Old House of Keys

About the museum

The Old House of Keys in Castletown was built to a design by Thomas Brine and first used by the House of Keys, the lower chamber of the Manx parliament, in January 1821. It was the first purpose-built debating chamber for the Keys, which sat here until the move to Douglas in 1874. The building then had a long second life as a bank under several names, then as a town hall and later a library.

Manx National Heritage acquired it in 2000 and restored it to its appearance in 1866, the year the Keys became a popularly elected body. With no pictures of the interior to follow, the restorers worked from written descriptions and inventories. The building opened to the public as a museum in November 2001.

Today visitors take part in a sitting of about 45 minutes. A costumed Secretary of the House welcomes the group, animated portraits and a talking model of the Speaker bring the chamber to life, and everyone debates historic questions of law-making. The sitting is part of Castletown’s group of heritage sites, together with Castle Rushen, the Nautical Museum and the Old Grammar School.

Highlights

• Debating chamber restored to its 1866 interior
• Costumed Secretary of the House and talking model of the Speaker
• Animated portraits of former Keys members
• Interactive debate on historic laws

Permanent exhibition

• House of Keys sitting – An interactive 45-minute debate in the restored 1866 chamber, led by a costumed Secretary with animated portraits and a talking Speaker.

Founded

2001

Operated by

Manx National Heritage

Admission & discounts

Ticket prices are not listed on the site page and are shown when booking online. A voluntary £1.50 donation is included in tickets and can be declined at the ticket desk. Free entry for GO Explore Heritage pass holders; Holiday Passes (14 days of free access from first use) and Annual Passes (for island residents) are named and non-transferable. Some special events cost extra.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: not available
• Accessible parking: not available
• Service dogs welcome
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The debating chamber is on the ground floor and is reached over a small step using a temporary ramp that staff put in place. The chairs can be moved to make space for wheelchairs. There are no public toilets on site; the nearest accessible toilets are at Castletown Civic Centre (5 to 10 minutes on foot) and Castle Rushen. There is a hearing loop and the debate questions are available in writing, but the films are not subtitled. There are no dedicated disabled bays in the adjacent free car park, but there is a drop-off point in front of the building. Assistance dogs are welcome. A downloadable access guide is available.

Kids & families

Only partly suitable for kids

• Hands-on stations

The sitting needs visitors to sit through about 45 minutes, so it is not generally recommended for very young children; older children can enjoy it, especially in a small group. The building can also be explored without joining the debate, and a short familiarisation visit can be arranged first.

Getting there & parking

The building is a 2 minute walk from Market Square. The bus from Douglas takes about 25 minutes. Coaches can drop off in Market Square; the coach park is on Farrant’s Way.

Amenities & dining

• Coat check

There are cloakroom facilities, and bags and coats can be taken into the debating chamber. There are no public toilets on site. Tickets can also be bought at the Castle Rushen shop.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit