Nottingham Castle, Museum and Art Gallery. Entry fee applies.

Details

Accessibility:

https://www.nottinghamcastle.org.uk/plan-your-visit/accessibility/ 

"Please note that due to health and safety reasons, we do not permit onsite parking at Nottingham Castle.

There are 3 designated Blue Badge parking spaces on Castle Road directly outside the Castle (NG1 6AA), as well as 12 regular spaces, plus street parking near the college. These spaces are all free for Blue Badge holders.

There is further Blue Badge parking available at St James’ Street Car Park (NG1 6EY), however this is charged at standard cost.

The Castle is located on a hill, so there are a number of steep paths (the steepest is a 1 in 10 gradient). Please note some pathways do not have handrails.

Our friendly team is happy to help you up to the Castle if you require support. We also have lift access inside Robin Hood Adventures. Just speak to a member of our Customer Services team on arrival if you require access.

At the top of Castle Road, there is a dropped kerb with tactile paving for drop-offs. The Museum is fully wheelchair accessible, ramped areas are marked and there are lifts to all floors.  A hearing loop is available and assistance dogs are welcome.

We have mobile induction loops in our Visitor Centre for those who need them.  Certain members of our friendly team are Makaton trained. If you’d like to find out more, please do not hesitate to contact us. 

Changing Places toilet and accessible toilets:

There is a Changing Places toilet in the Gatehouse next to the Visitor Centre. Two accessible toilets in the Visitor Centre, and one on the ground floor of the Ducal Palace near the Terrace Café.

Our Changing Places toilet is designed to support parents/essential companions of people with disabilities who require the use of a hoist, changing bench and/or centrally located toilet.

If you do not have a Radar Key, please talk to our team in the Visitor Centre.

Queuing and seating: You will find benches and seating across the site, and we have a limited number of portable stools available at the Visitor Centre and Information Desk in the Ducal Palace.

Hood’s Hideout adventure playground can be accessed via a gently sloping footpath and has been designed to be as wheelchair and pushchair friendly as possible

Concessions for disabled visitors are available. Essential companions will be admitted free of charge."

Brief Description:

Nottingham Castle was first built in 1067 under the orders of William The Conqueror. It was change and renovated over the years and then demolished in 1651. In 1678 Ducal Palace was built on the site. In 1831 the Palace was burnt down in the Reform Act Riots. It remained derelict for over 40 years until it was remodelled and opened as a Museum and Art Gallery in 1878.

Further Information

Address:

Lenton Road, Nottingham, NG1 6EL

Email:

nottingham.castle@nottinghamcity.gov.uk

Phone:

0115 876 3100 

Website:

https://www.nottinghamcastle.org.uk/visit/

Opening Hours:

"Having been closed for a major redevelopment, we’re excited to say that Nottingham Castle, the grounds and caves are now reopen, offering an all-new visitor experience." See https://www.nottinghamcastle.org.uk/visit/

2023: Council approves plan to reopen Nottingham Castle

"Councillors have voted in favour of a plan to fully reopen Nottingham Castle, which closed last November following the collapse of the charitable trust that ran the site.  

At an executive board meeting this week, Nottingham City Council approved a strategy to reopen the heritage site after it folded just 18 months after the completion of a £31m redevelopment.

Activity will begin in May with a series of open days for local visitors, along with a concert and live screening of the King’s Coronation on 6 May, with funding from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.

Council leader David Mellen told the board that a firm business case for the site had been developed and lessons had been learned from the failure of the trust. This will include a new pricing structure with a particular focus on families, which will be announced in due course."

Directions:

https://www.nottinghamcastle.org.uk/plan-your-visit/getting-here/ 

From Hucknall via A611 (7.1m). Take Beardall St to Portland Rd. Take Nottingham Rd, A611, and Mansfield Road to Friar Lane in Nottingham for 6.4 miles. Drive to Lenton Road.

From Stanton-on-the-Wolds via Melton Rd/A606 (10.1m). Head north east on Browns Lane. Follow Melton Rd/A606 and A52 to Queens Drive/A453 in Nottingham. Take the A453 exit from Clifton Blvd/A52. Continue on Queens Drive/A453. Drive to Lenton Road.

OS SK568394

"By bike:

If you’re coming by bike, you can park up using the cycle racks located outside the Castle, near the Gatehouse, and close to the Robin Hood statue.

Or, park your bike with complete peace of mind by using one of the city’s secure cycle parks – the closest of which is located at Broadmarsh or Lace Market car park.

Coaches can drop off and pick up on Peveril Drive (NG7 1DE)."

Transport:

The nearest railway station is Nottingham. "Nottingham Station is the busiest train station in the East Midlands, and it is very well served by East Midlands Railway, Cross Country Trains and Northern Rail. You can reach Nottingham from Central London in just 1 hour 40 minutes. The magnificent red brick and terracotta building provides a fitting welcome to the city and the Castle is a short 10-minute walk away from the station. You will walk past the historic shop fronts of Carrington Street, the new Children’s Library and along the cobbled history of Castle Road.

Please note there is a slight incline on the walk to reach Nottingham Castle. Taxis are also waiting and available from outside the station."

There are buses that serve the local area. For more travel information go to http://www.traveline.info or call 0871 200 22 33. "By bus or tram: Nottingham has a comprehensive bus and tram network. Most services stop close to the central Old Market Square. From here it’s just a five-minute walk along Friar Lane to reach the Castle."

Amenities:

https://www.nottinghamcastle.org.uk/plan-your-visit/facilities/ 

"Located in the brand-new Visitor Centre, the Castle Shop stocks a carefully selected range of quality products and gifts. From local food and drink to artisan gifts and souvenirs, the shop’s stock has been carefully sourced from some of the best makers and manufacturers in Nottingham, the UK and beyond.

Visitors to Nottingham Castle do not need an admission ticket to visit the shop.

We have two cafés – the Terrace Café, which is located in the Ducal Palace, and the Coffee Shop which is waiting inside our brand-new Visitor Centre. Both serve quality hot drinks, delicious cakes, and a selection of tasty light lunches."

There are a wealth of attractions in Nottingham City, and there are restaurants, bars, hotels, bed-and-breakfast accommodation.