Museums have come a long way since my school trip days.

Back then we were shown around dusty rooms full of glass cabinets holding bits of bone, Bronze Age flints, shards of Roman pottery and musty old uniforms, along with the odd stuffed animal.

After a few minutes trying to look interested, all I wanted to do was find the gift shop and buy a rubber in the shape of a velociraptor.

Today’s museums are a world away – full of hands-on exhibits and interactive displays suitable for all ages.

So if you’re feeling a little flat after the Christmas festivities, why not head out and see what’s on offer? As an added bonus, entry is free to most museums in the district.

The National Media Museum is home to more than 3.5 million items of historical and cultural significance, including the world’s earliest surviving negative, the earliest television footage and the camera that made the earliest moving pictures in Britain. A must-see exhibition is the Ray Harryhausen Display from the world-renowned master of stop-motion animation, famous for creating creatures in films like Jason And The Argonauts and Clash Of The Titans.

At Cartwright Hall there’s a fascinating exhibition of eye-catching sculptures by Sophie Ryder. As well as large and small works on display – including hares, minotaurs and dogs – in the gallery, there are two enormous sculptures in Lister Park, where you will also find Bradford Museums and Galleries Service’s own public artwork.

Other exhibitions include works by David Hockney and Anish Kapoor and Responses To Art, a retrospective exhibition of works created as a result of art sessions.

Pratt is back in town at Bradford Industrial Museum in Eccleshill, which is revisiting its collection of furniture and ephemera of Christopher Pratt & Sons. Not since 1970 has there been the opportunity to showcase the history of this memorable Bradford company. The exhibition traces its humble beginnings to its rise as a family empire on North Parade.

Ilkley Camera Club returns to the Manor House, Ilkley, to host a showcase of works of art by members, covering a wide range of subjects, while pupils from Year 3 at Ashlands Primary School have curated a display reflecting the development of the camera over the past 60 years.

At the Royal Armouries in Leeds there a play area, Jester’s Yard, where youngsters can dress up as knights and princesses, learn to juggle and make their own swords, shields and crowns to take home. There is also a crossbow range, where visitors can have a go.

The museum’s five galleries are packed with arms and armour from around the world, including Henry VIII’s personal tournament garnitures, the exquisitely decorated armours of the Japanese shoguns and the world-record breaking elephant armour.

Abbey House Museum, also in Leeds, is a lively, interactive museum ideal for family visits. Wander through the beautifully created authentic Victorian streets for a glimpse of life in 19th century Leeds, visit Stephen Harding Gate, the 19th century equivalent of a modern high street, for some old-fashioned retail therapy, or take a break in the Hark to Rover Inn, a recreated model of a Victorian drinking house.

There are displays of rare 19th Century toys, games and dolls in the shop on Harewood Square – you can even take your place for class at the local Methodist Sunday school.

Finally, Leeds City Museum offers a fun, interactive day out for all the family with six galleries to visit, as well as temporary exhibitions which change seasonally.

You can walk on a giant map of the Leeds Metropolitan District and explore different communities and places of interest. The African displays look at colourful crafts and textiles and you can have a go at playing the drums and trying on traditional African costumes.

From a 3,000-year-old Egyptian mummy to Roman statues and Greek pottery, the Ancient World Gallery explores the civilisation of the ancient world, and no visit would be complete without gazing at the Leeds Tiger in the natural history gallery.

FACTFILE:

  • Abbey House Museum, Kirkstall, Leeds, is open Tuesday to Friday, 10am to 5pm, Saturday noon to 7pm and Sunday 10am to 5pm. Ring (0113) 2305492.
     
  • Bradford Industrial Museum, Moorside Road, Eccleshill, is open Tuesday to Friday, 10am to 4pm, and Saturday and Sunday 11am to 4pm. Ring (01274) 435900.
     
  • Cartwright Hall, Lister Park, Manningham, is open Tuesday to Friday, 10am to 4pm and Saturday and Sunday 11am to 4pm. Ring (01274) 435900.
     
  • The Manor House Art Gallery & Museum, Castle Yard, Ilkley, is open Tuesdays 1pm to 5pm, Wednesday to Saturday 11am to 5pm and Sunday 1pm to 4pm. Ring (01943) 600066.
     
  • Leeds City Museum, Millennium Square, Leeds, is open Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday 10am-5pm, Thursday 10am to 7pm, and Saturday and Sunday 11am to 5pm. Ring (0113) 2243732.
     
  • Royal Armouries, Leeds, is open daily, 10am to 5pm. Ring (0113) 2201999.