Bowling Hall is a large museum in a medieval building, it is set in a leafy garden with a large…read morepark across the road. It was a stronghold in the 'siege of Bradford' and where a ghost requested that we 'pity poor Bradford'! The exhibits are quite 'traditional', but this doesn't detract from the charm of the museum, in fact quite often you can be the only people in the attraction which gives it a certain atmosphere, especially when you are wandering around the haunted rooms! The museum is large enough to while away an hour, but not too big that it would be boring for younger visitors. The promise of a play in the park and an icecream should keep them quiet and on their best behaviour too - the park opposite the museum is large and well kept and has something for everyone.

This is a lovely old house situated in the Bradford 4 area…read more The ground floor where you enter is slighlty darker than the rest and can frighten some younger children. There is many things on show, that can teach young children and older children about how people used is to live. This place is said to be haunted and appeared on most haunted. It has different events happening through out the years and is a good place to vist.

This is an hidden gem of bradford as not many people remember this is here. There never was much…read moreadvertising when this opened either. The museum goes back centuries with the history of england and shows clothing, food, machinery, etc over the years. The main theme though obviously is peace and it covers all the great wars and is interesting. It shows the weapons used, the ways we lived, etc. There are a good selection of drawings and paintings all about war and peace which are interesting too. the building is an old church and they have kept some of the original features which in itself is worth going for. There is an eating area to eat your own food too. The place is nice and clean. The staff are very friendly. If i remember right there was no entrance fee but they do ask for donations.

We're about to fire up a big boy here. I don't have any digestion problems but I do have one fine…read moremuseum to shout about. Now the reason I've held back from unleashing this baby before is because it's in Bradford . Not that there is anything wrong with Bradford but I'm a Leeds lover. This however needs to be visited. How many places in Yorkshire can actually stick the world National in their title? Exactly, that's why we need to spread the word. To begin with it's a bargain. All you pay is a donation that you feel happy with. Win, win! Don't be cheap now; you know it's worth it if Cheryl Cole is. Then it's time to explore. It's a celebration of most things television, film and photography. You'll find several floors exploring each genre and it's hands-on fun for kids and big kids alike. By far the best bit is reading the news and playing with the cameras and auto cues. You may disagree with that if you love your Thunderbirds and the like though with exhibits and various shows to watch. The photography is diverse and the exhibitions change every few months or so. Don't miss out the interactive exploring zone either and even have a peak at some Radio Leeds people doing their thing, as one of their remote studios is housed in the building. Don't be put off; this is a top quality museum and one that should be explored.

Very fine media museum, Bradford's No.1 tourist attraction…read more This modern museum devoted to photography and broadcasting is just 5-7 minutes from the central station, and it should be your No.1 stop when you're visiting Bradford. Each floor is dedicated to a different form of media or media content, and I do recommend you start in the basement, which is the Kodak history of photography exhibit. It's easily the most impressive part of the museum. There's a plethora of historic cameras, with tons of information on the technological development of photography from metal plates to modern digital cameras. It's all lovingly presented, and there's a special presentation for the small fry several times a day. Another floor deals with the history of radio and television, again supported with a large number of historic TV cameras and radio transmitters. All very well done. The top floor is dedicated to media content, namely exhibits from some of Britain's most popular TV programs, from Dr. Who and the Daleks to Wallace and Gromit (including the only surviving miniature set from the original short films - the studio was destroyed in a fire some years ago). There are even some puppets from Gerry Anderson's 1960s animated sci-fi shows (like Captain Scarlet). Some illustrations from Tom & Jerry and other animated films will inform you about how this kind of shorts/films was made in "the old days". A temporary exhibition during my visit was a sparse but intriguing collection of items from the films of French avantgarde artist Jean Cocteau.

A fantastic museum tucked away in Bradford. This is really worth a look in if you want to whittle…read moreaway a couple of hours or are looking for a way to spend and afternoon with the family. For the most part machinery dominates the vast majority of the items held here, rather fitting due to it existence as a mill and that a large quantity if this machinery will have been here before. There are also the ever present horses and mill cottages. The guide boards with basic information are helpful. Best thing about this? It's something fun and it's free.

A nice day out for the family. Its a museum which helps you see what life was like growing up in…read moreBradford during Industrial revolution. Its fun for kids, they wont get bored. You can also have a ride on a horse drawn cart. The museum itself it free entry. There is a lovely cafe that serves snacks and drinks and also a gift shop. The car parking area is not very big but you can find a space on a nearby street.

