Bar Convent

Is it right for my child?

• School-age children: the exhibition explores secrecy and spies, with artefacts, interactives and audio-visuals. The convent’s activity booklet suits ages 5 to 7. Its museum trails suit ages 7 to 11 and 11 to 14.
• Things to try: the official museum trail invites children to hide in a priest hole, turn a wheel to start a film and use an interactive board.
• Objects to spot: look for the only key to the original 1686 front door, and a tiny altar disguised as a mantelpiece ornament.
• A real secret: the Hidden Chapel was built in secret in 1769, when Catholicism was still illegal and punishable by death.
• Sensory and content notes: the stories include executions. The Gunpowder Plot exhibition displays the cross of a priest who was hanged, drawn and quartered. Sensitive children may need a chat first.
• A living convent: the Sisters of the Congregation of Jesus still live here, so it is a home as well as a museum.
• Toddlers: the official pages do not describe anything aimed at under 5s. Exhibition entry is free for under 6s, though accompanying adults pay.

Plan your visit: a parent’s checklist

• Check the date. The exhibition opens Monday to Saturday, 10am to 5pm, with last entry at 4pm.
• Book exhibition tickets through the calendar on the official exhibition page.
• Visiting on a Friday? Join a free guided tour of the house at 10.30am or 2.30pm. There is no need to book.
• Download a trail or puzzle sheet from the convent’s learning resources page before you go. They are written for schools.
• Keep the door code you are given when you pay. You need it to get back into the exhibition from the first floor.
• Plan lunch around the café. It closes mid afternoon and does not open on Sundays.

Prices and tickets

Visiting the house is free. You only pay to enter the exhibition.

• Adults (18 plus): £9.50
• Children (6 to 17): £2
• Under 6s: free
• Concessions: £7.50
• Family ticket (2 adults and 2 children): £20
• Gunpowder Plot exhibition: included in exhibition admission while it runs, until 5 December 2026.
• Friday guided tours: free, and they last about 35 minutes.
• Groups of 10 or more: book by email at tours@barconvent.co.uk. The cheapest package is £7 per person, or £5 for concessions.

Pushchairs, babies and toilets

• Accessible toilet: there is an accessible unisex toilet on the ground floor.
• Lift: a lift beside the shop entrance reaches the first floor of the exhibition. Most areas are reached by electric doors or the lift.
• Steps and stairs: the official museum trail mentions steps down into one room and stairs to the first floor. The lift serves the first floor, but the site does not say whether every step can be avoided.
• Pushchairs: the official access page does not mention pushchairs. Phone reception on 01904 643 238 to check.
• Baby changing: the official website does not mention baby changing facilities, so bring a changing mat.

Food and drink

The Bar Convent Café opens Monday to Saturday from 8am to 3.30pm, with hot food served until 2.45pm. It is closed on Sundays and bank holidays. The Plan Your Visit page gives slightly earlier times, so check before you travel.

The café serves breakfast and lunch. Expect homemade soup, sandwiches made to order, cakes, scones and a daily specials board. Sit in the Victorian Atrium or the garden. To book a table for up to 15 people, phone the café team on 01904 464 910.

During Christmas at the Convent, the café offers a Christmas lunch menu, which you can view on the official website.

Getting there and parking

• Address: 17 Blossom Street, York YO24 1AQ.
• By train: the convent says it is about a 10 minute walk from York railway station.
• By car: the convent names two nearby car parks, Nunnery Lane and Blossom Street.
• Nunnery Lane car park (YO23 1AA): run by the council and open 24 hours. Charges apply from 8am to midnight. In the daytime, up to 1 hour costs £5 from Sunday to Thursday, and £5.50 on Fridays, Saturdays and event days.
• Pay by phone: the location number is 808753, and a 15p service charge applies.
• Blue Badge: Nunnery Lane has 12 Blue Badge bays. Blue Badge holders park free in any standard bay, for as long as they want.

When to visit

• The exhibition and café are closed on Sundays and bank holidays. The Plan Your Visit page adds that some religious holidays are also closed.
• Over Christmas: the online booking calendar lists no exhibition sessions from 24 December 2026 to 4 January 2027. Sessions are listed again from 5 January, so check before you travel.
• The Gunpowder Plot: York’s Untold Story runs until 5 December 2026. A free, self-guided audio walking trail through the city runs alongside it.
• On the walking trail: stops include Micklegate Bar, Ouse Bridge, the Shambles and York Minster. Some stops describe executions, so read ahead with younger children.
• Christmas at the Convent: from 25 November to 23 December 2026 there is an Angels of Hope trail through the house. A new installation is on show in the chapel.
• School holidays: the convent says it runs family activities during school holidays. Dates are not listed, so check the What’s On page.

Additional needs and disability support

The Bar Convent publishes detailed step-free access information on its Plan Your Visit page.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Bar Convent free for children?

Under 6s are free. Children aged 6 to 17 pay £2 for the exhibition. Walking into the house itself is free for everyone.

What age is the Bar Convent suitable for?

The convent gives no minimum age. Its school trails and booklets cover ages 5 to 14 between them. Some stories involve executions.

Is the Bar Convent open on Sundays?

The exhibition and café are both closed on Sundays and bank holidays. The exhibition opens Monday to Saturday, 10am to 5pm, with last entry at 4pm.

Is there a café at the Bar Convent?

Yes. The café opens Monday to Saturday for breakfast and lunch, serving soup, sandwiches, cakes and scones. You can sit in the Victorian Atrium or the garden.

Can you take a wheelchair to the Bar Convent?

Yes. There is an accessible entrance on Blossom Street, a lift to the exhibition floors and an accessible toilet. The official site does not mention pushchairs, so phone ahead.

Where do you park for the Bar Convent?

The convent suggests Nunnery Lane or Blossom Street car parks. Nunnery Lane is a council car park. Daytime parking costs £5 for up to an hour from Sunday to Thursday. Blue Badge holders park there free.

Checked on 11 November 2026 against the official Bar Convent pages for the exhibition, planning your visit, the café, guided tours, the Gunpowder Plot exhibition, Christmas at the Convent and learning resources, and the City of York Council page for Nunnery Lane car park. Prices and times can change, so check before you travel.