Well maintained park with ruins of saint Mary's abbey in it and also York museum and another building called the hospitium which is sometimes used for weddings and craft fairs,as well as a small astronomy observatory which has been open to the public on on occasion. There are several entrances to the park, one on lendal an another on at Mary's with others next to to the river, though these can be locked when the river is in flood. The gardens are a good spot any time of year to sit and watch the squirrels though some areas do get muddy. Open all year round apart from new year's day, there is a coffee kiosk near the entrance at lendal and occasionally a bird of prey stand there. dogs are to be kept on a lead at all times and drinking alcohol is not permitted although at the moment there is a thors tipi tent bar there for Christmas.