The Bobeam Tree

An art gallery exhibition space with colourful walls showing a range of artworks and objects. At the rear of the gallery is a lifelike tree with multicoloured leaves.

Discover a magical world of interactive discovery for 0–5-year-olds and their grown-ups.

The Bobeam Tree is a magical tree, which – as the story goes – grows when surrounded by children’s curiosity, play, thoughts and feelings. This special Tree needs your imagination and curiosity to flourish at the Millennium Gallery this summer. Immerse yourselves in a world of wonder as you play, learn and explore together through stories and activities inspired by Sheffield’s museum collections.

The Tree began as a special trail opened by Her Royal Highness The Princess of Wales at the National Portrait Gallery in London in 2025 and is now continuing to grow in different museums and galleries around the UK. In each setting, interactive exhibitions and experiences around the Tree help babies and young children connect with museum and gallery collections, and nurture social and emotional skills.

At the Millennium Gallery young imaginations will be sent soaring by over 70 objects from the city’s collection. Discover a host of artworks spanning people, animals and places –including works by Gillian Ayres, Patrick Caulfield and Godfrey Sykes. You’ll also find unusual birds and animals from the city’s Natural Science collection, as well as clothes, toys and other objects from across the decades.

The Bobeam Tree comes to Sheffield in partnership with The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood and the National Portrait Gallery.

Everything we do is made possible by you – please donate £5 to help tell stories that connect people with their history, the world around them and each other.