National Emergency Services Museum

Is it right for my child?

• Vehicles: the museum says it has around 30 large vehicles on display, including several in an enclosed Outdoor Zone. Some may be moved or off display during events.
• Climb in and dress up: children can sit in a wartime fire engine and a wooden rowing boat. Several exhibitions have uniforms to try on.
• The lifeboat: the Outdoor Zone holds an RNLI Tyne Class lifeboat. Tours inside it run only at selected times.
• Sensory notes: some areas use lighting, sound, smoke and smells. The visual story mentions a dark, red-lit Air Ambulance room and a dark car crash scene with smoke.
• Grown-up themes: the police cells exhibition covers Victorian crime, including murderers, with weapons on show.
• Other closures: the exhibitions page says some areas of Hazard House, on the second floor, are closed for refurbishment.
• It can be cold: the museum warns some areas of the old building feel cold, especially when it is cold outside.

Plan your visit: a parent’s checklist

• Booking online in advance is recommended, especially at busy times, but you can also pay on the day.
• Online, give the full name of every visitor. Proof of ID may be requested on arrival.
• Download the museum map and the sensory map from the museum’s website.
• Plan for no on-site parking. The car park behind the museum on Lambert Street is private.
• Check the website before you go. The museum says it can close from time to time for maintenance, events and other activities.

Prices and tickets

Prices on the tickets page and online booking calendar on 12 November 2026:

• Adult (16 to 60): £9.50
• Child (3 to 15): £7.50
• Under 3s: free
• Family: £26.50 for 2 adults and 2 children, or 1 adult and 3 children
• Concession (60 plus) and students with valid ID: £8.50
• Wheelchair users: £5.50, because of limited access around the old building
• 999 staff with valid ID: £5.50. Blue Light Cards are not accepted.
• Essential carer: £5.50 on the booking calendar. See the support section for who qualifies.

Year ticket: the tickets page says every newly bought ticket becomes a Year Ticket at no extra charge. It lasts 12 months from your first visit. Other museum pages say a full-price ticket is upgraded on the day, so ask at the desk. Year tickets cover the named people only, and every adult must show matching ID on return visits.

The tickets page says prices may change on special event days, or extra costs may apply.

Pushchairs, babies and toilets

• Toilets: the ground floor toilets are at the back of the Cobbled Yard. The accessible toilet there has baby changing.
• Baby changing: a unisex toilet on the first floor also has baby changing.
• Lift: a platform lift links the ground, first and second floors.
• Floors and steps: the cobbled courtyard is bumpy, and there are occasional steps on the ground floor. The main staircase is worn and can be uneven underfoot.
• The official pages do not mention pushchairs, buggy parking or breastfeeding.

Food and drink

The museum has its own café, recognised as family friendly by the charity Kids in Museums. It serves hot and cold drinks, snacks and treats.

You can eat your own packed lunch in the café space during your museum visit. Seating is spread over three levels, with no lift to the Hayloft.

Getting there and parking

Address: Old Police/Fire Station, West Bar, Sheffield, S3 8PT.

• Parking: no on-site parking. The museum lists nearby car parks, including council pay and display on Workhouse Lane (S3 8PH), about 30 seconds’ walk away.
• Bus: the nearest stop is on West Bar, opposite the museum, served by buses 57, 81, 82, 86 and 135.
• Tram: the nearest stops are Sheffield Cathedral and Shalesmoor.
• Free city bus: use the Sheffield Connect 2 stop at Millsands / Bridge Street, or the Connect 1 stop at Church Street.

The museum says its travel details are for guidance and can change.

When to visit

• Usual hours: Wednesday to Sunday, 10am to 4pm, last entry 3pm. Closed Monday and Tuesday, but the tickets page says it opens most bank holiday Mondays.
• Festive Forties, A Wartime Christmas: Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 December 2026, with costumed characters, live music, crafts and Father Christmas.
• The event page says booking online is the only way to guarantee entry at your chosen time. Some usual exhibitions may be restricted that weekend.
• Little Heroes Play Days: relaxed play sessions for young children. The what’s on page lists 19 and 20 December 2026. The Little Heroes page gives sessions from 10.30am to 12.30pm and 1pm to 3pm.
• December dates: on 12 November the booking calendar offered no slots on 11, 25, 26 or 31 December, or in January 2027. Its last slot on 24 December was 1pm.
• The same calendar did show slots on Monday 28 and Tuesday 29 December, so check before you travel.

Additional needs and disability support

The museum offers several kinds of support, but its historic building limits access in places.

Frequently asked questions

Is the National Emergency Services Museum good for toddlers?

Under 3s go free, and Little Heroes Play Days are designed for young children. Some areas are dark or use sound effects and smoke, so check the sensory map first.

Is the policing exhibition open?

On 12 November 2026 the museum said its main policing exhibition was closed for building restoration. The police cells stay open, reached by stairs.

Can you take a pushchair to the National Emergency Services Museum?

The official pages do not mention pushchairs. A lift serves all three floors, but there are cobbles and occasional steps on the ground floor.

Can you bring your own food?

Yes. The museum is happy for you to eat your own food in its café space during your visit.

Is the National Emergency Services Museum good for autistic children?

It offers free sensory backpacks, a sensory map and a visual story. Some areas use lights, sound, smoke and smells.

Is there parking at the museum?

No, there is no on-site parking. The museum lists several pay and display car parks within a five-minute walk.

Checked on 12 November 2026 against the official National Emergency Services Museum pages for the home page, plan your visit, tickets, accessibility, the visual story, exhibitions, the café, getting here, what’s on and Festive Forties, plus its online booking calendar. Prices and times can change, so check before you travel.