National Emergency Services Museum

What it’s like

Climb into old fire engines and ambulances, try on a uniform, and poke round Victorian police cells across three floors.

This is a museum built for climbing into things rather than just looking at them. Kids get to sit inside historic fire engines and ambulances, try on real uniforms, and push buttons on the interactive displays dotted through the ten exhibitions. There's a 45 foot RNLI lifeboat to gawp at and a section on what it was like fighting fires during the Sheffield Blitz, which is the sort of thing that actually sticks with a seven or eight-year-old.

The Victorian Police Cells are the obvious highlight to save for last, though right now they're only reachable by stairs while the main policing exhibition is closed for building restoration. That's a genuine faff if you've got a buggy or anyone who can't do steps, and the site is upfront that wheelchair access is limited in parts of the historic building generally. A reduced ticket price for wheelchair users is a fair nod to that, even if it doesn't fix the stairs problem.

It's open Wednesday to Sunday, plus bank holiday Mondays, 10 till 4 with last entry at 3, so you're not going to rush this in twenty minutes but you're also not stuck there all day. £9.50 for an adult and £7.50 for a child aged 3 to 15 isn't pocket change, though the family ticket at £26.50 softens it a bit, and there's a nice touch where you can upgrade your day ticket to a full annual one for free on the day you visit. There's a café on site for drinks and a bit of cake if energy flags halfway round.

You don't need to book, walk-ups are fine and you pay on the day, though they suggest booking ahead online if you're going at a busy time. Worth bearing in mind the museum does shut occasionally for maintenance or events.

Facilities

Need to know

Best for

3 to 12, with plenty for the adults to read too

Last entry

15:00

Booking

Online in advance recommended at busy times, but walk-ups accepted

Food

On-site café offering hot and cold drinks and handmade treats

Wheelchairs

Reduced ticket price available

Worth knowing

Upgrade entry ticket to annual year ticket valid for 12 months at no extra cost on day of visit

• The main policing exhibition is shut for building restoration, so the police cells section is reduced for now
• Last entry is 3pm even though the museum closes at 4
• 999 staff get in for £5.50, same as wheelchair users
• The annual ticket upgrade only works if you do it on your visit day, not afterwards

Plan your visit

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