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 term time.

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

Our museum is transforming—find out more about Vision 2025.

What will my visit look like?

Explore the museum at your leisure or book one of our exciting sessions for your students. Find out more using our Schools Programme page.

You can stay for as long as you like, we recommend up to two hours.

Key information before you request your visit

In line with Government guidance and to support the NHS Test and Trace, we will retain the visit organiser’s contact details, in line with GDPR. Read our Privacy Policy.

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

Accessibility

We make every effort to include students with special educational or medical needs. We are happy to discuss your requirements at the time of booking.

Scheduled dates

What else do I need to know?

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.
Please help us to keep everyone safe by wearing a face covering when indoors at the museum, unless you are exempt. In asking visitors to wear a face covering, in line with government guidance, we are seeking to ensure everyone can enjoy their visit to the museum safely.
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 and can be requested as part of the booking form. As there is limited availability, we recommend you eat lunch back at school or in an outside space if you can.
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
Coat and bag storage is available for use but is limited and not guaranteed
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