National Railway Museum
National museum of railways in York, home to Mallard, the Japanese bullet train and one of the world's largest railway collections, with free entry.
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Over het museum
The National Railway Museum opened in York in 1975 on the site of a former locomotive depot. It brought together the national railway collection, built from the Science Museum's holdings and the former British Railways collections that had been kept in London and in a smaller museum in York, both of which closed in 1973. The museum is part of the Science Museum Group.
The oldest part of the site is the former York North locomotive roundhouse beside the East Coast Main Line, which now forms the Great Hall after a major rebuild completed in 1992. Station Hall, a former goods shed, shows trains and railway life in a station setting. It closed in 2023 for structural repairs and reopened in 2025 after a large refurbishment.
The collection covers locomotives, carriages, royal saloons, posters, models and other railway objects from the early nineteenth century to the present. Among its best-known exhibits are the steam locomotive Mallard, the record holder for steam speed, and a Japanese Series 0 bullet train. The museum also runs a science gallery for families, a miniature railway and afternoon tea in a restored carriage.
Hoogtepunten
- Mallard, the world's fastest steam locomotive
- Japanese Series 0 bullet train
- Royal saloons from the "Palaces on Wheels" collection
- Station Hall with locomotives and carriages in a station setting
- Wonderlab: The Bramall Gallery for hands-on science
- Miniature railway rides
Vaste collectie
- Great Hall – The main hall of the museum, in a former locomotive depot, shows famous locomotives such as Mallard, the Japanese bullet train and royal saloons.
- Station Hall – A former goods shed, reopened after refurbishment, with trains and carriages shown in a station setting.
- Wonderlab: The Bramall Gallery – A hands-on science gallery for families with interactive experiments and facilitated play sessions.
- Opgericht
- 1975
- Beheerder
- Science Museum Group
- Directie
- Judith McNicol
- Bezoekers per jaar
- ca. 656.205 (2025)
Toegangsprijzen & kortingen
De toegang is gratis.
| Mensen met een beperking | –begeleider gratis · Free carer tickets for paid activities and exhibitions must be booked by phone or email, not online. |
|---|---|
| Groepen | –Schools and groups can book free tickets through a separate groups booking site. |
| Wonderlab: The Bramall Gallery, day ticket (from) | £ 8,60Children aged 2 and under and carers are free. Concessions for visitors with disabilities. |
| Wonderlab annual pass | £ 24Per person; from £20 with the family discount. |
| Car park (per day) | £ 10Blue Badge holders park free. |
Museum admission is free. Booking a free ticket online is recommended; tickets are usually released about six weeks ahead, and walk-up entry is possible but may involve waiting at busy times. Donations are optional. Wonderlab and some other activities are ticketed separately.
Toegankelijkheid
- Rolstoeltoegankelijk
- Lift
- Aangepast toilet
- Gehandicaptenparkeerplaats
- Hulphonden welkom
- Tastmodellen / voelbare objecten: geen informatie
- Rondleidingen in gebarentaal: geen informatie
- Informatie in eenvoudige taal: geen informatie
- Audiodescriptie: geen informatie
All areas can be reached by lift or ramp. Wheelchairs can be borrowed free at the Welcome Desk, and two mobility scooters can be hired there for £20 by advance booking. Blue Badge holders park free in the main car park, about 200 m from the Great Hall entrance. Hearing loops are at the Welcome Desk, in the Wonderlab showspace and at the Demo Bar. Ear defenders can be borrowed, large-print maps are available, and a visual story describes noisy and quiet areas. There is no Changing Places toilet on site; the nearest is at York station. Assistance dogs are welcome; pets are not admitted.
Kinderen & gezin
Erg geschikt voor kinderen & gezinnen
- Gezinsrondleidingen & workshops
- Doe- en voelstations
- Kinderwagenvriendelijk
- Verschoonruimte
Wonderlab: The Bramall Gallery is a hands-on science gallery for families, with facilitated play sessions for ages 3 to 6 and 7 and over. A miniature railway runs on site. There is one buggy park, reserved for Wonderlab visitors, and baby changing is available. Breastfeeding is welcome everywhere.
Bereikbaarheid & parkeren
Met het openbaar vervoer
Cinder Street
York railway station is the nearest station, with a step-free walking route through the Marble Arch pedestrian tunnel and along Hudson Boulevard. Bus 59 (Poppleton Bar Park and Ride) stops at Park and Cinder Street, and buses 19 and 10L also serve the area; Cinder Street is the closest stop to the current entrance.
Met de auto
Betaald parkeren · 140 m naar de ingang
Visitor car park on Leeman Road, £10 per day, paid inside the museum before leaving (card only in Station Hall). Limited spaces; often full by 11am at weekends and holidays. Blue Badge holders park free, about 140 m from the Station Hall entrance and about 200 m from the Great Hall entrance. No electric vehicle charging.
- Gehandicaptenparkeerplaats
Station Hall and the Great Hall have separate entrances. Coaches drop off at the Great Hall entrance on Leeman Road; there is no coach parking. A road train runs between the museum and York Minster. Sheltered cycle racks are at the entrance.
Route plannenService & horeca
- Café
- Kluisjes
- Wifi
Free Wi-Fi throughout the museum (network "Free Museum Wi-Fi"). Cafes in Station Hall, the Great Hall and Wonderlab (Wonderlab cafe at weekends and school holidays only); afternoon tea in the Countess of York carriage. Lockers in the Great Hall cost £3 (cash only).
Evenementen & zaalverhuur
Het museum heeft hierover geen informatie gepubliceerd.
Je bezoek plannen
| Aanbod voor scholen | ja |
|---|---|
| Fotograferen | Hand-held photography for private use is allowed; photographing people without permission is not. Tripods, lighting and commercial filming need prior arrangement. |
| Goed om te weten | Schools and groups can book free visits through a dedicated groups booking site. Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult over 18. |
