Clifton House
ENTRY
from £14
WHERE
Belfast
What it’s like
A guided or self-guided walk through a working Belfast heritage building, telling the story of Mary Ann McCracken and the old Poor House.
This is a proper history visit rather than a wander-in attraction. Clifton House is still a working building, so you book ahead for a guided tour or the self-guided Mary Ann's Poor House Tales audio and AR tour, which runs about 30 minutes and suits anyone who'd rather explore at their own pace. The guided version goes deeper into the Poor House, Mary Ann McCracken and Clifton Street Cemetery, and it's a longer commitment at around two hours, mostly on your feet with a seated rest break built in.
At £15 (£14 concession) for the walking tour, it's priced like a proper guided experience rather than a quick look round, and that fits given the amount of ground it covers. School groups get their own hour-long curriculum-linked tours for up to 30 pupils, which is worth knowing if you're weighing this up for a class trip rather than a family day out.
There's step-free access via the rear entrance, a lift to the first floor, and an accessible bathroom on the ground floor, though the site is upfront that limited floor space near the first floor bathroom makes parts of the building unsuitable for wheelchair users. Parking is free onsite, but accessible bays are limited. There's no food or drink inside the building itself, which is fair enough for a listed heritage site but means you'll want to eat before or after rather than mid-visit.
Facilities
Need to know
- Parking
- Free onsite parking available
- Wheelchairs
- Step-free access via rear entrance with drop-off area
- Getting there by bus or train
- Short walk from Stop 19 on Hop On Hop Off Belfast sightseeing bus
- Booking is essential, there's no drop-in access as it's a working building
- Give at least two days' notice if you need accessibility assistance
- The guided tour has a built-in 30 minute seated rest break
- No food or drink allowed inside during talks or tours
Plan your visit
Can we just turn up?
No, you need to book ahead. As a working building, Clifton House does not do drop-in visits.
How much does it cost?
The Mary Ann McCracken walking tour is £15, or £14 concession.
How long does a visit take?
The self-guided audio and AR tour is about 30 minutes. The guided walking tour runs around two hours, with 90 minutes of walking and standing and a 30 minute seated break.
Is there parking?
Free onsite parking is available, though accessible bays are limited.
Is it wheelchair accessible?
There's step-free access via the rear entrance, a lift to the first floor and an accessible bathroom, but limited floor space near the first floor bathroom makes some areas unsuitable for wheelchair users. Give them at least two days' notice if you need assistance.
Can we get food there?
There are no food or drink services within the building, and they ask that you don't eat or drink during a talk or tour.
Do you organise school visits?
Email them with your class age and size. Tours last about an hour and take up to 30 pupils.
What's the guided tour actually about?
It covers the Poor House, the story of Mary Ann McCracken and Clifton Street Cemetery.
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