Here to help
Accessibility
Nottingham Castle Museum and Grounds would like to make visiting as accessible as possible for all of our visitors.
Find lots of information below to help you plan your visit and answer any questions you may have.
Can’t find the answer you’re looking for? Email nottingham.castle@nottinghamcity.gov.uk or call 0115 8763100
General for all
Nottingham Castle Museum is accessible across all floors with lift access. The site and grounds is of a historic nature so visitors are requested to take care at all times on uneven surfaces and take note of access information available.
Carers are free with a paying visitor.
Accessible toilets are available in the Museum & Gallery and the Visitor Centre 10 am and 5 pm.
A ‘Changing Places’ toilet and height-adjustable bench; we ask people to bring their own slings and register before use at the Visitor Centre. The facility is locked and the key is available from the attendant in the Visitor Centre.
Wheelchairs are available for use on the site.
Assistance dogs are welcome in the museums, café, shop, park & gardens. Puppies in assistance dog training are welcome in the museum & Visitor Centre as long as they are house trained. Access to drinking water available to assistance dogs outside the visitor centre and outside the Museum & Gallery.
We have created a visual story, which you can access here which provides written and visual information about all elements of the main site to help you to prepare for your day. Hard copies of these are also available at the Visitor Centre. Nottingham Castle Visual Story
For accessible accommodation in the local area, see our Tourism partner: visit-nottinghamshire.co.uk/plan-a-visit/accessibility/accessible-accommodation-in-nottinghamshire
Level access & Lift access
Lift access to all floors of the Museum & Galleries.
Free mobility parking (with Blue Badge) to be arranged in advance, please contact us to arrange (subject to availability).
Our lift is located in the main building, accessed via all floors providing access to all galleries. Any queries locating, please speak to our team member in the gallery, or in the café.
Our internal lift numbers each floor and provides access to all public floors.
The cave tours operate with step only access – there is not a lift for this facility, due to the historical nature of the site.
Stairs typically feature on tour routes. Any accessible tours need to be booked in advance of visit.
Our cafes are accessible to wheelchair users.
Wheelchairs are available for use on the site.
Hearing
Induction loop access is available at each reception point, Visitor Centre, shop & cafe.
Signage that is icon led is visible throughout the Castle site.
Visual
Glass doors and full-height windows have contrast markings, or displayed signage.
The walls and the doors have high colour contrast.
Signage that is icon led is visible throughout Nottingham Castle.
Braille guides are available for the first floor galleries.
You may also find it useful to refer to our Visual Story document. NC Visual Story
Website accessibility
We are committed to providing a website that adheres to web accessibility standards and is accessible to as many people as possible.
Our website adheres to an AA standard, and we continually work to develop and improve it in terms of structure, navigation and search for easy findability of information.
For more information about what’s on at Nottingham Castle, please see www.nottinghamcastle.org.uk/whats-on
To help plan your visit, please see www.nottinghamcastle.org.uk/visit
Staff training
Staff are trained to work with visitors that may have assistance needs, or may require a carer. They are also trained to be aware of the measures needed to facilitate these needs. If you would like to discuss or make us aware of your visit before arrival, please do contact us and our team will be happy to assist.
Sensory Information
Several of our galleries have audio visual displays and immersive environments, including sounds and large screens. To support visitors with lower sensory thresholds we have created the following sensory maps to indicate which areas may pose a challenge.
Sensory-Map1-Lower-and-Upper-Basement this area contains potentially challenging spaces. To avoid these galleries please enter the museum at the ground floor entrance at the top of the hill.
Bloomberg Connects
Introducing the Bloomberg Connects app that Nottingham Castle now features on. This offers a free guide to the best art exhibitions and museums, which you can explore from the comfort of your home!
Uncover the stories behind the exhibitions and meet the artists with Bloomberg Connects app