Quick answer
These Scarborough and Yorkshire coast venues list named support for children with additional needs, from visual stories and borrow boxes to relaxed shows. Whitby Museum is in Whitby, and four venues are in Bridlington or Bempton. Closed days, Christmas dates and carer rules vary, so check each venue before you travel.
We include a venue only where its VisitKids page records named official support. Otherwise, see every place on the map.
Relaxed and signed theatre performances
- Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough: Puss in Boots plays on selected dates from 5 to 31 December 2026, with age guidance 6+ (younger children welcome). The relaxed performance is on Thursday 17 December at 11am. In a relaxed show it is fine to make noise, move around or leave. A BSL interpreted and audio-described show is on Monday 28 December at 6pm. For under 6s, every Hairy Bob’s Christmas Jumper show, from 16 to 23 December 2026, is a Chilled Performance. Ask the Box Office for free ear defenders. The carer rules differ between pages: one offers you and a carer the lowest price currently available, and another limits reduced carer tickets to its free register. A lift serves both auditoriums, but many seats involve stairs. The closest Changing Places toilet, the theatre says, is at The Street.
- Bridlington Spa, Bridlington: Cinderella plays on selected dates from Saturday 12 December 2026 to Sunday 3 January 2027. The relaxed performance is at 5pm on Monday 28 December, and a BSL signed show at 2pm on Sunday 3 January. Free carer tickets need registration with the Authorised Carer Ticket Scheme first. The cared-for person shows the first page of a DLA or PIP letter, or an Access Card. The box office cannot issue them to anyone not pre-registered, even on the night, and allows one per show. The terms say some performances use strobe lighting, smoke effects and loud noises, and there are no pass-outs or re-admissions. Under 14s must be with a responsible adult aged 18 or over. Mobility scooters cannot go in the lifts or auditoriums. The Spa’s pages do not mention sensory bags, quiet spaces or a Changing Places toilet.
Museums with visual stories and sensory kit
- Rotunda Museum, Scarborough: the visual story was written with autistic children in mind. A sensory map shows which spaces may be busy, noisy, quiet, bright or dark. The visual story describes a Sensory Backpack to borrow, with ear defenders and fidget toys. Ear defenders are also available on request from reception. Reception can be busy and noisy, and the spiral stairs are a bit dark. A lift serves all floors, but there are no toilets upstairs. Under 18s and registered carers go free; adults buy a £5 Annual Pass. It is closed on Sundays and Mondays, plus 21 December, 25 to 28 December, 31 December, 1 January and 4 to 8 January. On 13 November 2026 the museum’s page said the West Wing was closed after water leaks. The page does not mention a Changing Places toilet.
- Whitby Museum, Whitby: there is a visual story, and the Normanby Room serves as a small exhibition and quiet area. Much of the museum is dimly lit, and some objects, such as a mummified human hand, may look scary. Use the level rear entrance, because the front has 14 steps. A registered carer goes free when a visitor needs them. There is no Changing Places toilet; the nearest is at Whitby Leisure Centre. It is closed on Mondays. The museum says it closes in December, but had not published the date on 13 November 2026.
- Sewerby Hall and Gardens, Bridlington: the visual story covers busy times, loud sounds and quiet places. The Neurodiverse Borrow Box at the Welcome Centre holds ear defenders, sunglasses and fidget toys, subject to availability. A Changing Places unit in the courtyard opens with a radar key from the Welcome Centre. Carers go free with a fully paying cared-for person, who is asked to show evidence such as a PIP or DLA letter. Many house rooms have low lighting and waist-high barriers that can be hard to see. Motorised wheelchairs, scooters, prams and pushchairs must stay outside the house. The whole site closes on 25 and 26 December and 1 January.
Carer places and scooters on the clifftops
- Scarborough Castle, Scarborough: English Heritage says a disabled visitor can bring a companion free with an “essential companion” ticket. One Tramper all-terrain scooter is offered to anyone over 14 with limited mobility, up to a maximum weight of 25st (159kg). Email at least 48 hours ahead, or book through Outdoor Mobility. Under 18s need an accompanying adult during training and use. It cannot reach the Great Tower area and may not be offered in poor weather. The grounds are grass and cobbles, and wheelchair loan is marked as not available. The access page warns: “Remains are hazardous due to unfenced ditches, moat and ramparts”. The closest Changing Places toilet named is at St Nicholas Gardens, Foreshore Road. On 13 November 2026 the calendar showed it open weekends only up to 20 December, and closed 21 to 26 December.
- RSPB Bempton Cliffs, Bempton: carers go free. Two Tramper scooters are free of charge, and the RSPB recommends booking them in advance. The trail map marks a steep cliff along the reserve’s coast, and some paths can be muddy after heavy rain. The pages checked print no separate cliff-edge warning, so keep children on the paths. On 13 November 2026 the calendar showed the visitor centre closed 23 to 26 December.
Aquarium and swimming
- SEA LIFE Scarborough, Scarborough: one carer goes free for each guest who needs support, and the ticket shop says proof is required on arrival. The access page lists a DLA letter, PIP letter or Blue Badge. Pre-booking is essential. Quiet at the Aquarium sessions have turned off music, hand driers and televisions in the first hour. On 13 November 2026 the page listed 2026 dates only up to 1 November. Children aged 15 and under must be with an adult aged 18 or over. The pages checked do not mention a Changing Places toilet. On 13 November 2026 the calendar showed it closed 24 to 31 December, but the ticket shop had 27 December onwards on sale.
- Bridlington Splash Zone, Bridlington: a Changing Places toilet opposite reception has a movable hoist and space for a carer. The Splash Zone’s gradual slope makes it accessible, but the learner pool has no accessible entry. The pages do not mention relaxed or sensory sessions. Under 8s must have an adult in the water, with at most 2 under 8s per adult. On 13 November 2026 the timetable showed no Splash Zone sessions on the Mondays and Wednesdays checked.
Plan your visit: a parent’s checklist
- Register first for Bridlington Spa carer tickets, and carry proof for SEA LIFE and Sewerby.
- Check closed days and Christmas dates before you travel.
Frequently asked questions
Where can we borrow ear defenders near Scarborough?
The Rotunda Museum offers them on request at reception, and the Stephen Joseph Theatre through its Box Office. Sewerby’s Borrow Box includes them, subject to availability.
Are there relaxed Christmas shows near Scarborough?
Yes. The Stephen Joseph Theatre’s relaxed Puss in Boots is on Thursday 17 December at 11am. In Bridlington, the Spa’s relaxed Cinderella is at 5pm on Monday 28 December.
Which venues have a Changing Places toilet?
In this guide, Sewerby Hall and the Bridlington Splash Zone list one on site. Whitby Museum, Scarborough Castle and the Stephen Joseph Theatre name nearby ones instead.
Do carers go free?
The Rotunda, Whitby Museum, Sewerby, SEA LIFE and RSPB Bempton Cliffs let carers in free, each with its own conditions. Scarborough Castle has an essential companion ticket, and Bridlington Spa needs registration first.
Is there a quiet session at SEA LIFE Scarborough?
SEA LIFE has run monthly Quiet at the Aquarium sessions. On 13 November 2026 its page listed no date after 1 November, so check before you book.
Checked on 13 November 2026 against the official websites, through our Scarborough venue pages. Prices and opening times change, so check before you travel.
Photo: Ian Smith, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.