Free things to do in Sheffield

21 places in Sheffield with free entry or no charge, based on guide listings and map data.

Ranked with the travel guide's picks and well-known places first.

See
Anglican Cathedral
The Cathedral Church of St Peter and St Paul
Sheffield's 13th-century cathedral. Not to be missed are the crypt - dedicated to the York and Lancaster Regiment of the British Army, the 1960s nave and the gargoyles on the intricate gatepost. Free guided tours are available on request and last around 45 minutes.
Mon 8AM–5PM; Tue–Fri 8AM–6:30PM; Sat 9:30AM–4PM; Sun 7:30AM–5PMFree
See
Arts Tower
Topped out in 1965, the University of Sheffield Arts Tower is a superb example of mid-century architecture. The main interest inside is a rare surviving paternoster lift; claimed to be the largest in the world, this is a continuously moving elevator which you can ride up 19 floors. You're not supposed to go over the top, or below ground level into the basement, but you do so 'by accident', there's no safety issue. The tower is grade-II* listed along with the adjacent Western Bank Library, which you can access across the mezzanine bridge, and which you may be able to visit with permission from the front desk. Please remember that these are busy university buildings; respect the students and staff.
Mon–Fri 9AM–6PMFree
See
Bishops' House
16th-century Grade-II* listed timber frame house, managed as a museum and events venue by friendly and knowledgeable volunteers. There are exhibitions on life during the Stuart era, and period-decorated rooms. The historical investigations are ongoing and in 2017, ring-dating of the house's timber framing dropped the bombshell that this was never the residence of bishops, as had long been thought.
Sat Sun 10AM–4PMFree
See
Catholic Cathedral
Cathedral Church of St Marie
Opened in 1850, this is the Mother Church of the local Catholic community. There are several interesting architectural elements inside, including stained-glass windows and a 19th-century Lewis organ.
Open daily 8:30AM–5PM. Closed to tourists during mass and officesFree
See
Central Library
A grand 1930s library in Art Deco style with an impressive volume of books.
Mon Tue Thu Fri 9:30AM–5:30PM, Wed 1PM–8PM, Sat 10AM–4PM, Sun closedFree. You must be a resident of Sheffield to borrow books, but anyone can read library books inside
See
Cholera Monument
A monument to and burial ground for 402 victims of the 1832 cholera outbreak in a lovely park and woodland setting and with commanding views over the city centre. Worth slogging up the hill for.
Open all dayFree
Drink
Corporation
A dirty rock club with dirty cheap vodka, just the way the locals like it. There's 'Skool Disco' every Wednesday night (free admission in school uniform) and metal/goth on Saturdays. Fridays is skate and metal downstairs and something of a mix of dance, indie and classics upstairs. Mondays are popular with the student crowd, playing music everyone seems to know.
See
Endcliffe Park
A great city park with lots of amenities and a good amount of space; there's woodland, playing fields, a children's playground, café and even a small river, the Porter Brook, running through. Also to be seen is a large statue of Queen Victoria, sculpted in 1887 to mark the monarch's golden jubilee, and a memorial stone for the United States Air Force B-17 Flying Fortress which crashed in the park on 22 February 1944 with the loss of all ten crew. Around the stone is planted a grove of American oaks in remembrance. The Porter Brook can be followed out of the park, through more attractive woodland and past the Shepherd's Wheel to the edge of the Peak District in less than hour's walking.
Free
See
General Cemetery
An historically important Victorian cemetery, which is the final "home" for 87,000 people, including influential Sheffielders such as steel manufacturer Mark Firth and Chartist Samuel Holberry. The 19th century class system is evident in the range of memorials, with great mausoleums, modest stones and unmarked paupers' graves (some with 40 or more burials in one plot) jostling for space. When you pass through the imposing arched gateway from Cemetery Avenue, you very much know you're entering a necropolis. The neo-gothic Anglican chapel and contrastingly neo-classical nonconformist chapel are hauntingly derelict. All in all, this is a beautiful and fascinating spot, where visitors can enjoy some atmospheric wildness near the centre of town.
Open all dayFree
See
Graves Gallery
Sheffield's municipal art collection, with a good chronological selection from the 16th century to the contemporary era. The British, Flemish and French impressionist sections are particularly impressive. Includes works by Paul Cézanne, Paul Gauguin, Damien Hirst, L.S. Lowry, Grayson Perry, both Pissarros, Stanley Spencer, JMW Turner and Jan van Goyen. Often has notable travelling exhibitions. The gallery is not especially big, allowing you to see and appreciate everything within two hours. Keep your coat, as some galleries are kept uncomfortably chilly to the extent that blankets are left out for customers to borrow.
