Access at Castleford Museum

You can contact us in advance of your visit with any questions. You can email us at museums@wakefield.gov.uk and we will get back to you during office hours. These are Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.

You can also ring Castleford Museum on 01977 722084. We will usually pick up the phone during our normal opening hours.

If we cannot pick up the phone, please leave a message with your name and contact number and we will ring you back.

The nearest car park with accessible spaces is Wesley Street car park. Use WF10 1AE in your sat nav.

There are four disabled spaces here. It costs £1.60 for up to 2 hours.

It is 0.2 miles from Castleford Museum.

Alternative parking in Castleford.

Our staff are happy to help you with anything you might need. Our staff wear a black uniform. They are called Visitor Experience Assistants.

There will always be a Visitor Experience Assistant in the museum when it is open.

Most staff have attended Makaton Awareness training, Visual Impairment training, Sighted Guided training and Autism Awareness training. 

There is an accessible toilet with baby changing facilities on the ground floor of the building. Please ask a member of the Library staff for the key.

We do not have changing places facilities. The nearest changing places toilet is at Junction 32 Outlet Shopping Village. Use WF10 4FR in your sat nav. It is 1.8 miles away.

Castleford Museum is a breastfeeding-friendly location. You can breastfeed your baby here.

The 'Explore' drawer has tools to explore the museum in lots of different ways. This includes ways to match different shapes, colours, materials and sounds.

The 'Touch' drawer has a range of fun colourful fidget toys. These can help you to stay calm or to concentrate.

The 'See' drawer is full of coloured lenses, magnifying glasses and frames. You can look at the museum in a different way. If you are dyslexic or partially sighted, they can help you to change the colour contrast.

The 'Sound' drawer has ear defenders available in child and adult sizes. These are great if you are sensitive to loud or sudden noises.

You can fill up a backpack with your choice of items and take it with you around the galleries. Please return this at the end of your visit.

You can also find sensory maps and floor plans for our galleries at the Pick and Mix station.

We have fidget and sensory objects to help you relax and explore. There is a small pop-up tent quiet space if you need it.

You can also try our activity sheets and crafts.

We also run SEND-friendly activities on Fridays in the school holidays.

Entry is still free. You do not need to book.

Entering Castleford Museum

Castleford Museum is on the third floor of the Castleford Forum Library and Museum building.

There is a level access entrance along the side of the building, next to the Aire Street car park. This entrance has an accessible entry door with a button at wheelchair height. This door opens outwards.

Once inside the building, go through the door on your right to enter the Library. In the centre of the Library is a lift. Go to the top floor to enter the Museum. The lift opens directly into the Museum on the top floor.

The Henry Moore space is on the second floor of the building. You can reach this with the same lift.

Moving around Castleford Museum

The main museum is on the top floor of the building, accessible by steps or a lift. You can download a floor plan of the building here.

There is one main open plan gallery space in Castleford Museum. It is level access and wheelchair accessible throughout.

The floor is made of marmoleum (similar to lino).

Seating

There are plastic chairs around the museum and at the activity tables at the back of the museum. There is also one wooden chair.

You can move the chairs around the museum to wherever you need.

Entering Castleford Museum

Castleford Museum is on the third floor of the Castleford Forum Library and Museum building.

There is a level access entrance along the long side of the building, next to the Aire Street car park. This entrance has an accessible entry door with a button at wheelchair height. This door opens outwards.

Once inside the building, go through the door on your right to enter the Library. In the centre of the Library is a lift. Go to the top floor to enter the Museum. The lift opens directly into the Museum on the top floor.

The Henry Moore space is on the second floor of the building. You can reach this with the same lift.

If you need help finding the Museum, you can ask the Library staff on the ground floor.

Moving around Castleford Museum

There is one main open plan gallery space in Castleford Museum. It is level access throughout. The floor is made of marmoleum (similar to lino). This is a matte and non-reflective surface.

Some of our exhibition spaces have low light levels to protect the delicate objects on display.

There are magnifying glasses available in our Pick and Mix station by the museum entrance. You can take objects from the Pick and Mix station with you around the galleries.

Most of our Visitor Experience Assistants have attended Visual Impairment Training and Sighted Guided Training. All of our staff will be happy to help you get the most from your visit.

Tactile elements

There are lots of hands-on elements in Castleford Museum.

By the mining display there is a box containing old-fashioned work boots and dressing-up pieces.

By the Iron Age chariot there are two mini wooden toy chariots.

By the Raising Champions display there is a trophy that you can pick up and thread ribbons around the handles.

By the Reight Neet Aht display there are dressing-up outfits. We also have a traditional marbles board and marbles we can get out for you.

