Free Days Out in Derby

Treat it as a strong hint rather than a guarantee, particularly at activity venues where sessions, ages and times all affect what is included. This directory records what venues publish and venues change their arrangements without telling anybody. Museums and public parks are the safest entries in that respect; anything running as a booked session is the one worth a phone call before you drive over with expectant children.

Pickford's House is a Georgian townhouse preserved as a museum of the period, so what you are looking at is the building and how people lived in it rather than a collection of objects in cases. Children respond to houses better than to galleries because rooms have obvious functions. It is small, which makes it a good short visit rather than an afternoon, and it pairs naturally with the city museum.

Markeaton Park is the larger and busier and has more going on, which is what you want when a teenager and a toddler have to be entertained simultaneously. Chaddesden Park is quieter and better for a short local stop. Large parks often contain attractions that are separately charged even when the park is not, so if a specific facility is the draw, confirm what it costs before setting off.