We were delighted in 2024 to be awarded the Kids in Museums Family Friendly Museum Award for Best Small Museum, recognising the amazing work that our Learning and Participation Team do to engage people of every age. The families who they sent out to judge the museum described us as "a very friendly, warm and welcoming place" and one of the 5-year-olds who was part of the judging gave us a "double thumbs up"! You can read more below about our family-friendly offer with comments from the families who visited.

"We visit a lot of museums as a family, and out of everywhere this has had the most activities that my 5y/o has proactively engaged with."

We aim to make our galleries a place where everyone can engage with the topics and objects on display. Our permanent galleries all feature interactives from our Pikes and Ladders board game to touch screens, an automaton, replica objects to interact with, our popular dressing up area with replica costumes and weapons and many more. We also include object labels aimed at younger audiences and discussion prompts to help families have meaningful conversations about our exhibitions. Families can follow trails through the galleries and borrow puppet versions of Prince Rupert's famous dog Boye or Cromwell's horse Blackjack, who can accompany you as you explore.

"There was plenty for children to do, including games, activities, trails, dressing up, tent to play in and the icing on the cake was the Playhem blocks which were an inspired idea... 2 other boys were having to be dragged away!"

Our events programme is year-round and features regular family activities as well as special one-off events. The first Saturday of each month is Family Saturday with a different theme each time, linking crafts, activities and family-friendly tours. In term time, every Thursday is Mini Museum with themed games and play for toddlers from 10.30am to 11.30am in our Tudor Hall and Newark Museum galleries. Mini Museum is free to attend but we do recommend booking in advance. During the school holidays, we usually run additional activities including our much-loved Playhem event over the summer. Children and visitors of all ages are invited to let their imaginations run wild with big blue building blocks, making castles, trains, tractors and anything else they can dream up! For the latest information on what's coming up, make sure to check our Events page and follow us on social media.

"The café was family friendly [and] easily accessible with a pushchair. [There was] lots of space for the pushchair, lots of high chairs, [a] children’s menu [and] friendly staff."

Café Nineteen20 has been awarded Kids in Museums Family Café Standard for its good choice of hot and cold healthy and affordable food and excellent facilities. Kids meals are available alongside a delicious selection of light lunches, sumptuous home-made cakes, gluten-free bakes, quality coffee and free wifi.

The café can be found by turning left at reception and there is step-free access to the via a lift as well as accessible toilets and spacious wheelchair access. We offer highchairs, baby changing facilities and plenty of room for pushchairs.

"The toilets were really accessible and so much thought had gone into making them suitable for all guests."

We have accessible toilets both on the museum side of the building and in the café as well as baby changing facilities. We also signpost which toilets have hand dryers for any families who find this information helpful. For more information about access at the museum, visit our accessibility page.

We want to make sure that families really are at the heart of what we deliver so we're calling out to families across Newark and Sherwood to help, and have already recruited a number of families. The Family Panel provides an opportunity for families to share their ideas and insights which help to shape the future of the National Civil War Centre.

We're keen to hear from families from a variety of different backgrounds to help us enhance our family-friendly activities and the overall experience of visiting.

Members have access to special family events, discounts, opportunities to share views and ideas, a chance to peek behind the scenes at the theatre and museum, assistance with transport, and even half-price theatre tickets! (Subject to availability.) 

To find out more, or join the Panel, please email civilwarlearning@newark-sherwooddc.gov.uk.