Bronte Parsonage Museum, West Yorkshire Overview

The former home of the Brontë family, this recently refurbished Georgian parsonage is a museum to Britain's greatest literary family. The Brontë sisters spent most of their lives at the parsonage, and it was there that they wrote their most famous novels. The museum, which is maintained by the Brontë Society, is packed with family memorabilia, original furniture and artefacts from the sisters' lives.

Permanent collections

The house contains period rooms decorated with original furnishings, displaying the family’s personal relics, paintings, books and manuscripts. The Brontë Parsonage Museum Library is host to a huge number of books and articles relating to the family, as well as original documents and materials. The library is open only by appointment.

Art Funded works

A drawing of Zenobia Marchioness Ellrington by Charlotte Brontë is a reminder that the eldest Brontë sister once considered a career as a visual artist. Zenobia Ellrington was a significant character in the Brontës' early work, with strong connections to the real-life Countess of Blessington, a friend of Lord Byron's whose portrait may have provided the model for Brontë's drawing.

Visitor information

Tours of the museum are self-guided, and visitors are provided with a guide leaflet on arrival. Private tours of the museum, including an opportunity to see behind the scenes and visit the museum library, are available by special arrangement.