Wollaton Hall celebrates a century as Nottingham's own Elizabethan treasure

Few cities can claim an Elizabethan prodigy house as their local park, but Nottingham can. This year Wollaton Hall is celebrating Wollaton 100, a programme marking a century since the hall and park were sold to Nottingham Corporation.

The hall was built between 1580 and 1588 for Sir Francis Willoughby, and its design is attributed to the architect Robert Smythson. Standing on a small hill above its deer park, it remains one of the most striking buildings in the Midlands. The Corporation, now Nottingham City Council, acquired the hall in 1925, and it opened as a museum in 1926.

Since then it has been home to Nottingham's Natural History Museum. The wider Museums collection holds around 750,000 objects, from fossils and minerals to shells, taxidermy and rare specimens, including a herbarium of 100,000 pressed plants and 47,000 rocks, minerals and fossils. The bird gallery has been recreated in the style of a 1930s museum, and includes two Shoebill specimens brought to Europe in 1850. A new Discovering Dinosaurs gallery has recently launched, while Nottingham Industrial Museum sits in the outbuildings.

The centenary has brought a busy programme. Tudor exhibitions, including Peapods and Gillyflowers: Tudor Textiles, run until 1 November 2026. The Helix Ensemble perform Harmony at the Hall on Sunday 8 November, and the Wollaton Hall organ is played on the first Saturday of each month. Earlier in October, Nottingham Civic Society chair Graham Woodward gave a talk on the story behind the sale a century ago.

Film fans may recognise the house, too. Key scenes from The Dark Knight Rises were filmed outside in 2011, with Wollaton standing in for Wayne Manor.

After its debut last Christmas, the Wollaton Winter Light Trail returns from 25 November 2026 to 3 January 2027, transforming the grounds with large-scale illuminations, a kids' funfair and marshmallow toasting. The formal gardens close from 26 October while the trail is set up.

Admission works on a pay once, visit all year basis, with adult tickets at £18 and up to three children aged 15 and under going free with each paying adult. A Rover ticket also covers Nottingham Castle and Newstead Abbey.

Opening times and bookings are on the Wollaton Hall website.