The house is the headquarters of Heritage Services, which also includes the York and Lancaster Regimental Museum and Archives and Local Studies.

Clifton House was designed by John Carr of York for Joshua Walker, an industrialist involved in the manufacture of iron and steel, and completed in 1784.

[3] The house and park were purchased by the Municipal Borough of Rotherham in 1891 and the museum was first opened to the public later that year with the majority of its exhibits loaned by local people.

In 1974 the soot blackened stonework was cleaned and the museum building was extended when a roof was placed over the original open courtyard.

During this time it was twice shortlisted for the Gulbenkian Prize for Museum of the Year in 2003 and 2004, for its innovative outreach programmes, despite the building being closed to the public.

[6] The museum collections include local social and industrial history, archaeology, natural sciences, coins and medals and fine and decorative arts.

[10] In addition to the museum there is a landtrain, children's play area, mini golf, crazy golf, a sand pit, a wet splash area, a rock garden, a memorial garden, a skate park, a fun park, a bowling green, tennis courts, picnicking, walking and a bandstand.