Approximately 200 miles (3 hour drive) from London and you are in the biggest sculpture park in Europe! Yorkshire Sculpture Park is an exceptional and inspirational park, spread around 500 acres of fields, hills, woodland, lakes and gardens with works by the world-renowned artists.
YSP is situated in the Bretton Estate, on the lands that saw King Henry VIII, but had been altered a lot in the last few hundred years by the families that lived here.
In 1948 the estate was sold and turned into Bretton Hall College and in 1977 the head of college’s postgraduate course in art education Peter Murray (currently YSP Executive Director) established the sculpture park. Now it houses pieces by Joan Miro, Anthony Caro, Ai Weiwei, Alec Finlay, Anish Kapoor, Henry Moore, site-specific works by Andy Goldsworthy, David Nash, James Turrell and many more.
Yorkshire Sculpture Park has 4 stunning world-class galleries, where you can enjoy the exhibitions even in bad weather. 2016 program is filled with dynamic lineup of events, including the first UK museum exhibition by the renowned American artist KAWS and the first major exhibition in the UK by one of Switzerland’s most extraordinary and enigmatic artists Not Vital. We at the Museeum are inspired by art in any settings, but mostly love to see the works in unusual environments and spaces. YSP is a splendid place to see art in the open-air. And it is only getting more elegant and exquisite since YSP has an ambitious plan to bring history to life by conserving historic features and opening up new vistas.
Yorkshire Sculpture Park is committed to protecting and developing its historic grounds while making it accessible to visitors. The conservation of the place that used to be someone’s home gives YSP a great advantage. Families lived in Bretton Estate all year round and Yorkshire Sculpture Park is well worth a visit in all seasons. There are miles of paths to walk along, BREATHE and set your mind at ease. If you walk across the bridge, up the steps into the woods, the path will take you to an observation tower with stunning panoramic views. But be aware that some areas of the Park are difficult to access, so we suggest wheelchair and mobility scooter users to seek advice from staff at the Information Desk. During exhibitions visitors may use the free shuttle service to Longside gallery, it departs every 30 minutes outside YSP Centre.
Hidden sculptures add more mystery to the park. Walking around the site you can find them in the most unusual places and there are actually almost 100 pieces to look at! So it is better to plan a long visit and it is financially reasonable. YSP is an independent charitable trust and the entrance is free, but if you arrive by car (FYI the best postcode for satellite navigation is WF4 4JX exit the M1 at Junction 38, take the A637 towards Huddersfield, and follow the Yorkshire Sculpture Park brown heritage signs) you have to pay for parking. All day: £8.00, 1–2 hours: £5.00, up to 1 hour: £2.50 (you can pay for parking online up to 48 hours after your visit). The park is open daily 10 am to 6 pm and we are certain you won’t regret spending the whole day there. If the weather allows bring a picnic, there are plenty of benches on the massive grounds. Or you can visit the restaurant at the upper level of the YSP Centre and the YSP Café at Kennel Block with seating indoors and out.
Visiting the stunning YSP will be a fantastic day out for anyone and everyone. Just bring suitable shoes, remember, it is still countryside, and if you walk the hills and valleys it might be difficult to elegantly dodge all the sheep droppings.
