What’s on
MONOPOLY is totally taking over the city with a number of additional activities to enjoy.
11:00
12:00
14:00
15:00
Meet MR. MONOPOLY
Life-sized MR. MONOPOLY is paying a special visit to the city to mark the start of MONOPOLY Leeds Takeover and there’s the chance to come along to capture a selfie with him. Simply pop along to Trinity Leeds, strike a pose and take your very own photo.
Thu 1 Aug: 13:00-15:00
Wed 7 Aug: 10:00-12:00
Thu 8 Aug: 13:00-15:00
Wed 14 Aug: 10:00-12:00
Thu 15 Aug: 13:00-15:00
Wed 21 Aug: 10:00-12:00
Board game builders
Dive into the world of board game design in weekly craft sessions! Invent your own unique game using paper and card, create eye-catching boards and make up your own rules. Personalise a jigsaw, make your own Ludo board or create your own game from scratch with a dice to match!
Sat-Sun: 11:00-17:00
*open Bank Holiday Mon: 11:00-17:00
Token treasure hunt
Embark on a nostalgic journey celebrating classic board game tokens in our summer trail! Search Leeds City Museum for oversized game pieces, from the MONOPOLY top hat to a 12-sided die!
*please go to mathscity.co.uk to find summer opening times
Go directly to MathsCity
Throughout the summer holidays you can play MONOPOLY maths games at MathsCity. Win MONOPOLY money as you explore the wonderful world of chance. Can you stack the odds in your favour with some maths on your side? Roll the dice and find out.
There will be plenty to see and do with over 40 fascinating hands-on exhibits, puzzles and brand new interactivities.
Tickets are available online now – visitor numbers are limited to allow everyone to enjoy the experience, so we recommended booking in advance. Ticket prices start at £7.20.
13:00
Bank of England storytelling sessions
The Bank of England is delighted to take part in MONOPOLY Leeds Takeover and will be stationed in the children’s area in Waterstones. We will have a range of activities available including interactive storytelling sessions for children aged 5-11. Deep beneath the Bank of England there is a vault full of gold. Impenetrable they say…no gold has ever been stolen… but does that mean that no one has ever broken in? This is the tale of a gold vault break-in. Could it be true or is it a work of fiction… join our storytelling session and we’ll let you decide. Children will also be to have their photographs taken with giant banknotes and explore a selection of banknotes from the past.
Sat- Sun: 11:00-17:00
*open Bank Holiday Mon: 11:00-17:00
Waddingtons blue plaque
One of the city’s famous blue plaques is commemorating that the first ever game of MONOPOLY played in the UK was in Leeds.
Helping tell the story of Leeds’s link to MONOPOLY, the plaque is to be placed at the former home of Norman Victor Watson, the then Managing Director and, later, Chairman of John Waddington Ltd, who resided at Layton Grange in Horsforth. He was the first person to play MONOPOLY in the UK before it was launched with London landmarks in 1936 by Waddingtons.
Not officially unveiled until September, the plaque is on public display in Leeds City Museum as part of its Waddingtons and the MONOPOLY story display.
Leeds Civic Trust blue plaques mark the heritage and legacy of the city, commemorating its people, events and buildings; each plaque telling a story which shapes the history of Leeds.
Tue 30 Jul: 13:00-15:00
Tue 13 Aug: 10:00-12:00
Tue 13 Aug: 13:00-15:00
Board game workshops
Cards or Die is passionate about bringing people together with board games. They’ll be bringing a massive selection of games along to Leeds City Museum. With retro and vintage games as well as modern classics, there’lll be something for all ages – from competitive to collaborative. Join them for the day or just pop in for a short while. Feel free to pop down on your own too – you can play a solo game or join with others.
Sat-Sun: 11:00-17:00
*open Bank Holiday Mon: 11:00-17:00
Waddingtons and the MONOPOLY story display
Putting the spotlight on a major Leeds-rooted brand which became known across the world, the fun and educational display features a number of special exhibits, many donated by the Watson family, who had a three-generation connection with the company spanning 80 years.
From 1890 trade cards and playing cards made for HLM Queen Elizabeth II in the 1970s to MONOPOLY board games including an original 1935 edition, a 1940s wartime set (some of these were secretly modified to help POWs escape), a 1960s deluxe set with silver and gold cast tokens, and one of the 1990 MONOPOLY Leeds limited editions along with a bootleg 1950s Spanish version of MONOPOLY “La Paz”. There is also the inclusion of other iconic Waddingtons games such as Cluedo and Scoop as well as an assortment of MONOPOLY merchandise for the 1980s/90s.
Sat-Sun: 10:00-16:00
Wagon lifting hoist mini museum
Located in the Grade II listed landmark lifting tower – one of the last remaining parts of the original Leeds Central Station – the Wagon Lifting Hoist Mini Museum celebrates Leeds’ rich industrial heritage with an exhibit of artefacts spanning the station’s more than century long history, including photography and films capturing the memories of those who once worked at the station.