Events

Vagrants, tramps, rogues and vagabonds, beggars: the 'houseless poor' have regularly been the target of government legislation and police attention.  Ripon Museum's current exhibition explores vagrancy during the Victorian period within the workhouse, prison and court systems, and examines the realities of homelessness today.

Visit all three museums and look out for the logo to trace the story of historic and contemporary homelessness. 

• In the Workhouse Museum, visit the vagrants' cells to explore the realities of life for vagrants, including their food, clothing and work.
• In the Magistrate's Room of the Courthouse Museum, read the stories of vagrants tried in the courthouse before tracing the history of vagrancy laws in the Courtroom.
• In Gallery 3 of the Prison & Police Museum, discover how vagrants were treted by the police and how they were punished.

Entry to this exhibition is included within usual admission prices - our special combined ticket gives entry to all three museums for 12 months.