Nottingham Castle
Hilltop castle site in Nottingham with a 17th-century ducal mansion housing museum and art galleries, Robin Hood displays and historic caves.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
Nottingham Castle stands on Castle Rock, where William the Conqueror ordered a wooden fortress in 1068. It was later rebuilt in stone and became a major royal castle, closely linked with the Robin Hood legends. In 1330 Edward III used a secret passage, now known as Mortimer’s Hole, to seize power from Roger Mortimer, and the castle was razed after the English Civil War in 1651.
After the Restoration the Duke of Newcastle began a grand mansion on the site, finished by his son. Rioters burned it in 1831 during unrest over the Reform Bill, and the shell stood as a ruin until it was restored in 1875. It opened as a museum and art gallery in 1878, the first municipal art gallery in the UK outside London.
The site was redeveloped between 2018 and 2021 and reopened under a trust, which went into liquidation in 2022. Nottingham City Council took it back and reopened it in June 2023. Today the Ducal Mansion holds galleries of art, lace, early Nottingham craft and local history, an interactive gallery on protest and rebellion, and the Museum of the Mercian Regiment, while the grounds and sandstone caves can also be explored.
Highlights
- Museum and art galleries in the 17th-century Ducal Mansion
- Nottingham Lace Gallery
- Rebellion Gallery and Robin Hood Adventures
- Cave tours of Mortimer’s Hole or King David’s Dungeon
- Museum of the Mercian Regiment
- Castle grounds with views over the city
Permanent exhibitions
- Nottingham Lace Gallery – Tells the story of machine-made lace in Nottingham.
- Rebellion Gallery – An interactive gallery about protest and rebellion, extended by the Robin Hood Adventures games.
- Art Gallery (Long Gallery) – Paintings, sculpture, drawings, ceramics, textiles and jewellery from the castle collection.
- Founded
- 1878
- Operated by
- Nottingham City Council
Admission & discounts
| Adults | £18 |
|---|---|
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 15 · Children aged 15 and under are free, up to three per paying adult, and must be accompanied by an adult. |
| Visitors with disabilities | –companion free · Carers are free with each paying visitor; bring proof of carer status. |
| Cave tour (Mortimer’s Hole or King David’s Dungeon) | £9Per person, in addition to castle admission; subject to availability, not suitable for under-3s. |
| Rover ticket (Nottingham Castle, Wollaton Hall and Newstead Abbey) | £39Adult price; same child allowance as the castle ticket. |
Adult ticket is 18 pounds plus an online booking fee and allows unlimited return visits for 12 months. Special events are not included.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- Elevator
- Accessible restroom
- Accessible parking
- Service dogs welcome
- Tactile models & exhibits
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
Lifts reach all museum floors; the historic grounds are uneven. Accessible toilets are in the museum and the visitor centre, and a Changing Places toilet is at the visitor centre (bring your own sling, register before use). Wheelchairs are available on site. Induction loops are at reception points, the visitor centre, shop and cafe. Braille guides cover the first-floor galleries, and sensory maps and a visual story are available. Assistance dogs are welcome in the museum, cafe, shop and grounds. Blue Badge parking is by prior booking by email and is not available on special event dates. Cave tours have steps only, with no lift.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 15 |
|---|
- Family tours & workshops
- Hands-on stations
- Playground / play area
Children aged 15 and under are free with a paying adult. An adventure play area, the interactive Rebellion Gallery and Robin Hood Adventures suit families, and seasonal family trails are run. Cave tours are not suitable for under-3s.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Nottingham railway station
Within walking distance of Nottingham railway station and Old Market Square.
By car
No on-site parking at the museum.
No visitor parking on site; use public car parks in the city centre. Blue Badge parking is subject to availability and should be pre-booked.
- Accessible parking
Address for navigation: Lenton Road, Nottingham, NG1 6EL. The Brewhouse Yard cottages have the postcode NG7 1FB.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Café
- Museum shop
Two cafes with seating and a shop in the visitor centre.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Photography | Commercial photography needs advance booking; personal drone flying is not permitted. |
| Good to know | Cave tours and a castle dungeon tour are offered separately. A free guide is available through the Bloomberg Connects app. Dogs must be kept on leads and under control in the grounds. |
