Sheffield will forever be associated with its industrial past and, in particular, the steel industry. As is the case with most industrial cities in the UK, the buildings that once functioned as Sheffield’s warehouses and factories are now home to its blossoming creative and cultural scenes, housing galleries, museums, theatres, and music venues. It’s now one of the country’s greenest cities, a marked change from the smog-choked Sheffield of the 19th and early 20th-century. There are so many great cultural things to do in Sheffield and here are a few of our favourites.
The best cultural attractions in Sheffield
Explore museums, galleries, venues and more with our guide to the best cultural activities in Sheffield
Showroom Cinema
Showroom is more than just a cinema. It’s
essentially at the heart of Sheffield’s film scene, whether that’s for someone
who’s after nicer surroundings to watch the latest blockbuster, the cinephile
who wants a season of Martin Scorsese’s favourite Polish films, or burgeoning
filmmakers seeking out a community of like-minded souls. Stationed in an art
deco car showroom on Paternoster Row, Showroom has forged its name by using the
medium of film to bring entertainment, diversity and originality to Sheffield
and making a trip to the cinema a more engaging experience. Showroom also
boasts an excellent bar and restaurant, perfect for a spot of dinner before the
film or a drink and discussion afterwards.
Alfred Denny Museum of Zoology
Sheffield University’s museum of natural history opened in 1905 and took its name from the university’s first professor of biology. It’s tricky to get into as it only opens on the first Saturday of each month and then only for three guided tours at 10, 11 and 12, so booking is essential. It’s well worth it though, as the collection includes an incredible variety of rare fish, invertebrates, reptiles, birds and animals, from an elephant skull to the largest salamander. Visitors are greeted on the way in by an emperor penguin that was collected during Scott’s first trip to the Antarctic.
Click here for more information or to book a place
The Crucible
Sheffield isn’t short of theatres. The city’s theatre group alone consists of three theatres that host musicals, plays, comedy and more. Of these, the Crucible is easily the most famous, although possibly more for snooker than the performing arts – it’s been the home of snooker’s World Championships since 1977. There are very few venues in theatreland that can claim to have hosted both Alex Higgins and Sir Ian McKellen. The building has Grade II-listed status and is considered to be one of the finest examples of 1970s architecture. Its 2010 refurbishment has left that intact but resulted in a theatre that offers an experience and surroundings as enjoyable as the production.
Click here for more information and up-to-date listings
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The Millennium Gallery
Sheffield’s transition from a Northern enclave of industry to a cultural hub was no easy journey, but it was one aided greatly by the Heart of the City project, one that saw £130m invested into regeneration, one result of which was the excellent Millennium Gallery. Since its opening in 2001, it has gone on to become one of the top free galleries and museums in the country, home to eclectic collections, most notably The Ruskin Collection. Created by the Victorian artist, critic and writer John Ruskin, it was intended to inspire and educate the metalworkers of Sheffield, thus enriching their everyday lives. The gallery is also home to some of the most remarkable examples from the city’s legacy of metalwork.
The Leadmill
Want to take a guess at what The Leadmill was
before it became Sheffield’s premier music venue? No, it was a flour mill.
Essentially any band worth their salt has played The Leadmill over the 37 years
that it has been in existence; Franz Ferdinand described it as a “rite of
passage”. The long and distinguished list includes 80s’ chart botherers Simply
Red, The Housemartins and Culture Club, Britpop stalwarts Pulp, Oasis, Elastica
and The Verve and, more recently, indie darlings such as Arcade Fire, The White
Stripes and local heroes Arctic Monkeys. If you’re in Sheffield and need some
live music to get your heart racing, The Leadmill should be first on your list.
Record Collector
Between the Subway and the Thai spa on Fulwood
Road lies a ramshackle red shop that has just the right level of dishevelment
to scream “treasure trove” at music aficionados. Sons of the city from Jarvis
Cocker to Joe Elliott are devotees of Barry Everard’s vinyl emporium. As record
stores around the city fell, first to CDs and then to the internet, Record
Collector has somehow not just survived, but thrived, offering a home to Sheffield’s
music fans. Whether you’re just looking to flick through the racks of new and
used vinyl and CDs or have a rarity you’re trying to track down, an afternoon
in Record Collector is one well spent.
