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Derby Museum and Art Gallery, City Centre

Companionship careDerby

Days out in Derby for an older parent

Eight places in Derby that make a good day out for an older parent, from Derby Museum and Art Gallery to Allestree Park. For each one: what its own access information confirms, what it costs, how long to allow, and the carers nearby who drive and could take them.

Researched by PrimeCarers from each place’s own website and access information  ·  Updated October 2026

Derby Museum and Art Gallery. Photo: Reading Tom from Reading, UK, CC BY 2.0

Eight days out across six towns

The best places to take an older parent in Derby

Eight of them are free to visit or to walk around. The access information for one describes a step-free route, and one confirms an accessible toilet. Where a place does not publish its access, we say so.

Derby Museum and Art Gallery, City Centre

Photo: Reading Tom from Reading, UK, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Gallery · City Centre

Derby Museum and Art Gallery

Derby Museum and Art Gallery holds the world's largest collection of paintings by Joseph Wright of Derby, alongside Derby porcelain, archaeology, natural history and military galleries. It is in the city centre on The Strand.

Entry is free and the museum is fully wheelchair accessible, with staff on hand to help, so it suits a short indoor visit in any weather.

Time to allow
An hour or two
Cost
Free entry

Access

Their website does not set out its access in detail, so ring ahead about parking, paths and toilets.

Their websiteAccess information

Carers who drive, based near City Centre

Museum of Making at Derby Silk Mill, City Centre

Photo: Malcolm Neal, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Museum · City Centre

Museum of Making at Derby Silk Mill

The Museum of Making is in the Derby Silk Mill, part of the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site, and tells the story of 300 years of making things in Derby, from silk to Rolls-Royce engines and trains. Its large open galleries hold thousands of objects, including a Rolls-Royce jet engine.

Entry is free, the building is fully wheelchair accessible, and it sits by the river next to Cathedral Green, a short distance from Derby Cathedral.

Time to allow
An hour or two
Cost
Free entry

Access

Their website does not set out its access in detail, so ring ahead about parking, paths and toilets.

Their websiteAccess information

Carers who drive, based near City Centre

Pickford's House, Friar Gate

Photo: sps1955 from UK, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Museum · Friar Gate

Pickford's House

Pickford's House is a Georgian townhouse on Friar Gate built by the architect Joseph Pickford in 1770, set out as a family home of the period. Visitors can see the dining room, kitchens and servants' areas and a small Georgian garden.

Entry is free, but wheelchair access covers only the ground floor, lower ground floor and garden, and there is no accessible toilet, so a short visit suits best.

Time to allow
An hour or two
Cost
Free entry

Access

Their website does not set out its access in detail, so ring ahead about parking, paths and toilets.

Their websiteAccess information

Carers who drive, based near Friar Gate

Derby Cathedral, City Centre

Photo: Nick Moyes, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Cathedral · City Centre

Derby Cathedral

Derby Cathedral has a 16th century tower, one of the tallest in England, and a light Georgian nave with an ornate wrought iron screen by Robert Bakewell. It holds the tomb of Bess of Hardwick and has resident peregrine falcons on the tower.

Most of the building is accessible for wheelchair and mobility scooter users, the main entrance is step-free, there is a disabled toilet at the east end and the vergers can fetch a wheelchair.

Time to allow
An hour or two
Cost
Free

What their access information confirms

  • Partly step-free
  • Accessible toilet
  • Blue Badge parking

Their websiteAccess information

Carers who drive, based near City Centre

Markeaton Park, Markeaton

Photo: AnonymousUnknown author, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Park · Markeaton

Markeaton Park

Markeaton Park is Derby's most visited park, with a lake, the Orangery café, a craft village and wide areas of parkland with veteran trees. It was once the grounds of Markeaton Hall and has a history going back to a medieval deer park.

The park has level paths suitable for wheelchairs, a ramped car park, disabled parking bays, and the craft village and Orangery café can both be reached by wheelchair.

Time to allow
Half a day
Cost
Free entry, parking charged

What their access information confirms

  • Step-free route
  • Blue Badge parking
  • Café

Their website

Carers who drive, based near Markeaton

Darley Park, Darley Abbey

Photo: OnFire238, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Park · Darley Abbey

Darley Park

Darley Park is a large riverside park on the River Derwent, within walking distance of the city centre at the gateway to the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site. It has gardens with a hydrangea collection, a small waterfall, a nature reserve and a tea room.

All of the car parks are free, and the carer can plan a short walk through the gardens and a stop at the tea room, whose hours change between summer and winter.

Time to allow
An hour or two
Cost
Free entry and free parking

Access

Their website does not set out its access in detail, so ring ahead about parking, paths and toilets.

Their website

Carers who drive, based near Darley Abbey

Derby Arboretum, Normanton

Photo: Stephen Richards, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Park · Normanton

Derby Arboretum

Derby Arboretum was the first specially designed public park in Britain, given to the town by Joseph Strutt in 1840 and laid out by John Claudius Loudon. It has a fine collection of trees, a fountain and two Tudor style lodges.

It is a compact park close to the city centre, so a short stroll under the trees with a sit-down on a bench is easy to plan.

Time to allow
An hour or two
Cost
Free

Access

Their website does not set out its access in detail, so ring ahead about parking, paths and toilets.

