Date: 4 August 2026

Planning a day out during the annual York Georgian Festival? Look no further than York Castle Museum for an immersive experience featuring elegant interiors, historic fashion and one of England’s most fascinating prison complexes from the 18th-century. 

Georgian Period Room

Start your visit with the Georgian Period Room, a beautifully recreated drawing room showcasing the home of a fashionable York family at the end of the 18th century. Original pine panelling from a house in Davygate, painted in a fashionable Georgian colour, and a traditional dummy board of a male servant provide an authentic insight into Georgian interior design and domestic life. 

Secrets of Dress exhibition 

Discover beautiful Georgian objects in the Secrets of Dress gallery, where a display of clothing and textiles including women’s and men’s dress, patch boxes and knitted silk breeches show how clothing reflected identity, status and everyday life in the 18th-century. 

Visitors can also enjoy an insightful curator talk, Georgian Dress and Textiles, with Dr Faye Prior on Friday 7 August 2026 at 3pm, included with general admission. 

York Castle Prison

No visit to York Castle Museum is complete without exploring York Castle Prison, where during the Georgian period, the prison and court complex became a major centre of justice and administration. Step inside the walls that contained the grand Crown Court of 1777, the Female Prison of 1780 and the iconic Debtor’s Prison, all brought to life through immersive displays that tell the stories of the prisoners, including the infamous highwayman, Dick Turpin. 

Whether you’re interested in Georgian architecture, historic fashion, social history or the history of crime and punishment, York Castle Museum is one of the top attractions to visit during York Georgian Festival.  

All activities, experiences and exhibitions at York Castle Museum are included in your admission ticket, including the Georgian Dress and Textiles curator talk. York Castle Museum is open daily, 10am – 5pm during York Georgian Festival and tickets can be booked in advance online or purchased on the day at the admissions desk. 

Book York Castle Museum tickets

The fourth annual York Georgian Week runs Thursday 6 – Monday 10 August 2026. For more information about the festival and programme, visit their website.