Stand on Trinity Square in the old town and you can take in a medieval church, a statue of a 17th-century poet and MP, and the brick and glass of a Victorian arcade without moving more than a few paces. This is the Trinity Quarter, the historic core around which Hull grew, and it is the natural place to begin understanding the city.
Hull suits travellers who like their history layered rather than polished: a port city with centuries of maritime trade behind it, a compact old town that survived wartime bombing, and a cluster of free civic buildings and galleries in the centre. It also suits anyone who prefers to cover a city on foot over a single day, since the main sights sit close together.
This guide covers the principal places to see in the city centre and old town, with practical notes on how to combine them, followed by a one-day plan and answers to common questions.
Top things to do in Kingston upon Hull
1. Hull Minster
The oldest parts of Hull Minster date back to around 1300, and its 150-foot tower contains a ring of 15 bells. As a piece of imposing medieval ecclesiastical architecture it reads more like a cathedral than a parish church, which is why it anchors any walk through the old town.
It stands in Trinity Square, so combine it with the Andrew Marvell statue on its plinth in the same square and with Trinity House, a short step away on the corner of Trinity House Lane and Postern Gate.
2. Ferens Art Gallery
The Ferens Art Gallery holds a permanent collection of sculpture and paintings from medieval to present day, with a regular programme of temporary exhibitions from around the world. It is strong on old European Masters, particularly Dutch and Flemish, and also houses contemporary work, with pieces by Frans Hals, Antonio Canaletto, Stanley Spencer, David Hockney, Helen Chadwick and Gillian Wearing. Admission is free.
There is a pleasant cafe on the ground floor with an outside section overlooking part of Prince's Dock, which makes it a sensible pause between the old town and Queen Victoria Square. From February to April each year the gallery hosts the Open Exhibition, to which amateur and professional artists can submit work for sale or display for a modest fee.
3. Queen Victoria Square
Queen Victoria Square is the centre of Hull, the point from which the wide shopping streets of the late 19th and early 20th centuries radiate. At its heart stands Queen Victoria herself, surrounded by the domes of the Maritime Museum and the City Hall.
Treat it as a crossroads rather than a destination: it links the Ferens Art Gallery, Hull City Hall and the approach to Queen's Gardens, so it is easiest to pass through it on the way between them rather than making a separate trip.
4. Queen's Gardens
Queen's Gardens opened in 1930, built on top of the old Queen's Dock. The dock itself was built in the late 1700s and at 10 acres was the largest dock in England, though it was not named Queen's Dock until 1854, after Queen Victoria. You can still make out the original shape of the dock in the walls and buildings surrounding the gardens, and some of the buildings on the south side are the old dock warehouses.
The gardens are sunk and contain flowerbeds, seating and a large grassy area. At the east end stands the Wilberforce Monument and at the west the old dock offices, now the Maritime Museum, so the gardens work well as the spine of a walk between the two.
5. The Guildhall
The Guildhall runs adjacent to and on the south side of Queen's Gardens, with Alfred Gelder Street on its south side. Built between 1903 and 1916 to a design chosen by competition, it is the home of the City Council and also houses the city's silver, the Hull Tapestry, the old magistrate's court and the cells below it. At the west end sits a sculpture symbolising Maritime Prowess atop its ornate Neo-Classical design, and at the east end a clock tower.
The Hull Tapestry was started in 1991 and took 15 years to complete; its 19 panels depict important aspects of the city's history and development. It can be viewed free of charge Monday to Thursday 8:30AM to 4:30PM and Friday 8:30AM to 3:30PM, but you need to ask at the reception desk. Guildhall tours are also free but must be booked in advance.
6. Maritime Museum
The Maritime Museum was formerly the Whaling Museum and is housed in the original Dock Offices for the Prince's Dock and Queen's Dock, now Queen's Gardens. It is a large, old-fashioned museum dedicated to Hull's maritime history and to the sacrifices made in that trade, with an elegant staircase rising from the entrance hall and displays ranging from the skeleton of a whale to models of ships and explanations of fishing methods. Admission is free.
The museum is closed for refurbishment and is expected to reopen in 2025, so check before you build a day around it. Its position at the west end of Queen's Gardens makes it a natural pairing with the gardens themselves.
7. Hull City Hall
Hull City Hall was completed in 1903 and designed by Frank Matcham. It largely defied destruction by the Luftwaffe, and when the bomb damage of 1941 was made good in 1950 it reopened to become, with its green copper roof, one of the most loved structures in the city. Around the upper west end of the building is a frieze commemorating famous musical composers.
The City Hall now regularly hosts rock, pop and classical concerts and comedy events. Left of the entrance is the booking office for events in the city and to the right is the Tourist Information Office, which makes this a useful first stop for orientation. The cupola of the previous town hall, built in 1866 by Cuthbert Brodrick, is sited at the west side of Pearson Park.