Hidden away down a street at the top of town. This is a really different museum and is interested…read morein all things related to colour. It's a hands on, interactive museum and the staff run lots of days for local schools. Also, I have been here for various training days etc. It's got a really nice room that can be booked for a very reasonable price with a glass ceiling that makes it really nice on sunny days. I think this place is quite a hidden gem in Bradford.

Grattan Road, Perkin House,…read more Bradford BD1 2JB 01274 390955 This is quite hard to find as it is hidden away down a side street off of town but if you go to morrisons opposite town, use the crossing and then walk straight down that road you will stumble across it. Unfortunately it isnt signposted that good either and is easy to miss. There isnt no disabled access but there is only the matter of two steps to get up but even this is too much for wheelchair users so be prepared. It has a few hands on galleries where you can learn all about how colour has been used over the ages and how you get certain colours, etc. This is useful for some. There is a charge to get in which can be steep if a few of you are going and the time i have been i found it quite boring. Its not really for younger kids as there isnt much to do. There is a little cafe area inside but it is quite dear and not always manned. The staff are quite friendly.

I'm about to get very giddy now. I'm like a child at Christmas because I'm about to talk about my…read moresecret love affair...film. When talking about cinematic experiences in the North, let alone the area, one has to shout loud and proud about the IMAX. The IMAX is part of the National Media Museum but deserves it's own proud place in our ever beautiful Yelp listings. It is only one of a handful of IMAX cinemas in the world and it's ours. Go on do a little dance for me, go on. What you get is some unbelievable moments of 3D documentaries and films and also 2D is pretty hot on the massive screen. For me though you have to utilise all of its strengths so definitely check out a 3D option. Especially with the current trend of making everything for the 3D market, you'll soon be spoilt for choice. One of the last Hollywood blockbusters to show there was the last Harry Potter film but I'm more than a little giddy that Alice in Wonderland is next up. I'm so excited about that one that I may need to section myself, sedate myself or run head first into a door. Johnny Depp in 3D and at that size!?! What is not to die happy about? It does get booked up well in advance so make sure you book online or at the museum if you have a specific time in mind. This is how film should be watched, so do yourself a favour and enjoy it to the (I)max. See what I did there, aren't I clever.

The IMAX screen has to be experienced to be believed - it really is MASSIVE, and coupled with the…read morefantastic surround sound system and highly ramped seating, you are guaranteed a good view even if an extremely tall man decides to sit in the seat in front of you (don't they always!) I wouldn't actually recommend your first film is one of the IMAX specials such as to fly and dinosaurs etc as they are quite expensive and also very short (usually about half an hour to three quarters of an hour). Much better would be to see a 'proper' film in it's IMAX version - although only a small percentage of films are shot in IMAX, they really do take your breath away. The Dark Knight has some fantastic IMAX scenes, and at Christmas you really, really HAVE to watch The Polar Express at the IMAX and in 3D too! Oh yes, the IMAX is capable of 3D! It's not your average 3D too, it's actually in-your-face, amazing and quite brilliant 3D! We saw the latest Harry Potter at the IMAX, and even though only some of the scenes were in 3D, the end fight with all the magic and explosions was truly breathtaking. My only quibble would be if you are taking young children to watch a 3D IMAX film, they may be a bit overawed by it all and refuse to put on their glasses which will leave them watching them a blurred image which they'll quickly grow bored of (it happened to one of our party) - but otherwise it's a great experience! Definitely a jewel in Bradford!

well get me on the BBC right now. I am a true film legend. I speak the truth. Okay, head out of the…read moreclouds now but I tell you we have another little gem of a cinema and that is the Cubby Broccoli. Named in memory of Cubby Broccoli, the producer of the James Bond films, this cinema complements the Pictureville Cinema and provides depth to many of the film seasons. Oh and do they have film seasons and festivals ahoy. We're talking Bite the Mango Festival, focusing on South Asia, Africa, East Asia, the Middle East and South America, as well as films made by black and Asian filmmakers in Europe and America. We're also talking animation of the highest order. We're also talking some of the best in Bollywood. It's a cultural combination of pleasure and film feasting. The cinema itself homes 100 seats and is a truely great cinematic experience. It's so refreshing to get away from those somewhat soul sapping multi-plex affairs and chill out here. The national Media Museum definitely know their film and they also know their cinemas too. Check out one of the many Indie films and enjoy some critic lovers' film watching. That's a wrap and an excellent one at that.

