Eye of York, Tower Street
Opening times
Booking recommended
Monday 11am to 5pm (10am to 5pm during school holidays)
Tuesday to Sunday 10am to 5pm
Accessibility
The museum is in a historic building and this could make access difficult for some of visitors. The Visitor Experience Team are there to help visitors at any point during a visit. They can help you find your way around the museum and answer any questions you may have. Many of the staff have also attended training to become autism inclusive. For visitors who identify as having an access difficulty please talk to the Visitor Experience team when you arrive as they may be able to help you. Alternatively, please enquire in advance using the contact form here. Communication lanyards are available upon request. There is not a fast-track entry system for visitors with additional needs, but if you need assistance when queuing please ask a member of staff. Cars with a disabled parking permit can park for up to three hours on the road outside the main entrance to the museum. There are two accessible toilets in the museum, one on each side of the building. Both are gender neutral toilets. The museum is split into two halves, one building over three floors and one over two, linked by several staircases. There are handrails on all the stairs and seats are available throughout the museum. The upper floors on one side of the museum are only accessible via stairs. This area includes The Period Rooms, the Toy Stories gallery and the Shaping the Body exhibition. Kirkgate, the museum’s recreated Victorian Street, is on the ground floor. The street does have a cobbled floor, but there is a smoother path around the edge. The Sixties gallery and the Prison Exhibition are on the ground floor; however, some of the original doorways in the Prison Exhibition are very narrow. A lift provides access to the upper floors on the right-hand side of the building, which includes the 1914: When the World Changed Forever exhibition. Please note that due to fire evacuation requirements, the exhibition can only allow access to two wheelchair users at a time. There is a manual wheelchair that visitors are welcome to borrow on a first-come, first-served basis. Please ask a member of our Visitor Experience Team on arrival. Mobility scooters are permitted, drivers are asked to take care when driving through the gallery spaces. Those visitors unable to access the upper floors are eligible for an access ticket at a reduced cost. Pushchairs cannot be taken into the galleries. A buggy park and a choice of baby carriers are available to borrow free of charge. Pushchairs should be folded in order to allow more space for other visitors’ pushchairs. Bags and coats should not be left with pushchairs. All assistance dogs are welcome. It is asked that they are appropriately trained, supervised, and kept with you at all times as there are many objects on open display. Water can be provided on request. Where possible, assistance dog owners should bring their Assistance Dog UK (ADUK) identification book and animals should wear the appropriate tabard or harness. If you have any further questions, including requests to bring assistance animals other than dogs, please contact the museum ahead of your visit. If you have other assistance requirements/support needs, please contact the museum prior to making a booking to determine how they might be able to help. The museum can get very busy at times with school groups and with families in the school holidays. The museum is quieter on weekdays after 3pm, during term time and Sundays, although this cannot be cannot guaranteed. During busy times, some of the areas are quite noisy including reception. There is a hearing loop fitted throughout the museum. There are two pairs of ear defenders available for visitor use. They can be adjusted to fit adults or children. Please ask staff for assistance if you wish to use them. Light levels are low to help in the conservation of objects. There is always a lighter area nearby, but if you do require assistance, please ask one of the guides. The lights on Kirkgate, the museum’s recreated Victorian Street, change between a daytime and night-time setting. A guide can help you until the settings best suit your needs. Please be aware that there are brief flashing lightning effect on Kirkgate. All of the signage and display information uses a clear font and is at least 16pt, and 80% of ther visual interactives have subtitles. There are often have volunteers who enable visitors to touch objects from the collection on the Hands on Here tables, which can be placed in different areas around the museum. The main shop is fully accessible; although it can be quite narrow around some displays. Please ask any staff member if you need help. The café in the museum is fully accessible and has free-standing chairs, but please ask any staff member if you need help. Please note that the cafe closes at 3.30pm. There is always a trained first aider on duty. First Aid kits are available for trained staff to use and a defibrillator is available. Please ask for help if required. There is a sensory basket to use on Kirkgate available for visitors to borrow on a first-come, first-served basis. This is particularly suitable for visitors with visual impairments or autism, but anyone is welcome to use it. Please ask a member of staff during your visit if you would like to use the basket. You can download a pre-visit guide to help before and during your visit and you can download a more detailed pre-visit guide. These guides are designed for visitors with sensory difficulties but may also be helpful for those visiting with young children. York Castle Museum is a member of the Dementia Action Alliance and the York Dementia Friendly Community. A dementia-friendly community is a city, town or village where people with dementia are understood, respected and supported, and confident they can contribute to community life. Most events are fully accessible to those with additional needs unless otherwise stated. If you need further information, please contact the museum ahead of the event and they will be happy to help: call on 01904 687687 or fill out this form here.