8. Trinity Quarter
The Trinity Quarter was created around the site of the old market square in front of Holy Trinity Church, and takes in the grand Victorian Hepworths Arcade. It is the main home in the city centre for vintage clothes, independent record shops and alternative retail outlets.
The square has benefited from sensitive restoration including seating and public art, as well as a good selection of small cafes with outdoor areas, which makes it a vital destination on any sightseeing tour. Come here when you want a break between buildings rather than another exhibit.
9. Trinity House
Trinity House is the large cream building occupying the corner of Trinity House Lane and Postern Gate. A Carmelite Friary stood on this site in the 14th century, and Trinity House took it over in the 16th century. Starting as a guild to care for mariners and their families, it expanded to control the movement of shipping in the Humber. The present facade dates from 1753.
Of particular note is the decorated pediment on the east side, incorporating a lion, unicorn, Britannia and Neptune. It sits within the Trinity Quarter, so look up at it as you move between the square and the surrounding streets.
10. Andrew Marvell statue
The Andrew Marvell statue stands on a plinth in Trinity Square. Marvell lived from 1621 to 1678 and was a poet and MP for Hull. Born at Winestead-in-Holderness just outside Hull, he moved to the town when his father took up the position of Lecturer at Holy Trinity church.
It is a quick stop rather than a long visit, best taken in as part of a circuit of Trinity Square alongside Hull Minster and Trinity House.
11. The Charterhouse
The Charterhouse is tucked away in a rather inauspicious area of the city, on Charterhouse Lane, within a small conservation area. The wealthy merchant and first mayor of Hull, Sir William de la Pole, founded a Priory of Carthusian monks here in 1350 with the further intention of establishing a hospital; the Gods House Hospital was eventually established by his son, with the charter granted in 1384 when the first master was appointed. The name is a corruption of Chartreuse in France, where the order of monks originated.
The Charterhouse is open to the public once a year during Hull's Heritage Weekend, and each Sunday there is a service in the Chapel from 10AM to 11AM which the public can attend. What is known as the Charter House consists of the Master's House and walled garden, where Andrew Marvell is said to have played under the mulberry tree, and on the northern side of the road Old House, which contains the Chapel with its Adams ceiling.
12. Mick Ronson Memorial Stage
The Mick Ronson Memorial Stage is the main focus of scheduled events throughout the summer months. It was constructed after the death from cancer of Mick Ronson, the guitarist who, along with two other Hullensians, formed David Bowie's band the Spiders from Mars in the early 1970s and went on to work with Bob Dylan, Elton John, Lou Reed and Morrissey among others. The stage hosted a speech by freeman of the city Archbishop Desmond Tutu in 1997.
Behind the stage is a plaque commemorating the fictional character of Robinson Crusoe, who set sail from Hull in Daniel Defoe's novel of 1719. Check what is scheduled during the summer months before you go, since the stage is only worth a detour when something is on.
If you only have one day
Morning: Start at Hull City Hall, where the Tourist Information Office sits to the right of the entrance, to orient yourself. Walk through Queen Victoria Square, taking in the domes of the Maritime Museum and the City Hall, then spend the rest of the morning at the Ferens Art Gallery, working through the permanent collection and whatever temporary exhibition is on. Have a coffee in the gallery cafe overlooking Prince's Dock.
Afternoon: Walk through Queen's Gardens, tracing the shape of the old dock in the surrounding walls and warehouses, and note the Wilberforce Monument at the east end and the old dock offices at the west. Continue to The Guildhall, where you can ask at reception to see the Hull Tapestry. Then move into the Trinity Quarter for the rest of the afternoon: Hull Minster, the Andrew Marvell statue in Trinity Square, and the decorated pediment of Trinity House on the corner of Trinity House Lane and Postern Gate. If the Maritime Museum has reopened, fit it in at the west end of Queen's Gardens before you leave the area.
Evening: Return to the Trinity Quarter, where the small cafes with outdoor areas around the restored square make a natural place to end the day. If you are visiting during the summer months, check whether anything is scheduled at the Mick Ronson Memorial Stage.
Frequently asked questions
When can I visit The Charterhouse?
The Charterhouse is open to the public once a year, during Hull's Heritage Weekend. Each Sunday there is also a service in the Chapel from 10AM to 11AM which the public can attend.
Is the Maritime Museum open?
The Maritime Museum is closed for refurbishment and is expected to reopen in 2025. Admission is free when it is open.
How do I see the Hull Tapestry?
The tapestry can be viewed free of charge at The Guildhall Monday to Thursday 8:30AM to 4:30PM and Friday 8:30AM to 3:30PM. Ask at the reception desk. Guildhall tours are also free but must be booked in advance.
Do I need to pay to visit the galleries and gardens?
Admission to the Ferens Art Gallery is free, and the Maritime Museum is free when open. Queen's Gardens and the Trinity Quarter are open public spaces.
With the old town, the gardens and the civic buildings all within a walk of one another, you can start shaping an itinerary around the places above and see how much of Hull fits into your own day.