Schools: What to see and do on a visit | National Railway Museum

Bring learning to life with a visit to the museum and discover inspiring objects and stories.

Bookings are now open for school visits on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 9 June to 23 July.

Our offer has been adapted to ensure the safety of all visitors and adhere to government guidance.

Looking to book a visit next academic year? Sign up to our learning newsletter to be contacted when more dates become available.

What will my visit look like?

Explore the museum at your leisure. There is plenty to see and do—scroll down to plan your visit.

Download our activity sheets to provide a focus for questioning and discovery (or you are welcome to bring your own).

Key information before you request your visit

Schools self-guided visits are currently only available on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays at 11.00—see the Scheduled Dates section below
We can accommodate up to 40 people in the same bubble (students and accompanying adults)
You can stay for as long as you like, we recommend up to two hours
For the purposes of NHS Test and Trace, we are required to ask for contact details for all members of your group over the age of 16. You will be able to provide the names and phone or email details of these group members when booking your visit.
Groups are not currently permitted to enter our shop, but you can pre-order a goody bag. Please indicate on your booking form if you would like further information on these..

Before you book

Please read the 'What else do I need to know?' section below and have this info ready:

Name, address and postcode of school/organisation
Email address of school/organisation
Visit organiser’s name, email and mobile number
No of children and age group
No of adults
Any special arrangements required

Scheduled dates

What else do I need to know?

Only one school group will be exploring the museum per day. The museum will also be open to members of the public. However, there will be plenty of space for social distancing.
You must pre-book your visit date and arrival time. If you arrive late for your entry slot we will do our best to admit you as soon as we can.
To maintain distancing, we can accommodate a bubble of up to 40 people per time slot (students and adults). The adult:student ratio should be at least 1:4 for Early Years, 1:8 for KS2 and 1:10 for KS3 upwards. Proactive supervision is required at all times.
Toilet facilities are available throughout the museum and these facilities are also open to members of the public.
Face coverings must be worn by anyone over the age of 11 unless they are exempt. This is in line with Government guidelines. Please see our FAQs page for more information.
An enhanced cleaning regime is in place and hand sanitisers are located throughout the gallery. For more information on our safety measures, please see our FAQs.
Our picnic areas are open but cannot be pre-booked. We recommend you eat lunch back at school or in an outside space if you can. Our picnic spaces will be shared with members of the public
If you leave the museum your group will not be able to re-enter, except in the case of an evacuation
Your class will enter and leave via the main entrance and exit along with other visitors. We will have social distancing measures in place to ensure everyone’s safety
You will not be able to store coats and bags
School groups are not currently allowed to visit our shops
Find health and safety information to help you complete your risk assessment
Our insurance confirmation letter (PDF) provides details about our public liability insurance
If you are unable to make your visit due to a COVID-19 case or any other reason, you must let us know as soon as possible.
If any member of your school group bubble has tested positive for COVID-19 or there is a suspected case pending testing, please do not proceed with your visit to the museum and contact us to rearrange or cancel your visit as soon as possible.
For more information, please visit our reopening FAQs page

What will my visit look like?

Key information before you request your visit

Before you book

Scheduled dates

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What else do I need to know?

Expand for full info

Part of the Science Museum Group