Mirrors

There is a mirror next to the dressing up box in the Roman section and the Reight Neet Aht display. These are fixed to their corresponding walls.

Audio elements and fire alarm testing

The central screen in the museum is currently playing videos about A Reight Neet Aht. There are no headphones attached to this screen and the audio plays openly when started. There are buttons to select which video you want to play.

There is also a small AV screen in the Raising Champions display. This plays through headphones.

The fire alarms are tested on Saturdays or Mondays by the Castleford Library team.

Floor plans and sensory maps

You can download a floor plan of the building here.

You can download a sensory map of the galleries here.

Copies of the sensory map are available in the Pick and Mix station inside the museum.

Audio elements and subtitling

There are audio elements in parts of the exhibition spaces.

The central screen in the museum is currently playing videos about A Reight Neet Aht. There are no headphones attached to this screen and the audio plays openly when started. The videos with speaking are subtitled in English.

There is also a small AV screen in the Raising Champions display. There is ambient noise of rugby players training but no full speech on this video.

Fire alarm testing

The fire alarms are tested on Saturdays or Mondays by the Castleford Library team.

Visual story and floor plans

View our visual story for Castleford Museum.

You can download a floor plan of the building here.

You can download a sensory map of the galleries here.

Copies of the sensory map are available in the Pick and Mix station inside the museum.

Moving around Castleford Museum

Some of our exhibition spaces have low light levels to protect the delicate objects on display.

There are lots of tactile tools and resources available to support your visit in the Pick and Mix station. This is just inside the entrance to the main museum galleries.

There are lots of hands-on elements in Castleford Museum.

By the mining display there is a box containing old-fashioned work boots and dressing-up pieces.

By the Iron Age chariot there are two mini wooden toy chariots.

By the Raising Champions display there is a trophy that you can pick up and thread ribbons around the handles.

By the Reight Neet Aht display there are dressing-up outfits. We also have a traditional marbles board and marbles we can get out for you.

Quieter times to visit Castleford Museum

Generally, the site is quieter during weekdays and school term time. It can be louder at weekends, the late afternoons and in the school holidays.

We sometimes have school groups come to visit. They can be excitable and noisy.

Every Tuesday morning, 10am to 11am, is our Toddler Tuesdays session. This can be noisy.

The third Tuesday of every month, 1.30pm to 2.30pm, is our Castleford Crafts session. This can be noisier and busier than usual.

We have weekly Relaxed Opening sessions every Friday morning, 9.30am to 12pm.

You can contact us in advance to find out when might be the best time for you to visit.

Audio elements and fire alarm testing

There are audio elements in parts of the exhibition spaces. The central screen in the museum is currently playing videos about A Reight Neet Aht. There are no headphones attached to this screen and the audio plays openly when started.

There is also a small AV screen in the Raising Champions display. This plays through headphones.

The fire alarms are tested on Saturdays or Mondays by the Castleford Library team.

Visual story and floor plans

View our visual story for Castleford Museum.

You can download a floor plan of the building here.

You can download a sensory map of the galleries here.

Copies of the sensory map are available in the Pick and Mix station inside the museum.

Makaton

There are Makaton signs next to some of our star objects. These can help you to communicate about what is on display.

Moving around Castleford Museum

Some of our exhibition spaces have low light levels to protect the delicate objects on display.

There are lots of tactile tools and resources available to support your visit in the Pick and Mix station. This is just inside the entrance to the main museum galleries.

There are lots of hands-on elements in Castleford Museum.

By the mining display there is a box containing old-fashioned work boots and dressing-up pieces.

By the Iron Age chariot there are two mini wooden toy chariots.

By the Raising Champions display there is a trophy that you can pick up and thread ribbons around the handles.

By the Reight Neet Aht display there are dressing-up outfits. We also have a traditional marbles board and marbles we can get out for you.

Quieter times to visit Castleford Museum

Generally, the site is quieter during weekdays and school term time.
It can be louder at weekends, the late afternoons and in the school holidays.

We sometimes have school groups come to visit. They can be excitable and noisy.

Every Tuesday morning, 10am to 11am, is our Toddler Tuesdays session. This can be noisy.

The third Tuesday of every month, 1.30pm to 2.30pm, is our Castleford Crafts session. This can be noisier and busier than usual.

We have weekly Relaxed Opening sessions every Friday morning, 9.30am to 12pm.

You can contact us in advance to find out when might be the best time for you to visit.

Audio elements and fire alarm testing

There are audio elements in parts of the exhibition spaces. The central screen in the museum is currently playing videos about A Reight Neet Aht. There are no headphones attached to this screen and the audio plays openly when started.

There is also a small AV screen in the Raising Champions display. This plays through headphones.

The fire alarms are tested on Saturdays or Mondays by the Castleford Library team.