Their website

Carers who drive, based near Normanton

Allestree Park, Allestree

Photo: Dommccas, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Nature reserve · Allestree

Allestree Park

Allestree Park sits on the northern edge of Derby, with lakeside walks, mature woodland and wildflower meadows looking over the Derwent valley. Highland cattle graze the meadows in winter.

There are two free car parks and toilets beside the hall, so a gentle walk to the lake and back can start and finish near the facilities.

Time to allow
An hour or two
Cost
Free parking

Access

Their website does not set out its access in detail, so ring ahead about parking, paths and toilets.

Their website

Carers who drive, based near Allestree

Regular groups and events in Derby

Something to go back to every week or every year, from our research into what older people enjoy doing in Derby.

  • Gardening · DerbyDerby City Council allotment sitesThe council lets allotment plots across the city and lists sites and how to apply or join a waiting list. A carer can help with travel, watering and the heavier digging so someone can keep a small plot or share one with family.Details
  • Music · DerbySinfonia Viva, Derby's own orchestraA professional chamber orchestra based in Derby that performs across the city and region and runs participation work. A carer can check the concert list, book seats near an aisle and handle the travel and timings.Details
  • Music · DerbyCathedral lunchtime concerts and summer organ recitalsDerby Cathedral runs a Friday lunchtime concert series in spring and autumn plus an organ recital series each summer. Short, seated and central, so a carer can pair one with a cup of tea and a taxi home.Details
  • Fishing · DerbyDerby Railway Angling Club waters on the DerwentA long established Derby club holding coarse, trout and grayling stretches of the River Derwent for members. A carer can carry tackle, set up a seat on an easier bank and stay for the session.Details
  • Photography · DerbyDerby Photographic SocietyA camera club in Derby with regular meetings, talks and competitions for members of all standards. A carer can arrange the lift to and from evening meetings and help load pictures ready to show.Details
  • Reading · DerbyDerby Book FestivalAn annual festival of author talks and events at venues across Derby, with a mix of daytime and evening sessions. A carer can pick a daytime talk, book an accessible seat and take care of getting there and back.Details

Hobbies and carers who share them in Derby

At a glance

The eight places side by side

What each place’s own access information confirms. “Ask” means it does not say, not that it is missing.

PlaceTimeCostStep-freeToiletCafé
Derby Museum and Art GalleryCity Centrean hour or twoFreeAskAskAsk
Museum of Making at Derby Silk MillCity Centrean hour or twoFreeAskAskAsk
Pickford's HouseFriar Gatean hour or twoFreeAskAskAsk
Derby CathedralCity Centrean hour or twoFreePartlyYesAsk
Markeaton ParkMarkeatonhalf a dayFreeYesAskYes
Darley ParkDarley Abbeyan hour or twoFreeAskAskAsk
Derby ArboretumNormantonan hour or twoFreeAskAskAsk
Allestree ParkAllestreean hour or twoFreeAskAskAsk

Where the places are in Derby

The county’s boundary, numbered as on this page, with the main towns for reference.

12345678
  1. 1Derby Museum and Art Gallery, City Centre
  2. 2Museum of Making at Derby Silk Mill, City Centre
  3. 3Pickford's House, Friar Gate
  4. 4Derby Cathedral, City Centre
  5. 5Markeaton Park, Markeaton
  6. 6Darley Park, Darley Abbey
  7. 7Derby Arboretum, Normanton
  8. 8Allestree Park, Allestree

What it costs

What a day out with a carer costs in Derby

Carers in Derby charge £19 to £22 an hour through PrimeCarers, typically £20, with our fee included. A four-hour outing is about £80 for the carer’s time. Entry, food and parking are extra, and travel costs are only payable if you agree them with the carer in advance, in writing. The cost of home care in Derby has the full figures.

Photographs on this page are from Wikimedia Commons, credited under each one.

Questions

Questions families ask about days out in Derby

Derby Museum and Art Gallery in City Centre, Museum of Making at Derby Silk Mill in City Centre, Pickford's House in Friar Gate, Derby Cathedral in City Centre, Markeaton Park in Markeaton, Darley Park in Darley Abbey, Derby Arboretum in Normanton and Allestree Park in Allestree. Each has its own section on this page with what its access information confirms, the cost and how long to allow.

The access information for Markeaton Park describes a step-free route. Derby Cathedral has an accessible toilet. Access changes, so ring ahead about anything your parent depends on.

Derby Museum and Art Gallery, Museum of Making at Derby Silk Mill, Pickford's House, Derby Cathedral, Markeaton Park, Darley Park, Derby Arboretum and Allestree Park. Parking is often charged even where entry is free.

Yes. A companion carer can drive your parent there, walk at their pace, help with the toilet and meals, and bring them home. 37 of the carers with a rate near Derby drive. Visits are booked by the hour, typically £20 an hour here with our fee included. Companionship care in Derby shows who is available.

Often. Many attractions let a carer or companion in free, or at a reduced price, with a disabled visitor, and some ask for proof such as a letter or a benefit award. It varies, so check each place’s access or prices page before you go.

Where the nearest carers live

From the profiles of the carers based within about 45 minutes of Derby

Where the nearest carers live. A carer close to home can manage a longer day out.

Companionship care in the counties around Derby

Days out in the areas around Derby

Find a carer who could take them out in Derby

See carers near Derby who drive, with their photos, interests, rates and reviews. Talking to them is free and nothing is booked until you say so.

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