Here's everything you need to know about Nottingham Castle's big re-opening today

Nottingham Castle is gearing up to open its historical gates for the first time in three years today (Monday) after undergoing a £30 million redevelopment to transform it into a world-class heritage site.
Nottingham Castle re-opens to the public today. Photo: Tracey WhitefootNottingham Castle re-opens to the public today. Photo: Tracey Whitefoot
Nottingham Castle re-opens to the public today. Photo: Tracey Whitefoot

With a number of exciting exhibitions, galleries and attractions, visitors can expect a fun-filled, interactive, and engaging family day out, with something on offer for all ages to enjoy, but what are the details?

When is it opening?

Monday 21 at 10am.

What has happened?

The castle has recently undergone a £30million redevelopment. The redevelopment has received funding from National Lottery Heritage Fund, Nottingham City Council, D2N2, and Arts Council England to transform it into a world-class attraction that the city can be proud of.

What is there for a family to do at the castle?

Nottingham Castle has plenty to offer for all ages. From the Robin Hood Adventures, where visitors can relive Robin’s famous moments through mixed reality storytelling and gaming, to outdoor trails designed especially for little outlaws.

The castle also features a brand-new adventure outdoor play area called Hood’s Hideout where children can let off steam, and is now offering tours of its mysterious network of caves to discover the city’s hidden past.

The incredible Rebellion Gallery provides a representation of rebel voices throughout the Castle’s 1,000 years of history.

How much are tickets?

General admission ticket prices are as follows: Adults £13; Children (5-17) £9.50; Under-fives free: OAP/concessions £12; Family (two adults and up to three children) £35.50; Family (one adult and up to three children) £22.50; Carers free

A ten per cent discount on castle tickets will be available for city residents in NG1 to NG9 and NG11.

An annual pass model will become available once it is safe to do so, and the amount of people are no longer restricted on site, due to Covid-19 safety measures.

Art Fund pass holders can also book general admission tickets and the castle has launched a ‘pay what you can afford scheme’, more details of which can be found on the Nottingham Castle website here.

The castle will also be running free open days during the year such as the Heritage Open Day scheme in September.

Timed, ticketed activities, such as the Robin Hood Adventures and cave tours will also be available to book in advance at an additional cost.

How do you book tickets?

Tickets must be purchased in advance through the website here. Entry slots are every 15 minutes, starting at 10am and last entry is one hour before closing.

Admission to the Robin Hood Adventures (entry slots are every 30 minutes, starting at 10.15am – allow 30 minutes for this experience) and cave tours (entry slots are every 40 minutes, starting at 10.20am – allow 25 minutes for this experience) are bookable in addition to a Nottingham Castle ticket.

Tickets to these attractions can either be booked in advance online here, or at the visitor centre on the day of the visit.

Visitors don’t need to purchase a ticket to gain entry to the new state-of-the art visitor centre, where visitors will be able to browse bespoke products sourced from artisan craftspeople based in Nottingham, the UK and around the world in the castle shop.

What is being done to make it Covid safe?

Nottingham Castle is a ‘We’re Good to Go’ and ‘Safe Travels’ attraction and will follow all government regulations that are in place at the time of opening.

Some of the measures in place are as follows:

Pre-booked tickets via the castle website to minimise delays on arrival

Sanitisation stations situated around the castle and its grounds and staff carrying out enhanced cleaning throughout each day

All staff and visitors must wear masks when inside the castle and visitor centre.

Social distancing measures in place across the grounds and inside the castle and visitor centre.

Card-payments wherever possible – cash payments will not be accepted unless absolutely necessary.

Where is the nearest parking?

The closest car park to the Castle is the NCP St James Street Car Park (NG1 6EY). For those not travelling by car, visitors can make the most of the city’s tram, train, bus and park and ride networks. More details here.

Can I take my dog?

Dogs are welcome in the grounds of the castle, including the outdoor terraces of the coffee shop and terrace café, but only guide dogs and support dogs are permitted inside the castle and visitor centre.

Can I get something to eat while I am there?

There are two new cafés at the castle. The Coffee Shop – located in the visitor centre – offers drinks, cakes, and light refreshments, while the terrace café – situated inside the castle – offers beautiful panoramic views of the city with the option for heartier meals, as well as light bite options. Both cafés use locally sourced produce where possible.

Is Nottingham Castle suitable for people with mobility issues?

Nottingham Castle has been redeveloped with wheelchair access in mind. It includes a changing places room available in the Gatehouse next to the visitor centre, as well as accessible toilets.

There are a small number of wheelchairs and walkers available that visitors can borrow, as well as mobile induction loops which are available at the visitor centre.

Hood’s Hideout adventure playground is accessed by a gently sloping footpath and has been designed to be wheelchair and pushchair friendly.

There are free parking spaces available for Blue Badge holders on Castle Road with easy access to the castle and there is further Blue Badge parking in St James’ Street car park at standard price.

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