The York Dungeon
BEST FOR
Ages 5+
ENTRY
from £19
SETTING
Indoors
WHERE
York
What it’s like
Ten live-actor shows walk you through York's grislier history, dark rooms, jump scares and all, in a 75-minute loop.
You get herded room to room through ten live shows, actors playing plague doctors, Vikings and worse, telling York's darker stories with proper jump scares rather than waxworks. There's no touching or chasing from the cast, but it's very dark, loud in places and the smells are deliberately unpleasant, so it's built to unsettle rather than just inform. The site recommends it for eight and up, though the actual cut-off is under-5s not allowed at all, and anyone under 16 needs an adult with them.
It's a 75-minute walkthrough and you're mostly on your feet, with seats in only three of the show rooms. That's a long stretch of standing for a family group, and worth knowing before you commit an afternoon to it. Entry is by a 15-minute time slot.
Prices sting a bit if you leave it to the day: adults jump from £19 online to £25 walking up, and kids go from £7.50 in the autumn discount window to £15 standard. Booking a group of two to five online brings it down to £54 total, which is the better route if there's a few of you going. There's also a gentler Little Peasants Walking Tour, an hour long and pram-friendly, if the main Dungeon sounds too much for younger ones but you still want the history angle.
It's all indoors, so a wet afternoon in York doesn't put you off, and there's a manual wheelchair to borrow along with stair lifts on the two flights involved. Toilets sit by the main entrance before you go in and there's an accessible one right at the end of the tour.
Facilities
Need to know
- Best for
- Recommended 8+; under-5s aren't admitted and under-16s need an adult
- Booking
- Book in advance. Reschedule free up to 24 hours before arrival
- How long to allow
- 75 minutes
- Wheelchairs
- Manual wheelchair available to borrow
- Dogs
- Assistance dogs only, though loud noises and smells may confuse them
- Tickets are non-refundable if you need to leave partway through, so factor that in with an anxious child
- Booking two to five people online as a group brings the price down to £54 total
- Ear defenders and a Hidden Disabilities lanyard scheme are available if the sensory side is a worry
- The Sept-Oct child discount to £7.50 online is worth timing your visit around if you can
Plan your visit
How much does it cost?
Adults are £19 booked online, £25 if you turn up on the day. Kids are £7.50 online in the Sept-Oct discount window, otherwise £15 standard, and a group of two to five booked online works out at £54 total.
Do we need to book ahead?
Yes, it runs on 15-minute entry slots and you book in advance. You can reschedule free up to 24 hours before you're due.
Is it suitable for young kids?
Under-5s aren't allowed in at all, and the site recommends eight and up given the jump scares, loud noises and pitch-dark rooms. Anyone under 16 has to be with an adult.
How long does it take?
About 75 minutes, walking through the ten shows. You're mostly standing, with seating in only three of the rooms.
What if my child gets scared and wants to leave partway through?
Staff can help you exit at any point, but tickets aren't refundable if you leave early. Worth having a plan for who takes a spooked kid out if it comes to that.
Is there anything gentler for younger children?
There's a separate Little Peasants Walking Tour, 60 minutes and recommended for all ages, with prams and pushchairs welcome.
Is it wheelchair accessible?
There's a manual wheelchair to borrow, one guest per hour, best booked in advance. The route involves two flights of stairs with stair lifts, max weight 120kg, and you'll need to transfer unaided.
Is it good for a rainy day?
It's all indoors, so the weather doesn't matter either way.
Where are the toilets?
Main guest toilets are by the main entrance, best used before you go in as they're a separate entrance. There's an accessible toilet right at the end of the tour, before the gift shop.
Are dogs allowed?
Assistance dogs only, and the site flags that the loud noises and mist effects can confuse them.
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