Housed within five 17th-century cottages, Brewhouse Yard tells the story of the people of Nottingham through the objects they made and owned and the stories they tell us. Sited at the base of Castle Rock near the famous Trip to Jerusalem, Britain's oldest pub, the museum depicts the social history of Nottingham over the last 300 years.

The museum is home to a mixture of reconstructed room and shop settings, with gallery displays which highlight work by local groups and individuals. The neighbouring Rock Cottage features a reconstructed Victorian schoolroom, and a system of man-made caves built into the rock houses further displays including a rebuilt air raid shelter.