The Hull History Centre opened in 2010 as a joint venture between Hull City Council, the University of Hull, and the local archive services. It combines the city archives, the university's special collections, and the local studies library in a single research building on Worship Street. The collections include medieval charters, the original Wilberforce papers, and the archives of Philip Larkin from his three decades as university librarian.
You can visit without booking; the public reading room is open most weekdays. Free permanent and rotating exhibitions tell stories from the collections — particularly strong on the city's medieval trade and on slavery abolition. The building is a five-minute walk from Queen's Gardens.