Reopening FAQs

The museum is open. We are closed on Mondays and Tuesdays during term time. Please check our visit page for more information.

We have introduced free, timed admission tickets to help us manage the volume of visitors and ensure social distancing. You will be able to select a date and time to visit.

Please book your free admission ticket before visiting.

Tickets are available to book online. If you are unable to book online, please call us on 033 0058 0058.

You will receive your ticket by email or you can log into your account. You will need to bring this with you, either on a mobile device or a print-out, as it will have a bar code that needs to be scanned on arrival.

In the interest of sustainability, we would ask you not to print your ticket. Instead, we recommend bringing it with you on a mobile device. However, printed tickets will be accepted.

If you do print your tickets, please make sure you download all images to ensure that the barcodes are printed along with your ticket information. These barcodes will need to be scanned on arrival.

If you arrive without a free, timed admission ticket, you may not be able to get in. You may still be able to book a ticket using your smartphone or by calling the call centre on 033 0058 0058.

Depending on the number of visitors already in the museum, it may be that you can book a ticket for the current time, or you may need to wait until the next available time slot.

We will do our best to accommodate you. However, if you miss your time slot and the museum reaches capacity, you may be asked to wait or to book again for an alternative date and time.

This is for the safety of visitors and colleagues, so we can maintain social distancing inside the museum.
 

Yes. All advance ticket bookers will receive a pre-visit email with helpful information about how to have a safe and enjoyable day out at our museum.

Visitors should receive this at least 24 hours before their visit. If not please check your spam folder and make sure we’re marked as a safe sender.

We recommend that you set aside an hour and half for your visit (90 minutes), but of course you are welcome to stay longer.

Signs outside the museum will tell you what to expect, and there will be clear markers on the pavement to show you where to queue.

Please ensure you have your ticket with you, preferably on your smart device, as you will be asked to scan this on entry.

You will also receive a pre-visit email with full information.
 

The National Railway Museum is easy to reach by train, car, bus, bike or on foot.

See our travel information page for further details.

You may wish to get up-to-date government guidance on travelling by public transport before planning your journey.

If you can’t make it, please either contact us so we can process any refunds due and release your tickets for someone else to use, or alternatively log in to your account online.

You can reach us on 033 0058 0058 (lines open Monday–Friday, 09.00–17.00). Alternatively, email us at info@ScienceMuseumGroup.ac.uk.

Our phone lines can get very busy so please submit a return request for free tickets up until 08.30 on the day of your visit. You are welcome to book new tickets for another day online.

Please note that donations, including those made as part of your booking, are non-refundable. Your support large or small will make a huge difference—thank you.

If you would like to move your paid tickets to a different day please call our Contact Centre on 033 0058 0058. Our phones lines can get very busy so please bear with us.

If you would be happy to donate the value of your tickets to the museum, please email our Contact Centre at info@ScienceMuseumGroup.ac.uk with your name and order number.

Please note that donations, including those made as part of your booking, are non-refundable. Your support large or small will make a huge difference—thank you.

Check the latest government guidance on their restrictions of what you can and cannot do page.

Yes, we have measures in place to ensure everyone can maintain social distancing.

This includes asking you to book free, timed admission tickets in advance to allow us to manage the volume of visitors, and using e-scanners and contactless payments when inside the museum.

Screens will be installed at the main reception points, ticket desks and information points.  

Hand sanitiser stations will be located throughout the museum, including at key points such as entrances, exits, interactive experiences and high-touch areas.  

We have implemented enhanced cleaning regimes throughout the museum in line with government guidance.

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.

We will continue to review our approach in line with government guidance and feedback from our visitors.

We welcome everyone and recognise there are circumstances where, for health, age or accessibility reasons, some visitors aren’t able to wear face masks or coverings. We hope that all visitors are respectful towards each other but please speak to a member of staff if you feel we could help.

You are asked to wear face masks or coverings until you have sat down with your food or drink. Once at a table all visitors are welcome to remove their face coverings and to enjoy their meal or drink.

Please do not enter the museum if you have symptoms. Find out more about symptoms on the NHS website.

We will be following the latest government guidance on this and ask you to do the same.

In line with Government guidance and to support the NHS Test and Trace, you require a ticket to enter the museum. We will retain the ticket booker’s contact details, in line with GDPR. You can find out more in our privacy policy.

Yes, here is a PDF download of the risk assessment for the National Railway Museum.

Yes, the Great Hall and Station Hall cafés are open each day we are. We have also introduced pre-bookable lunch bags and kids' bags.

See the Visit page for more information.

You are welcome to bring your own food. Picnic areas will be clearly signposted.

Yes, our main shop by the entrance and exit will be open during museum hours. The shop in Great Hall will be open on selected dates.

We would be grateful if you could use contactless payments where possible to limit the need to pass anything to our colleagues. However, we will accept cash.

Toilets and baby-changing facilities will be open, and we have introduced new hygiene measures and enhanced cleaning regimes in these areas.

Bookings are now open for school visits on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from September 2021. Visit our Learning page for more information and to book.

To receive updates, news and free teaching resources, sign up to our Teacher News emails.

• Bookings are now open for other educational and out of school group visits from 24 July 2021. Visit our Learning page for more information and to book

• Non-household group visits (such as tour groups) remain suspended until further notice