely place and grounds were well kept. Bit of a struggle if you can't walk very well because it's on a hill which gets quiet steep. Good park for the kids to go on. Inside the castle itself was very interesting because it showed you what it was like back in the days how they lived ( rich lived). Also they had a lot of other stuff for kids etc to look and learn from like animals ( stuffed) rocks ( minerals) etc and they also had classes for people to learn things which was very good. Overall well worth a visit.

Very interesting place for Children and adults.

Really good here and also very dog friendly went here as a child and now as an adult great food and just managed to park so you may need to come early

A beautiful garden and an interesting museum

Not a castle but a stately home or manor house. Well worth a visit as it has lots of exhibits not all related to the house. The rooms downstairs are spectacular especially the Russian fire place. (Apparently the only other place to see this fireplace is Moscow!). Entrance is free, but you can leave a donation if you wish; there is absolutely no pressure to donate.

Beautiful park with a lovely cafe and friendly staff. Plus toilets on site and a good size car park. Lots to see.

Great park, very well kept. The cafe is very nice too. Museum is fairly big, easily takes over an hour to walk round.

Lovely gardens to explore, happily spent 3 hours here mucking around in the gardens and lunch at the cafe. Free parking and free entry.

Free place to visit .amazing place . Highly recommend. Huge Museum, kids park, cafe, loos, car parking, birds, ponds and much more. Spent about 3.5 hours here.

Lovely well kept park with free to visit museum. Walk through greenhouse that leads to the cafe. On site aviary. Ponds, seating great for a relaxing afternoon.

Free admission. Donations are welcomed. Lots of green space with a playground and a cafe too.

What a find can't believe this is free to get into would have happily paid staff very friendly

Nothing there to see other than the birds. Would be nice if more investment is made.

McDonald's 1st then up to cliffe castle to eat had lovey day

Great place to take the family, no matter what the weather is doing.

So much fun you can see budgie and rabbit

Cliffe Castle is a beautiful park . I often visit with my dog. The volunteers who keep this park going do an amazing job.

The cafe is lovely inside and the staff are friendly. The outdoor seating is so nice on a warm day. The staff are happy for you to bring your dog in where they provide water for them. We had cake and it was very tasty. We will definitely be going back.

What a fabulous hidden gem. The museum you could spend hours or do multiple trips too. Such fabulous artifacts and such a wide range. No photography inside but you can purchase a guide book, highly recommended. Staff very friendly. Grounds lovely. Tea room had fantastic food well priced and great portions. Cakes lunch scones icecream great variety. Would definitely recommend and will return. Little aviary onsite too and small on site free car park.

Cliffe castle museum is set in beautiful grounds, the museum is an Aladdin’s cave of beautiful architecture, paintings and antiquities. There’s thousands of items to look at and feel, we spent hours there and most likely missed a lot. Make sure to check out the grounds and the animals that live there.

Beautiful building but inside is rammed with such a random collection of exhibits it hurts. WW2 items next to stuffed alligator is a norm. Stuffed animals were brilliant though

Cliffe Castle was originally the home of Victorian millionaire and textile manufacturer, Henry Isaac Butterfield. Completed in the 1880s the building was funded by the Butterfield family’s industrial empire which included wool textile mills and a shipping business that took British goods to Europe, America and China. The completed house was a showpiece of international art and French decoration. It was the scene of many glittering social events. Butterfield family connections included the Roosevelt’s of America and members of the court of Napoleon III. In the 1950s the Castle was bought by Sir Bracewell Smith, a local man who became Lord Mayor of London. Sir Bracewell used architect Sir Albert Richardson to turn Cliffe Castle’s gardens into a grand public park and remodelled the Castle to be a free museum for the people of the district. In recent years Cliffe Castle has undergone a major restoration. Visitors can see sparkling Victorian rooms and furniture, paintings, and decorative art. Special galleries deal with natural history, archaeology and social history, all of which can be seen on your visit along with the internationally important display of stained glass by Morris and Co. The Castle also hosts changing exhibitions from our collections and the community. Family areas ensure that there is something for all ages.

