Derby’s identity was shaped over 300 years influenced by the Enlightenment, a period of scientific, philosophical, and artistic development. That spirit of creativity and invention resonates throughout the city today. The culture break campaign Enlighten Yourself. Make it Derby. celebrates the city’s rich history and its legacy of making.

Enlighten Yourself. Make it Derby.

Come and stay in Derby and discover the museums’ unrivalled collections across three sites, Museum of Making, Museum and Art Gallery and Pickfords’ House.

Museum of Making. Image by Visit Derby.

Meet the Makers

Meet the makers at one of the city’s markets. On the first Saturday of the month Banks Mill hosts the Monthly Makers Market where you can buy handmade pieces directly from the people who make them. Derby Market Hall is a flagship dining, retail and events destination showcasing modern street food alongside a changing programme of traditional and contemporary stalls providing everything from fresh local produce to vintage clothing.

Vanessa Smith of The Velvet Village at Banks Mill Studios. Image by Jen Mason.

The region hosts distilleries, screen printing studios, jewellery and fashion designers alongside the luxury heritage brands of John Smedley Knitwear and Denby Pottery where you can experience for yourself how these products are crafted and even have a go at throwing a pot.

Throw a pot at Denby Pottery Village

Explore our Itinerary

Looking for a culture break? The museums are only part of Derby’s culture story and we have put together an itinerary for you, so you can discover the wealth of creative energy in the city and beyond in the surrounding villages.

Derby is the most centrally located city in the UK on the edge of the Peak District National Park. It’s easy to get to – less than two hours from London and Manchester by train. Heritage, culture, and nature all meet here.

We have taken the leg work out of planning a travel break. Enlighten Yourself. Make it Derby. Itinerary. Explore our itinerary and book a stay.

Year of Wright

There has never been a better time to visit Derby. Derby Museums is celebrating a Year of Wright. This will see a new exhibition, Life on Paper, at the Museum and Art Gallery alongside a major exhibition Wright of Derby: From the Shadows opening at the National Gallery in London this autumn.

The National Gallery show will be the first major exhibition dedicated to the British artist’s candlelight paintings and features several of his masterpieces. It will explore how Wright conjures these sublime pictures of discovery and learning through the interplay of light and darkness. Derby Museums will be loaning a total of 17 artworks.

The touring exhibition will arrive at Derby Museum and Art Gallery in 2026 reuniting two of Wright’s most famous works, An Experiment on a Bird in the Air Pump (1768) and A Philosopher giving that Lecture on the Orrery in which a lamp is put in place of the Sun (1766), in his hometown for the first time in almost 80 years.

With plenty of places to unwind, it makes sense to book into one of the city’s chic apartments or hotels. Derby Museums can offer our visitors a discount code with Leonardo Hotels in the city centre. If you book between Thursday and Sunday you will be entitled to 15% off the best available price.

With places to unwind like BEAR

We would like to thank our partners and Arts Council England for supporting this campaign.