Click here to view a map of the museum.

Open Monday, 11am*- 5pm and Tuesday – Sunday, 10am – 5pm

*During the school holidays, we are open from 10am on Mondays.

Please note that on Monday 12 October, Tuesday 13 October and Wednesday 14 October, parts of the Debtors prison will be closed due to scheduled maintenance. Please speak to a member of staff about accessibility. 

Pre-booking on Saturdays and during school holidays advised.

Admission

Can I cancel my booking? 

We will issue a full refund if:

• If you have booked the wrong time and date but have rebooked with a new time we will refund the booking made in error

We are unable to offer refunds for:

• Late arrivals / missed visits
• Tickets booked for the wrong date without proof of a second booking

Please see our latest risk assessment here.

Bags and Luggage

For reasons of safety and security, we may undertake on-arrival bag searches. We encourage you to limit the number and size of personal belongings and bags brought on-site.

Please note that large luggage and bags cannot be taken onto the museum’s galleries, and that all wheeled luggage must be carried. We don’t have any facilities to hold luggage and bags when visiting the site.

Café

Our café is run by an independent partner and serves drinks, cakes, and cold sandwiches. It is open from 10:00am-4:000pm everyday.

If bringing in your own food, there is a lunch room subject to availability. Please speak to a member of staff to check availability on the day.

How to Find Us

Eye of York, York, YO1 9RY (If you are using a SatNav, please enter this alternative postcode – YO1 9WD)

York Castle Museum is in the centre of York, close to Clifford’s Tower and the Coppergate Shopping Centre.

Parking & Public Transport

York Castle Museum takes approximately 20 to 25 minutes to walk to from York Railway Station – follow the green pedestrian signs to the ‘Castle Area’.

Bicycle racks are located to the left of the main entrance.

The nearest bus stop is on Tower Street where the number 3 bus stops. This is within 150m (164yds) of the museum. There are several other bus stops nearby. For more information visit www.itravelyork.info/buses.

There is no dedicated on-site parking available. You might also want to make use of the city’s park and ride service.

The nearest car park is the pay and display Castle car park, next to Clifford’s Tower. It has 318 spaces, including 30 dedicated bays for Blue Badge holders.

For more car parking information visit Parking directory – City of York Council.

Accessibility

The main entrance area is fully accessible. The museum is divided in half, one building over three floors and one over two, linked by several staircases. There are handrails on all the stairs and seating is available around the museum.

The ground floor is fully accessible on one side of the building, which includes York Castle Prison and The Sixties exhibitions. The Victorian Street, which takes up the other side of the ground floor, is accessible via a wheelchair ramp.

The upper floors of the left-hand side of the building are unfortunately not wheelchair accessible – this includes the Secrets of the Dress, Art of Motion exhibition and Period Room displays.

A lift provides access to the upper floors on the right-hand side of the building, which includes the 1914: When the World Changed Forever exhibition. Please note that due to fire evacuation requirements, the exhibition can only allow access to two wheelchair users at a time.

The exercise yard outside the back of the museum close to the York Castle Prison area is fully accessible, this includes our Mill and Riverside area’

Click here for more information on accessibility.

Toilets

There are two main toilet facilities in the museum both on the ground floor. These can be found on the Victorian Street and also near the Prison Cells. There is one accessible toilet in this area with baby changing facilities.

Families

Pushchairs cannot be taken into galleries. A ‘buggy park’ and a choice of baby carriers are available free of charge. It is requested that pushchairs are folded in order to allow more space for other visitors’ pushchairs. Bags and coats should not be left with pushchairs. For more information please visit our Families page.

We are signed up to the National Breastfeeding Network and all of our sites are breastfeeding friendly. 

Animals 

Please see our Access page for more information.

Photography and Filming

• Personal Use Only: Photography and video recordings are permitted for personal, non-commercial purposes​ only.
• No Commercial, Business, or Promotional Use: Any filming or photography intended for commercial, business, or promotional purposes-including social media influencers, bloggers, and content creations requires prior written permission from the museum​.
• No Flash, Selfie Sticks or Tripods: To protect our exhibits and ensure a safe environment, flash photography, selfie sticks and tripods, and other professional equipment are not allowed without prior approval.
• Media and Special Requests: Journalists, filmmakers or commercial/wedding photographers must contact us in advance to arrange permission and discuss any applicable fees​.
• Respect Other Visitors and Privacy Policy: Please be mindful of other guests and avoid blocking pathways or disrupting the museum experience. Visitors must ensure they have explicit permission before photographing or filming individuals or members of staff, including groups and school visits. Please do not take photos or videos of children who are not part of your own group. If a visitor is unwilling to follow these guidelines, museum staff may report their concern to a safeguarding lead or senior staff member. York Castle Museum reserves the right to refuse entry or ask individuals to leave if their photography or filming is deemed inappropriate by museum staff.​

For information on publishing images of our collection and building please contact our Enquiries department. We also offer copyright-free images via our online collections.

Support York Museums Trust

Our collections are of national and international importance, and our museum welcomes thousands of visitors each year.

York Museums Trust is a registered charity set up to care for the city’s art and heritage and develop them for future generations.

Donations, endowments and bequests of any size are welcomed – any gift makes a difference.

For more information, or to make a donation, please visit our Donations page.

Visiting York

For more information on visiting York please click here to view the Visit York Visitor Guide.

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