Well my fellow budding Tarantino lovers' I have to bring this to your attention. We've got a…read morecorking event on our on doorsteps and it's eleven day of pure motion intoxication. Please form an orderly queue for the Bradford International Film Festival. It's the 16th annual film jubilee and opens your world to some hidden gems and quite alluring offerings from around the globe. This year I'm excited to announce that there will also be visits from guests including John Hurt, Nicolas Roeg, Imelda Staunton and Fernando Meirelles. Now the latter really excites me as he is the genius behind the quite illustrious City of God. That's the Brazilian drugs coming of age film of 2002 for those of you who haven't seen it and if you haven't then you must. As simple as that, it is a modern day classic. The chance to witness If Sao Paulo isn't exotic enough for you then there are examples from France and Italy to Mexico and the USA. It really is a mix of all things and will give you exclusive access to many movies that would not even hit your radar. I cannot use enough superlatives for the National Media Museum and their continual pushing of extremely high calibre boundaries and once again they've come out a conquering hero. An absolute must for anyone who likes their film a little more left field and even for those who don't. Exceptional. It runs March 18th until March 28th. Booking is also essential for many events and films.

TL;DR - A truly unique venue combining art, food and shopping…read more One of Sparky's colleagues tipped us off about this place, and I'm amazed we'd never heard of it before. In case you don't know (I didn't!), Saltaire was built by industrialist Titus Salt (amazing name!) alongside the river Aire to bring all aspects of his textiles business onto one enormous site. He also built a town for the workers, and the whole area is now a world heritage site. The mill has now been converted into an amazing and huge venue spanning several floors. There's so much here it's hard to take in, but I'll try and summarise. The ground floor is a mixture of books on art, stationery and arts supplies, postcards and the like but interspersed with huge art displays. At first I wasn't sure if I was in an art gallery or a shop, but the answer is both. As with the rest of the mill, David Hockney features strongly throughout. There's a basement level which we didn't explore in detail, but it sells rugs and wallpapers and is just as big as the ground floor. The first floor houses the most. One end is a gorgeous bookshop, where the focus seems to be on unusual titles rather than breadth - I saw many, many books in the recipe section which I'd never seen or heard of anywhere else. The other end of the building is devoted to homewares - kitchen supplies, furniture, clocks and more. A lot of it is very expensive, but it's a beautifully curated selection of objects for sale. Between these two wings is Salt's Diner. It's a separate venue on Yelp but suffice it to say we had lunch here and it was great.Through the restaurant you can access a further wing of the building which is split into an outdoor clothing shop, a jewellers, an art exhibit, a treasure trove of an antique store and a small coffee shop. Finally, the top floor is split into three: an exhibit on the history of the mill, a major exhibition of work by David Hockney, and a further cafe/restaurant. On top of all these, parking is free on site and it's right next to the Saltaire train station, so there's really no excuse for not visiting.

Its easy to spend the best part of a day wandering round the amazing Salts Mill with its extensive…read morecollection of David Hockney's work and its eclectic selection of "shops" which include an excellent book shop, the wonderful home section with its stunning array of furnishings and kitchen porn, and the antique/collectables area. At some point you are going to need to get some fuel on board and Salts Diner is not a bad option. Its situated on the 1st floor of this wonderful labyrinthine industrial building in a large area between the book shop and the home shop. It was very busy on our visit between Christmas and New Year but we managed to get a table for 6 without much difficulty. The young waiting girls were all very helpful and attentive and we soon settled down with a reasonably priced bottle of Merlot to have a look at the menu. There is fairly wide choice of available, and while there is no real theme to the menu, there is enough to satisfy all the generations of family visitors that Salts Mill attracts. There are lots of ankle biters about so be careful in your choice of seating if you want a peaceful lunch. I had the roast butternut squash and lentil soup from the daily specials board which was tasty and wholesome, obviously a popular selection as it was soon rubbed off the board. B and I both went down the pizza route for our main and shared a bowl of nicely cooked crispy fries; nothing to complain about but pretty bog standard. The most successful main seemed to be Danny's beef meatballs and pasta in a rich tomato sauce, again from daily specials board, although the other boys were quite complimentary about their beef and ale pies which came in a nice white dish topped with puff pastry. All in all while this was nothing to write home about it was a pretty decent lunch in a great building. Salts Diner itself its not somewhere I would go out of my way to visit but works well a part of a visit to the Mill (I would particularly recommended a visit at the moment to see the amazing "Flowers" show on the top floor of work created by Mr Hockney on his iPad - just stunning). 3 for Salts Diner and 5 for the Mill.