Things to do in Derby

Theatre and arts

Derby has had a variety of theatres, notably the Grand Theatre, which was built in 1886 and operated until 1950. This took the place of the previous Theatre Royal.

QUAD is an art and film centre that established in 2008. The structure has two cinema screens that play independent and mainstream films, two gallery spaces that house contemporary visual arts, a digital studio, participation areas, digital editing suites, an artist’s studio, and the BFI Mediatheque. QUAD organises the Derby Film Festival each year, as well as the FORMAT international photography festival, which takes place every two years at various locations across the city.

Other theatres in Derby

Map showing theatres in Derby

Recreational Parks

Derby has several parks to go to. The Derby Arboretum, founded in 1840 by local benefactor Joseph Strutt, was the country’s first planned urban public park. Despite being neglected in the 1990s, it has been restored. It is said to be one of the influences for New York’s Central Park.

Other parks in Derby

Map showing parks in Derby

Shopping and Nightlife

Derby’s major shopping district is separated into three distinct sections. These are the Cathedral Quarter, St Peters Quarter, and Derbion retail centre.

The Cathedral Quarter was Derby’s first BID (Business Improvement District), and it is home to a wide variety of stores, boutiques, coffee shops, and restaurants. It is centred on the cathedral and the neighbourhoods of Irongate and Sadler Gate. It houses the Market Place, the Guildhall, and the Assembly Rooms, as well as the City Museum and the Silk Mill Industrial Museum.

Other shopping centres in Derby

Map shopping centres in Derby