National Tramway Museum
ENTRY
from £14
SETTING
Outdoors
WHERE
Matlock
What it’s like
Ride vintage trams down a rebuilt period street, then loose the kids in a woodland sculpture trail while you eat into a free return visit.
The main event is the tram itself. You hop on a vintage carriage and ride it along a recreated village street lined with old shopfronts and buildings that have been moved here from around the country, so it's less "museum" and more a strange little Edwardian town that happens to have working trams running through it. There's a woodland walk and sculpture trail if the kids need a change of pace, plus exhibition halls and the George Stephenson Discovery Centre for the bits that want reading rather than riding.
The site reckons on 3 to 4 hours, and that feels about right once you factor in a few tram rides, a wander through the play areas indoors and out, and the woodland trail. Booking online at least 24 hours ahead knocks the price down noticeably: £15 for a child and £24 for an adult against £16 and £26 on the day, and a family ticket comes in at £55 in advance versus £58 walking up. Parking's free with your ticket, and whatever you pay for the day gets you a free return within 12 months, which softens the sting if you only manage half the site in one go.
It's an outdoor attraction at heart, built into a hillside quarry, so most of the tram fleet isn't wheelchair accessible and a fair few Fridays are closed outside the summer season. The museum shuts entirely over winter for maintenance. A new Access Tram is due in September 2026, so if that's the deciding factor for your visit, timing matters.
Dogs are welcome on leads, and can even ride the lower deck of the trams with you, though they're not allowed in the main café or the indoor play area unless they're a service dog.
What’s on here
Facilities
Need to know
- Booking
- Advance booking (24+ hours) offers lower prices
- Parking
- Free parking included with ticket
- How long to allow
- 3-4 hours recommended
- Pushchairs
- Pushchair shelter provided at Town End while riding trams
- Wheelchairs
- Wheelchair hire available 10am-4pm
- Dogs
- Allowed on leads. Not in main café or indoor play area unless service dogs
- Getting there by bus or train
- Bus stop directly outside entrance (High Peak Buses)
- Worth knowing
- Day ticket includes free return admission for 12 months from first visit
- Pushchairs get their own shelter at Town End while you're off riding a tram
- Booking online 24 hours ahead saves a few pounds per ticket on every price band
- Group rate of £18 a head applies for parties of 10 or more adults/seniors
- Lost your annual ticket? A photo of the original or a bank statement plus a £1 admin fee gets it replaced
Plan your visit
Do we need to book ahead?
You don't have to. Booking online at least 24 hours before your visit gets you a noticeably lower price than paying on arrival.
How much does it cost?
£15 for a child and £24 for an adult if you book online in advance, or £16 and £26 on the day. A family ticket is £55 in advance, £58 on arrival.
How long should we plan for?
The site suggests 3 to 4 hours, which covers a few tram rides, the woodland trail and the play areas.
Is parking free?
Parking's included with your ticket, so there's nothing extra to find on top.
Does the ticket cover a return visit?
Your day ticket includes a free return within 12 months of your first visit.
Is it open all year?
It closes entirely over winter for maintenance, and during the spring and autumn seasons it's closed on Fridays except school holidays or the odd date like 30 October.
Can we bring the dog?
Dogs on leads are welcome around the site and can even go on the tram's lower deck, though they're kept out of the main café and indoor play area unless they're service dogs.
Is it wheelchair accessible?
There are ramps, lifts and disabled toilets, but most of the heritage tram fleet can't take wheelchairs. A new Access Tram is due to launch in September 2026.
Can I hire a wheelchair on site?
Wheelchair hire runs 10am to 4pm, but you need to book it the day before.
Do you offer any discounts?
Blue Light and NHS cardholders get roughly 10% off, but only on arrival, not with advance booking. There's also a Derbyshire Days Out discount of 10% on arrival tickets.
How do we get there without a car?
There's a bus stop right outside the entrance on the High Peak Buses route, and the nearest train station is Whatstandwell, about a mile away and uphill.
Also on site
George Stephenson Discovery Centre
Red Lion Pub
Pub on site offering snacks, hot drinks, cask ales and bottled beers and soft drinks; dogs welcome on ground floor.
Tram Depots
Workshop Viewing Gallery
Areas to explore
Indoor Exhibitions
indoorsA journey through the history of trams, taking in horse, steam and electric trams, including inventions of Michael Holroyd Smith.
Indoor and Outdoor Play Areas
Play areas included with admission; indoor play area not accessible to dogs.
Outdoors at the Museum
outdoorsSculpture trail and outdoor space with views, includes Woodland Walk & Sculpture Trail.
Tramway Street
outdoorsRecreated period street including a pub and shops.
Wakebridge Displays
Woodland Walk & Sculpture Trail
outdoors
Rides
Ride the Trams
outdoorsVintage trams transport visitors along the traditional village street into open countryside with views of the Derwent Valley.
Experiences
Tram Driving Experience
Drive a vintage tram along a mile of scenic track with instructor and guard, including guard duties; runs on Fridays during spring and autumn when museum is closed to public. Costs £440.
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