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Access facilities

Email: museums@norfolk.gov.uk

General facilities

Lord Mayor's Celebration Fireworks - Saturday 7 July

Due to preparations for the Lord Mayor's Celebration fireworks we are unable to provide parking on the Castle mound on Saturday 7 July and blue badge parking is heavily restricted.  The museum is open as usual, but access around the mound is limited.  We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.

Parking

  • There are designated parking spaces for Blue Badge holders close to the Norwich Castle’s main entrance.  If you require further guidance please contact Norwich Castle Building Services on 01603 495889.
  • The closest car park is situated in Castle Mall shopping centre; levels K-N offer the shortest route to Norwich Castle.  For a map of all car parks in the city, go to the Visit Norwich website.

Admission

  • Visitors with Access issues may bring a companion into Norwich Castle free of charge.

Picture Board Guide

  • For a visual guide to Norwich Castle please see the Picture Board Guide. This can be downloaded in a Word format before your visit and edited to suit your own requirements.

Introduction films

  • In the Cinema Room, off the main entrance/Rotunda corridor, there are two films introducing Norwich Castle. These films have audio commentary and are BSL signed.

Hearing loops

  • There are hearing loops in the Castle shop, on the main entrance and in our auditorium.
  • Portable hearing loops are available for tours and gallery talks.

Assistance dogs

  • Assistance dogs are welcome in Norwich Museums

Wheelchair hire

  • There is a ‘non-self propelling’ wheelchair for use when visiting Norwich Castle. Please contact Building Services on 01603 495889 to check availibility.

Print/text size

There are large print labels in many galleries and magnifying sheets are available on request from the main entrance desk.

Light levels

For conservation purposes light levels are kept low in certain galleries or displays. Hand held torches are available on request from the main reception desk.

Accessible toilet facilities

  • Main Entrance/Rotunda Corridor - large unisex accessible toilet with a large changing table.
  • Victorian Toilets either end of Special Exhibition Gallery – male and female accessible toilets
  • Picnic Room (see wheelchair access notes) – unisex accessible toilet

Wheelchair access

  • There is no wheelchair access to the dungeons or battlements and, due to fire regulations, restricted access to the Keep and Rotunda first floor. The two films in the cinema room contain highlights of these areas.

Heavy doors

There are doors to all exhibition areas which are kept closed to maintain a constant environment for the paintings. If you need assistance with entering or leaving these galleries please ask a member of staff.

Gallery facilities

To view the Norwich Castle Floor Plan click here.

Decorative Arts gallery

  • Braille labelled raised tiles
  • Magnifying glass over stump work
  • Braille labelled ‘tactile jewels’
  • Braille labelled Art motifs

British Masters (Cotman) gallery

  • Norwich School video with audio track
  • Cotman’s Trunk - a tactile painter’s box
  • Companion Notes are available for selected paintings. These can be found in holders at the entrance to this gallery.

Landscape and Nature (Crome) gallery

  • Norwich School video with audio track
  • Brass plates on colouring table showing typical Norwich School scenes
  • Companion Notes are available for selected paintings. These can be found in holders at the entrance to this gallery.

Ted Ellis gallery

  • Braille labelled bird sounds

Natural History gallery

  • Interactive learning points with touch, smell and audio
  • Braille labelled Please Touch replica objects
  • Braille labelled folder of raised images

Norfolk Regiment displays

  • Sound shower

Egyptian Gallery (at entrance to gallery)

  • Raised profile map

20th Century Painters gallery

  • Braille labelled raised tile for Alfred Munning’s Sunny June

Boudica Gallery

  • Boudica video with audio track

Castle Keep

  • Tactile architecture of building – flints, stone course etc
  • Replica Snap

Bigod Tower

  • Tactile replica casts of the carvings in the Bigod Arch. These are Braille labelled