National Justice Museum
A museum of crime, punishment and justice in Nottingham's former Shire Hall and County Gaol, with a Victorian courtroom, Georgian gaol and live performances.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The National Justice Museum occupies the former Shire Hall and County Gaol on High Pavement in Nottingham's Lace Market. Courts are known to have sat on the site since the fourteenth century, and the first record of a prison here dates from 1449. The present Grade II* listed hall was rebuilt between 1769 and 1772 to designs by James Gandon, and further wings and a grand jury room were added in the nineteenth century.
The complex worked as a court and county prison for centuries. Executions took place in front of the hall from 1832, and the last public hanging was held in 1864. The building later also served as a police station. It opened to the public in 1995 as the Galleries of Justice and was later renamed the National Justice Museum.
Today the museum tells the story of crime, punishment and social justice over five floors, with a Victorian courtroom, a Georgian gaol, cells and an exercise yard. Costumed interpreters stage trial and public-execution performances, and free galleries on the first floor show items from the collection, including material from the Great Train Robbery and an exhibition on the pathologist Sir Bernard Spilsbury. The museum is an educational charity and also runs the City of Caves attraction in the city centre.
Highlights
- Victorian criminal courtroom with daily live trial performances
- Georgian gaol, cells and exercise yard with a public-execution performance
- Free Crime Gallery with Great Train Robbery evidence and the original Bow Street dock
- Free exhibition on the pathologist Sir Bernard Spilsbury
- Grade II* listed Shire Hall on five floors
- General admission ticket valid for a year
Permanent exhibitions
- Victorian courtroom, Georgian gaol and cells – Historic spaces across five floors where costumed interpreters stage trial and public-execution performances.
- Crime Gallery – A free gallery on the first floor with family activities and displays on crime, protest, robbery and murder, including Great Train Robbery evidence and the original Bow Street dock.
- Sir Bernard Spilsbury exhibition – A free exhibition on the pathologist known as the father of modern forensic science and the development of forensic pathology.
- Founded
- 1995
- Operated by
- National Justice Museum (educational charity)
Admission & discounts
| Adults | £16 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | £15Students and over 60s |
| Children & teens | £11.50free up to age 4 · Ages 5 to 15; under 5s are free. |
| Seniors | £15Over 60s. |
| Visitors with disabilities | –companion free · A carer or personal assistant is free but needs a free ticket booked by phone or email; ID such as a PIP letter or National Disability Card is requested. |
| Students & apprentices | £15Any form of full-time student ID is accepted. |
| Groups | –Discounts are available for group bookings; guided tours cost extra. |
| Families | £422 adults and 2 children. |
| Family ticket (2 adults and 3 children) | £48 |
| Family ticket (1 adult and 3 children) | £34 |
| Joint ticket with City of Caves (adult) | £23 |
| Joint ticket with City of Caves (child) | £17.50 |
| Joint ticket with City of Caves (student or over 60) | £22 |
| Joint family ticket with City of Caves (2 adults and 2 children) | £62Booked in a separate transaction. |
| Joint family ticket with City of Caves (2 adults and 3 children) | £72.50Booked in a separate transaction. |
| Joint family ticket with City of Caves (1 adult and 3 children) | £46Booked in a separate transaction. |
The general admission ticket works as an annual pass, giving unlimited entry for a year from the day of purchase, and the payment is treated as a donation to the charity. Gift Aid can raise the donation by 25 percent at no extra cost to the visitor. Visitors showing a valid tram ticket for the same day get 10 percent off entry. The free first-floor exhibition spaces can be visited without a ticket.
Accessibility
- Partially wheelchair accessible
- Elevator
- Accessible restroom
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
The museum is in a Grade II* listed building spread over five floors with stairs to each level and a lift to most areas; some parts can be reached only by stairs, and there are low ceilings and uneven floors. Hearing loops, accessible toilets, audio guides and virtual reality presentations are provided, and a film, a sensory map and an AccessAble guide help visitors prepare. A film shows areas that are hard to reach for people with reduced mobility, autism or claustrophobia. Only accredited assistance dogs are admitted.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 4 |
|---|---|
| Family ticket | £42 · 2 adults and 2 children. |
- Family tours & workshops
- Hands-on stations
Daytime visits are family friendly, with family activities and interactives, although very young children may find parts of the building unnerving. Costumed characters tell stories throughout the day. Free family activities are offered in the Crime Gallery, and holiday activities and children's ghost-hunter tours run on selected dates.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Lace Market tram stop · 2-min walk
Leave the tram at the Lace Market stop, then walk two minutes down the hill. Nottingham railway station is 0.8 miles away, a 10 to 15 minute walk. Nearby bus stops are Fletcher Gate and George Street, and Broadmarsh Bus Station is a short walk.
By car
No on-site parking at the museum.
There is no parking on site. A large multi-storey car park is in Stoney Street, the Lace Market car park is under five minutes' walk, and a small pay-and-display area with about 20 spaces is almost opposite the museum steps on High Pavement. Coaches and minibuses can drop off but not park.
From the M1 north leave at junction 26 and follow the A610; from the M1 south leave at junction 24 and follow the A453, then follow the tourist signs. High Pavement is a one-way street with drop-off and pick-up points.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Café
- Museum shop
- Coat check: not available
Deli-Cious Chocolate is an independent café inside the museum serving hot and cold drinks, cakes, sandwiches and snacks. The gift shop sells items inspired by the exhibitions and by Nottingham, with proceeds supporting the charity. There is no secure storage for large luggage.
Events & venue rental
- Spaces for rent
- Private parties
- Corporate events
The Victorian courtroom, Grand Jury Room, Shire Hall and exhibition spaces can be hired for corporate events, parties and receptions, filming and photography, paranormal nights, escape-room team events and private murder mysteries.
Inquiries & detailsPlan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Audio guide | yes (EN) |
| School programs | yes |
| Photography | Photographs of the museum spaces are allowed, but not during the courtroom trial or execution performances, and staff and costumed interpreters may not be photographed without consent. Audio and video recording needs prior written permission. |
| Good to know | The trial and execution performances need no booking and are included in the ticket. Tours for groups can be booked at extra cost, and all school and group visits must be booked. Foreign-language guidebooks are not offered. Parts of the prison areas are dimly lit. |
