Fascinating exhibits are imaginatively displayed through reconstructions of period rooms and Victorian indoor streets – complete with cobbles and a Hansom cab. There’s masses to see here – and your ticket covers you for 12 months, so come and enjoy it a bit at a time. The museum is housed in the city’s former prison and is based on an extensive collection of ‘bygones’ acquired at the beginning of the 20th century. It was one of the first folk museums to display a huge range of everyday objects in an authentic scene. The Victorian street includes a pawnbroker, a tallow candle factory and a haberdasher’s. There is even a reconstruction of the original sweet shop of the York chocolate manufacturer, Joseph Terry, for you to explore. An extensive collection of many other items ranges from musical instruments to penny-in-the-slot machines.