1. The Forum
The Forum was an especially commissioned £65 million project for the East of England to celebrate the new millennium, designed by Sir Michael Hopkins, who has designed a number of other award-winning buildings including Norwich Cathedral Refectory. Throughout the year an exciting and varied programme of events are staged, including outdoor cinema and opera, music, art exhibitions, craft markets and children’s school holiday activities.
Don’t miss Fusion - a giant digital gallery (the largest in Europe) where you can see 12 months of short films and stories about all manner of topics including archive footage about Norwich. Come in and sit comfortably, children are always very welcome.
2. The Mustard Shop & Museum
The Mustard Shop and Museum is the only one of its kind in the world and can be found in the art deco Royal Arcade in the centre of Norwich. This Victorian shop and museum tells the story of Colman’s mustard milling from its small beginnings at Bawburgh Mill over 200 years ago to the international business of today. Many archive items are on display with photographs and descriptions from the past on storyboards around the walls.
Also available are many items of memorabilia to buy that also include fifteen different varieties of speciality mustards plus Mustard Chocolate and Chocolate Mustard!
3. Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts
At the Sainsbury Centre see modern art including works by Pablo Picasso and Edgar Degas, and world art spanning 5,000 years of human creativity.
Admission is free to the permanent exhibition and children are welcome plus the building is surrounded by a lake and beautiful parkland again, all free to visitors. In the grounds you will find works by Henry Moore.
The Sainsbury Centre itself is a world-class Norman Foster building and extremely fascinating to walk around. There is a year round programme of exhibitions and special exhibitions most of which are free of charge.
The Modern at the Sainsbury Centre opened this year offering more space, a sculpture garden, bar and restaurant.
4. Plantation Garden
The Plantation Garden is a grade II English Heritage registered garden established 143 years ago in an abandoned chalk quarry some 600 yards from the city centre. It comprises nearly 3 acres and includes; a huge gothic fountain, flower beds, lawns, Italianate terrace, 'Medieval' terrace wall, woodland walkways, a 10 metre long Victorian-style greenhouse and rustic bridge.
This garden is the perfect place to visit for a picnic or with the children or even if you just need some quiet time to yourself - you will find it hard to believe you are in the heart of a bustling city centre. In the summer tea and cakes are available on Sunday afternoons. All money raised goes towards the upkeep of the garden.
Entrance costs only £2 via an honesty box.
5. Blue Badge Walking Tours in Norwich
Join one of the fully trained Blue Badge Guides on a fascinating Walking Tour of the City. It seems that there is nothing these guides do not know! Whether you are a local or a visitor these tours are entertaining and interesting. Probably one of the best ways to spend 90 minutes in Norwich! Tours cost just £4 per adult and £1.50 for children and there are many to choose from. Tours run from Easter to September although private tours can be booked all year round.
SPECIAL OFFER book 2 different tours at the same time and get them for £5 total - that's a saving of £3!
6. Historical Buildings
Norwich is bursting at the seams with historical buildings – over 1,500 of them in fact. Some can be visited and explored for free. This includes; Norwich Cathedral (donations welcome), Cathedral of St John the Baptist, St Peter Mancroft, The Assembly House, The Forum, Marble Hall – Surrey House, The Halls, The Guildhall, City Hall plus numerous medieval churches.
Keep your diary open during the first week of September when Heritage Open Days comes to Norwich. Outside of London, Norwich hosts the most events and many of them are free. Don’t miss the opportunity to see buildings such as The Great Hospital which throughout the year is closed to visitors as it is still a hospital of care.
7. Free exhibitions
Norwich has a fine tradition of turning out some great artists, and this is reflected in the number of galleries you can visit.
Watch out for the events programme at The Assembly House, The Forum, The Gallery at The University College of the Arts and The Old Skating Rink where you will find regularly changing year round free entrance exhibitions and arts collections to view.
Visit exhibitions showcasing local Norfolk artists to visiting programmes from names such as The Tate. The University College of the Arts (NUCA) is especially interesting as works of art in varying themes are available from the students. And don't forget the permanent exhibition including Picasso at The Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts located at The University of East Anglia.
8. Gardens and Green Spaces
Norwich is surrounded by superb Norfolk countryside, but there are also over 150 green spaces within the city itself, including 23 parks, 59 natural areas and nature reserves and 10 kilometres of riverside walks. Many are free to enjoy, take yourself off to the Cathedral Gardens, Chapelfield Gardens and Eaton Park where you will find great places to picnic, walk and enjoy such things as bandstand concerts, a boating lake and children’s play areas.
Find secret gardens, heritage gardens, parks, activity centres and places to relax and unwind. The imaginative planting of trees, shrubs, flowers and landscaping led Norwich to be a 2005 finalist in the Royal Horticultural Society’s Britain in Bloom Campaign.
10. Whitlingham Country Park
Whitlingham Country Park is only a couple of miles outside of Norwich and is the ‘Gateway to The Broads’. If you walk or take public transport entry is free if you take the car then there is a small charge of £4 to park for the day. At the park you can walk for miles, take nature trail walks and cycle trails through woods and meadows on the edge of the River Yare.
With over 280 acres of beautiful countryside this is a perfect spot for walkers, cyclists, birdwatchers and family outings. The park has cycle paths, a picnic meadow, and a visitors centre with a café, information point and toilet facilities. If you want to get out onto the water try sailing, windsurfing, canoeing and sculling at Whitlingham Outdoor Education Centre.