How should I prepare my pupils/students for their visit?

The Museum is quite large and can be overwhelming for some pupils/students. We’ll give everyone a warm welcome and assure them that we’ll be looking after them with their teachers and adult helpers throughout the day.

Related FAQs

Please find directions here.

We have a drop-off points at the front and side of the Museum. Coaches and minibuses should be parked in the car park at the rear of the Museum.

Groups usually arrive between 9:30am and 10am and leave around 2pm. If you’re coming from further away we can look at alternative start times and flex to your needs. The Museum is open from 10am and closes at 5:30pm from April to September, 4:30pm from October to the end of March.

Our Education Centre will be your base for the day. Here you can leave bags, have a break, and eat your lunch. There’s also a toilet here too. This space is away from other Museum visitors, but we cannot guarantee that it will be secured, therefore we recommend that valuables are not left in the area.

Café 750 is open from 10am to 4.30pm and sells drinks, sandwiches, pasties and cakes so perfect for a light lunch. If you’d like to use Café 750, please let us know during the booking process.

The Museum has a large gift shop including many gifts for under £5. Please let us know if you would like a shop visit timetabled into your trip.

Photography is allowed in the Museum, but are permitted only for personal, non-commercial use. We won't take any photographs of you or your students unless you have agreed this as part of your visit.

Once the booking is confirmed, cancellations will incur a charge of 50% of the cost of the booking to cover our costs in resourcing activities. Contact the Education Team if you wish to cancel your visit.

We strongly recommend that you organise a visit to the Museum in advance of your trip to familiarise yourself and undertake any assessments. Visits are free for members of staff that will be accompanying the group on the day. Normal admission charges apply for family members or guests. Please let us know if you’d like to visit in advance during the booking process.

Please let us know at the time of booking if any of your pupils have additional needs and we can discuss how we can adapt our workshops/tours and understand their needs.

Our Access Statement and Sensory Map can be found here.

Please let us know at the time of booking if any of your pupils have additional needs and we can discuss how we can adapt our workshops/tours and understand their needs.

Our Access Statement and Sensory Map can be found here.

We’re happy to invoice your group after your visit. Please let us have the contact details for your finance or admin team during the booking process. We also accept payment by cash, cheque, and credit/debit cards on the day.