See

Museum of Making

formerly the Silk Mill, and Derby Industrial Museum

Celebrating the area’s rich history of innovation, telling Derby’s 300-year history of making to inspire new creativity on what is widely regarded as the site of the world’s first factory.

Address: Silk Mill Lane
Hours: Mon closed, Tue Wed Sat 10AM-5PM, Thu Fri 10AM-7PM, Sun 10AM-4PM
Price: Entry is free. Visitors do not need to pre-book for general admission, but are advised to pre-book tickets for special exhibitions
Website: derbymuseums.org (opens in a new tab)

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Listing from Wikivoyage: Derby, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Updated 28 Sept 2026. Something wrong? Tell us.

Close by

Do
Derby Riverboat
Enjoy a passenger boat trip along the UK's most bio-diverse urban river, with commentary recorded by Sir David Suchet.
Apr-Oct: Wed Sat Sun and Bank Holiday afternoons, 12:30PM, 1:45PM, 3PM
See
St Mary's Chapel
14th-century bridge chapel, one of the oldest surviving buildings in Derby and one of the few surviving bridge chapels in England. A picturesque little building next to the River Derwent, still hosting regular services but with limited opening times otherwise.
See
Derby Cathedral
Though not one of the most spectacular of English cathedrals (it was a "mere" parish church until 1927), the cathedral has an impressive 16th-century tower (which is occasionally open for some spectacular views across Derby); most of the rest is early Georgian, with an east-end extension in matching style completed in 1972. Highlights include a painted wrought-iron screen by the renowned local smith Robert Bakewell (1682–1751) and memorials to Bess of Hardwick, Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire and Florence Nightingale. Peregrine Falcons have nested on the tower for several years and volunteers are on hand with telescopes for viewing during spring and early summer (go to http://derbyperegrines.blogspot.co.uk/ for current dates).
Drink
Ye Olde Dolphin Inne
Derby's oldest pub, with lots of character. The pub has several small rooms and an outside, partially-covered seating area which houses the pub's beer festivals at various intervals throughout the year. Food at reasonable prices is served throughout the day and the evening and there is also an à la carte restaurant upstairs, although not open every night. There is always a good range of well-kept beers. General knowledge quiz on Sundays, music quiz on Tuesdays. Ghost walks can also be booked here.