Full of interest and a large variety of things to see. Also a great place to take kids

Cliffe Castle itself is a nice museum, it's free with donations and has lots of different things to look at. We don't really read the boards as we have a young kid that wants to move to the next bit quickly. I'm not quite sure if or how everything connects, it's a bit random, for example you have some rooms with furniture from the house, then a little bit about how the land has changed over time and industries throughout time, but then there's dead animals, rocks and minerals, stained glass windows, and a mummy? The grounds are good, great for picnics and playing out. Fairly decent play area for children. Cafe is nice too, sensibly priced for where it is and the foods not too bad. Parking is a massive problem, car park is tiny and often full, all around is no parking on the roads until you're a bit of a distance away, you may have to do a bit of dodgy parking still though.

Museum is like a TARDIS, it keeps on surprising with amount on offer. Worth a visit . Free entry with donation box available.

Great museum. So much to see. The taxidermy is fantastic.

Beautiful park, and a nice play area for kids.

Great place to spend a family day.

My little ones loved it in here

Free entry. Quite special has a Chinese style hall in the mansion. Museum is bigger and more collection than expected. A good place to spend for a day.

Grand kids loved going round here and looking at all the different things and also loved the water features in the park

Had a fab day with the family. Our girls aged 7 and 13 had a ball!! Amazing park to explore, lovely water fountains. The museum is highly recommended. Only ask for donations. Seen the most amazing and unique things. Spent hours in there!!

Lovely park with a very good museum full of interesting things inside an old mansion house. Good cafe with inside and outside seating areas. Nice little lake and water fountains and picnic and kids play area.

Brilliant day out. Staff were very knowledgeable and amazing.

A lovely and interesting place to explore in a lovely park restored glass houses and cafe

Lovely gardens with a nice cafe and good park for young children. The museum was bigger than expected and was well displayed and interesting, overall a really good day out!

Nice park ,with a very good museum and cafe

Great place to visit. Free but a donation is asked for cafe and a park. Dodgy aviary though make your own mind.

Stunning little hidden gem of a museum, with pleasant grounds, pay as you feel donations, well worth a visit !!

Cliffe Castle was good, thanks. Had lunch in the outdoor seating area with our 2 wee dogs and it was a very nice meal and not too overly priced. Had a nice walk round the garden and grounds but sadly one boy scared one of our wee girls by coming behind her and clapping his hands. His mother thought that it was funny. I don't think she was originally local.

It was closed as we went on a Monday, so we couldn't visit the museum or cafe. However the gardens and aviary was open. The cherry trees were beautiful.

Excellent resource for both visitors and the local community, very welcoming staff, so much to do and see.

This is a wonderful place to visit. The museum is very interesting and the collection of 'stuffed' wildlife is truly amazing. The grounds are spacious with quite a few seats and the whole place (Museum and grounds)is very well maintained. The staff are nice too. The toilets are always immaculate (even though they get a regular through-put of whole classes of school children) particular mention to the amazing cactus collection, the budgies and the beautiful fountain

Adults and older teenagers spoil the play area for little kids.

Relaxing place with lovely gardens

Fun afternoon out, highly recommend, lots of interesting exhibitions

Lots of things for the kids to do and a nice walk around for adults. There are animals and birds at the top and a play ground. Lots of squirrels to be seen. A few nice hours out with my granddaughters. There's also a lovely tea shop for refreshments.

Wonderful free museum . Spent a pleasant couple of hours looking at the wide variety of displays. Staff very helpful. Nuce cafe. Small car park. Definitely worth a visit

Brilliant museum, park and cafe!

The view was amazing! The castle was well maintained. The samurai heritage exhibit was great. My daughter enjoyed the egyptian exhibit.