Nottingham: Caves, Art and City History

Nottingham tells its story through museums, art venues and an extensive network of underground caves. There is also the historic Lace Market, parks and a varied cultural programme. As you plan your stay, you can explore the city according to the subjects that interest you most – from historic buildings to nature and science.

Caves, courts and the city’s history

The City of Caves is the largest publicly accessible section of Nottingham’s extensive cave network. Its historic sites include Second World War air-raid shelters and a medieval tannery. The preserved caves at Brewhouse Yard also take you through different eras: their history stretches from medieval maltings and tanneries to Second World War air-raid shelters. At the Museum of Nottingham Life at Brewhouse Yard, you can explore the homes of four families connected with Nottingham’s textile history. Brewhouse Yard also includes 17th-century cottages.

Another part of the city’s history awaits at the National Justice Museum. It is housed in Nottingham’s former Shire Hall and County Gaol, where criminal and civil courts once sat. The Lace Market, meanwhile, was an industrial centre where intricate lace was made for a worldwide market. These varied places reveal different aspects of the city’s history without limiting it to a single era.

Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem also has a special historical connection to the underground: beneath the pub are cave cellars used for storing ale for centuries, as well as a former cockfighting arena.

Art, museums and stages

Nottingham Castle Museum & Art Gallery presents 1,000 years of history. The museum and galleries explore fine art, lace, Robin Hood and the history of Nottingham Castle. There is a practical restriction on tours of Mortimer’s Hole and King David’s Dungeon: they are offered only when the caves are available on the day of your visit.

At Nottingham Contemporary, exhibitions meet architecture. Admission to the exhibitions is free. Expert staff offer building tours covering both Nottingham’s history and the history of the gallery, with behind-the-scenes insights. Availability and booking arrangements may change. Nottingham Contemporary is a three-minute walk from the Lace Market tram stop; check routes and walking times before your trip.

Nottingham Playhouse produces plays throughout the year, with a programme that includes classics, family productions and new commissions. Anish Kapoor’s Sky Mirror stands in front of the theatre. The sculpture is six metres in diameter, weighs more than ten tonnes and was installed in 2001. For a different perspective on the city’s literary heritage, you can explore the Nottingham City of Literature Map step by step; availability and the locations shown may change.

Science and Nottingham’s green spaces

Green’s Windmill & Science Centre combines a museum and science learning centre with a restored, working 19th-century tower windmill. At the Science Centre, you can experiment with light, electricity and magnetism and learn more about George Green. Admission to the museum, shop and community garden is free; check this policy before you arrive.

Wollaton Hall is a Grade I listed Elizabethan mansion set amid 500 acres of natural parkland. The Natural History Museum at Wollaton Hall displays zoological, geological and botanical collections totalling around three-quarters of a million specimens. Its mineral gallery contains 5,000 rock and mineral specimens, as well as huge ammonites. The house also displays prehistoric creatures, including a large skeleton, and remarkable fossil finds.

If you enjoy spending time outdoors, Nottingham Arboretum offers a different focus: it is the city’s oldest public park and is home to more than 800 trees. You can go orienteering there with a prepared map and checkpoints. Martin’s Pond is a Local Nature Reserve and a refuge for wildlife; sightings may vary by season. Walks listed by the city council include the Wollaton Park and Martins Pond Walk.

City walks and activities

The Nottingham Trail is a roughly one- to two-hour circular walk taking in city-centre attractions, including castles, caves, pubs, prisons and masterpieces. Much of the city centre is pedestrianised and compact. Nottingham Express Transit connects shopping, leisure and visitor destinations in Nottingham and the surrounding area. There are five stops in the city centre, including Nottingham Station; check network information and timetables before travelling.

The cultural and leisure options also offer a variety of experiences. The National Ice Centre offers different skating sessions during the week, including family skating, club sessions and foam parties. Children under five can skate for free in the Tots Zone. The lesson programme includes ice hockey, tots’ skating, figure skating or ice dancing, and speed skating; specific activities may change. For an evening focused on local pubs, the Nottingham Real Ale Trail takes you to 14 pubs and venues in the city centre. Participating venues may change.

Discover more destinations: Leicester, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire, Rutland, Derbyshire, Lincolnshire, Derby.

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