Accessibility

The Museum aims to be accessible to all visitors to ensure that everyone can enjoy our buildings, exhibitions and Underground Tours. We hope the following information will help you plan your trip to the Museum.

The Museum is located on original colliery sites and many of the original buildings have been retained to illustrate a working environment. In achieving a balance between authenticity and access, not all areas are easily accessed, particularly by wheelchair users.

Visitors with additional needs may wish to call 01924 848806 in advance to discuss specific requirements or book.

Electric wheelchairs are unable to be used underground. Visitors can transfer into a hand-propelled wheelchair if they wish to do so. Please note that all wheelchair users who book onto the Underground Tour will need to sign an evacuation disclaimer at Reception before participating. You can read and download this in advance here.

For more on the Museum’s accessibility, please read our detailed access statement.

We have worked with AccessAble so you can find out about our facilities before you visit. AccessAble’s surveyors assessed our venue to create a Detailed Access Guide. Check out the Detailed Access Guide to National Coal Mining Museum for England.

Getting to the Museum

The Museum is on the main road between Wakefield and Huddersfield (WF4 4RH). There are 10 designated blue badge car-parking spaces alongside the main building close to the main entrance. There is level access from these spaces into The Hub. There is also ample car and coach parking including baby spaces.

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Bus: Bus services run within easy walking distance of the Museum. From Wakefield Bus Station or Huddersfield Bus Stations, the Arriva 232 bus stops at the Reindeer pub with a few minutes walk to the Museum. Plan your journey here.

Train: The nearest mainline railway station is Wakefield Westgate. It takes about 20 minutes for a taxi ride from the train station.

Taxi: There are a number of accessible taxi firms operating from both Wakefield and Huddersfield.

Quieter Times To Visit

The quietest times to visit are when the Museum opens at 10am and towards the end of the day.

The Museum is the busiest on weekends, during special events and school holidays. If you are visiting our Museum during peak times, sometimes there is a short wait at Reception to make Shop purchases and to book Underground Tours.

Our permanent galleries can get particularly busy during the first and final weekends of a temporary exhibition. A number of seats are available around the gallery spaces, if you require assistance, please do not hesitate to speak to one of our Volunteers. Please see our exhibition page for more details.

Please note, quieter times will vary. If you have any queries, please get in touch with our team.

Sensory Access

The Museum’s exhibitions may feature lights, sound or smells.

Light levels vary across the Museum. Some of the rooms/buildings have low light levels as former colliery buildings. Other rooms have natural or bright lights.

Our toilets are equipped with electric hand dryers, which can generate loud noises. Enclosed cubicle accessible toilets are available for those who prefer to operate the hand dryers themselves.

The food served in our Café is cooked onsite in The Hub. Smells vary due to changing menus.

The temperature varies as you move through the Museum, underground can be particularly cold. Warm clothing (suitable for 12°c) and sensible footwear is recommended for Underground Tours.

Going underground can be overwhelming for those who may be claustrophobic or experience sensory differences. As a real coal mine, there are tight spaces along the tour, it is often dark and dusty, and at one point all of the lights will be turned off to demonstrate the darkness. The ‘cage’ used to carry visitors underground can often be crowded, noisy and will jolt at the start and end of the journey. If you have any concerns, or questions, about our Underground Tours, please contact us and we will be happy to advise.

We have a Visual Story so you know what to expect before your visit. You can read our Visual Story here.

SEND ‘Fiddle’ Backpacks

Fiddle Backpacks are available to help make your visit more enjoyable and help you explore the Museum.

These are available for school, family and individual visitors to use, and can be collected from Reception with a £10 deposit per backpack.

Our wheelchair accessible shuttle is available for visitors who might need assistance accessing areas of the site. This shuttle is wheelchair friendly and will drop visitors off at the Pithead Baths, Caphouse Pit Yard, Hope Pit and the Pony Discovery Centre.

The accessible shuttle is driven by the Museum’s Volunteer Team. Please be aware that as this service is run by our Volunteers we cannot guarantee that it will run every day. Please speak to a member of the Reception team on arrival about the availability of the accessible shuttle on the day of your visit.

We offer accessible overground tours using our shuttle buggy that can be pre-booked.

Assistance Dogs

Guide/assistance dogs are welcome at the Museum, with a water bowl near the Café. Please note that guide dogs and assistance dogs are not permitted underground.

Wi-Fi Signal

There is access to free Wi-Fi across our site, with no code required. We cannot guarantee a strong signal in all of our buildings. The best place to access our Wi-Fi is The Hub. There is no Wi-Fi or phone signal on the Underground Tour.