Tue Thu–Sat 11AM–4PM; Wed 1PM–6PM; closed SunFree
Do
Heeley City Farm
Inner city farm and environmental visitor centre with a range of rare breed farm animals, poultry, little critters, gardens and vegetable plots. Go to meet and feed the animals, stay for a bite at the café. The farm is run by volunteers from the community and aims to promote understanding of food production and conserve endangered breeds.
Daily 9AM–5PMFree
See
Hillsborough Disaster Memorial
On 15 April 1989, at the FA Cup semi-final, 97 Liverpool FC fans lost their lives (94 on the day, three later) in a terrible crush in this Sheffield stadium. The memorial at Hillsborough is understandably more low-key than the one at Anfield, but if you want to pay your respects, you can follow the example of others by leaving flowers, messages of condolence, or the shirt or scarf of the team you support.
On public land, so always accessibleFree
Buy
King Street Market
Monday sees an antiques and bric-a-brac market, while Wednesday is second-hand clothes day. The rest of the week is a more general street market.
Daily 8:30AM–4:30PMFree
See
Millennium Gallery
A gallery dedicated to arts, craft and design, with two permanent galleries, and one temporary exhibition space. The Metalwork Gallery includes an extensive collection of Sheffield-made cutlery and extravagant metalwork. The Ruskin Gallery was established by John Ruskin in the 19th century, and is a hotchpotch of different artefacts.
Mon–Sat 8AM–5PM (exhibitions from 10AM), Sun, bank holidays 11AM–4PMFree
See
S1 Artspace
An artist-led organisation providing studio space for over 20 Sheffield-based artists. It presents an annual programme of contemporary exhibitions, screenings and events. Temporarily closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Open during exhibitionsFree
See
SIA Gallery
Sheffield Institute of Arts
Showcases art from Sheffield Hallam University and the wider community, as well as visiting artists, with a focus on graphic design and contemporary fine art. Always challenging, often thought-provoking and moving. A visit to the gallery is complemented by exploring the itself, which is in the beautifully repurposed central post office building 10 minutes' walk north on Fitzalan Square. It has a café and its own small exhibition space.
Daily 10AM–5PM. Open until 8PM on WedFree
See
Shepherd Wheel Workshop
A grade-II listed small cutlery workshop powered only by the rushing waters of Porter Brook. A water-powered cottage cutlery industry flourished in the area between the 1500s and 1930s. See the waterwheel and other machinery in action. Museum partially accessible to disabled visitors.
Sat Sun bank holiday Mon 10AM–4PM (summer), 11AM–3PM (winter)Free
See
Turner Museum of Glass
Founded in 1943 by Prof. W.E.S. Turner, this is a significant collection of 19th- and 20th-century glass. It has pieces by all the major European and American glassmakers. There is even a glass wedding dress, worn by Turner's wife! Wheelchair access is limited.
Mon–Fri 10AM–4PMFree
See
Victoria Quays
Sheffield Canal Basin
An attractive basin at the end of the Sheffield and Tinsley Canal, with colourful narrowboats and old warehouses that have been converted into offices and apartments. There are also a couple of places for drinks and snacks, with outdoor seating. The Quays is the starting point for boat trips in summer.
Free
See
Weston Park Museum
A pleasant and modern museum, particularly suitable for children, in a fittingly grand old building. Galleries on Sheffield's natural and social history as well as the Arctic, art and treasures. The temporary gallery often hosts touring exhibitions from the Victoria and Albert Museum.
Mon-Fri 4PM, Sat & Bank Holidays 10AM-5PM, Sun 11AM-4PMFree
See
Winter Garden
The largest urban glasshouse in Europe, built spectacularly in glass and timber, and home to exotic ferns, trees, cacti and other plants from around the world. Temperatures are kept relatively cool in summer and warm in winter. Lots of benches and a coffee bar inside makes it a pleasant place to sit and read or watch the world go by, particularly if the weather outside is not so nice. In fact, there are few more satisfying experiences to be had anywhere than listening to rain or hail lash the glass while you're warm and dry! There is a visitor information stall in the gardens, space for a pop-up shop and a tourist information centre on nearby Norfolk Row.
Mon–Sat 8AM–8PM, Sun 8AM–6PMFree

Listings from the Wikivoyage guide to Sheffield (CC BY-SA 4.0).