York Castle Museum
BEST FOR
Ages 5+
ENTRY
from £8.60
SETTING
Indoors
WHERE
York
What it’s like
A recreated Victorian street and two real prisons to poke about in, best tackled with kids who can walk the whole thing themselves.
The big draw here is Kirkgate, a full Victorian street built indoors with shopfronts you can walk right into. It's the sort of thing that works better for kids who are old enough to actually look at things rather than just run at them, and the museum's own age guide backs that up at five and up. After the street there's Moorland Cottage's period rooms, a Sixties exhibition, and Secrets of Dress, but save the prisons for last. York Castle Prison and the Debtors Prison are the bit a seven or eight-year-old will still be talking about on the drive home.
Tickets aren't cheap at £18 for an adult and £10.80 for a child, though the museum does let that ticket in for free return visits over the next 12 months, which softens the blow if you're local or fancy a second go in the school holidays. Booking ahead is advised for Saturdays and holiday weeks, and honestly with a family in tow that's the sensible move rather than turning up and queuing.
One genuine faff: pushchairs aren't allowed in the galleries. There's a free buggy park and baby carriers on offer instead, so if you've got a toddler in tow as well as your five-year-old, you'll want to plan for that swap at the door. The café only runs 10.30 to 3.30, but there's a lunch room if you've brought your own sandwiches, which is worth knowing if your visit runs long either side of lunch.
There's no on-site parking, so you're looking at the pay and display Castle car park next to Clifford's Tower, or the 20 to 25 minute walk from York station if you're coming by train. Ground floor and the main entrance are fully accessible, but the upper left floors aren't, and the lift to the upper right floors only takes two wheelchairs at a time for fire safety reasons, which is worth knowing if you're a group.
Facilities
Need to know
- Best for
- 5 and up; younger kids will find the prisons more gripping than the exhibits
- Booking
- Pre-booking advised on Saturdays and during school holidays
- Parking
- No on-site parking. Nearest pay and display Castle car park with 318 spaces (30 Blue Badge bays) next to Clifford's Tower
- Food
- Café open 10:30am-3:30pm daily serves drinks, cakes and cold sandwiches
- Pushchairs
- Not allowed in galleries
- Wheelchairs
- Main entrance and ground floor fully accessible
- Getting there by bus or train
- York Railway Station 20-25 minutes walk
- Worth knowing
- Admission ticket valid for 12 months of free return visits
- Your ticket gets you free return visits for a full year, handy if you're local
- The café shuts at 3.30pm, so time lunch accordingly
- Groups of 10 or more get a discounted rate
- Picnics are allowed if you'd rather skip the café altogether
Plan your visit
How much are tickets?
£18 for an adult, £10.80 for a child aged 5 to 16. There's a reduced access concession at £9 and group rates if you're 10 or more.
Do we need to book ahead?
Booking's advised for Saturdays and school holidays. Outside of that you should be fine turning up.
What age is it suitable for?
The museum sets the minimum age at 5. It's a lot of reading and looking rather than hands-on play, so younger children may not get much out of it.
Is there parking?
No on-site parking. The nearest option is the pay and display Castle car park next to Clifford's Tower, which has 318 spaces including 30 Blue Badge bays.
Can we bring the pushchair?
Not into the galleries, no. There's a free buggy park at the entrance and baby carriers available if you need one.
What's there to eat?
The café serves drinks, cakes and cold sandwiches from 10.30am to 3.30pm. There's also a lunch room if you'd rather bring your own food.
Is it wheelchair accessible?
The main entrance and ground floor are fully accessible. Upper left floors aren't accessible at all, and the lift to the upper right floors only takes two wheelchair users at a time due to fire safety rules.
What do kids actually do there?
They walk through Kirkgate, a recreated Victorian street, then explore period rooms, a Sixties exhibition and Secrets of Dress before touring the York Castle Prison and Debtors Prison.
Can we get there by train or bus?
It's accessible by both. It's about a 20 to 25 minute walk from York Railway Station if you're going on foot.
What if we can't make our booked time?
You don't need to contact them, just turn up the same day with your original booking confirmation and they'll be flexible.
What if we can't visit on the day we booked at all?
Your tickets stay valid for 12 months from the date of your first visit, so you can use them another time.
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