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Today we are open from
First admission
9:30 amLast admission
4:00 pmTicket prices range from £13 to £28.
AdmissionsSee our What's On section for upcoming services and events
What's onVisiting York Minster.
VisitAt York Minster we want to make sure we deliver a welcoming and enjoyable environment for all our visitors. The majority of the building is accessible by wheelchair and mobility scooter users alike. Please see below for full information about resources and facilities in various areas for visitors with disabilities or additional access needs, or you can download our full statement here.
For further information about your visit, or to book a free carers ticket, please contact the York Minster Bookings Team on 01904 557200 or email info@yorkminster.org
Getting to the Minster
York is well served by the road network and public transport. The main railway station, which has barrier free access, is about 1 kilometre from the Minster. There are safe crossing places along the way. Bus services run to Museum Street close to the Minster and there are on-street accessible parking bays close to the Minster.
Blue Badge parking locations in the city can be found here.
Entrance to the Minster
There is a choice of ramped or stepped access with handrails from Precentor’s Court, which leads through an outer doorway and glass porch to the admission desk. The Minster is open Monday-Saturday from 9.30am until 4pm (last admission) and from 12:45pm until 2.45pm on Sundays. There is a charge to enter the Minster, although accompanying carers are not charged for entry. Guided tours are free to visitors (Monday to Saturday).
Animals
No animals may be brought into the Minster, except for service animals. We do not allow emotional support animals inside the Minster.
Toilet Facilities
There are male and female toilet facilities, baby changing and an accessible toilet located after the North Transept towards the East End of the Minster. There are ambulant toilet cubicles available in the main male and female toilet areas.
Minster Interior
York Minster is a very large gothic building with high ceilings, magnificent stained glass windows and mostly stone floors. Although it is a place of reverence it can also be quite busy and noisy when visitors are present or, for example, when the organ is playing. Light levels vary in different parts of the Minster, particularly where sunlight impacts on the stained glass windows or in the Undercroft Museum, which is the lowest part of the Minster and a darker area. The main features of the Minster, except the Tower, have level, ramped or lift access to them.
Click HERE for our York Minster Visual Story.
The Tower
The Tower does not have wheelchair access and visitors need to climb the 275 stone steps of a spiral staircase, which does have a handrail on the left going up, to reach the top. There is an additional charge to visit the Tower.
Click HERE for our Central Tower Visual Story.
Main Minster Floor
On entering at the West End, the Minster is set out in the form of a cross, with the Nave in front and the North Transept to the left and South Transept to the right, with the East End beyond. The raised Quire occupies a central space with walkways on either side leading to the East End. The West End, Nave, North Transept, South Transept and the East End of the Minster are on one level, with paved stone floors throughout.
Organ and Quire
There is stepped and ramped access to the Quire from the Nave next to the Kings Screen. The Quire area where the organ is positioned is mainly single level. About halfway down the Quire there are three sets of shallow steps which lead up to the high altar. For this reason, only the first section of the Quire is accessible for wheelchair users.
Chapter House
There is convenient sloped access from the North Transept leading to the Chapter House.
Undercroft, Treasury and Crypt
There is stepped and lift access from the South Transept to the Undercroft, which tells the story of the Minster and has historic books and artefacts on display. It has level or ramped access throughout.
The Treasury and Crypt regularly contain temporary exhibitions. They can be accessed via stone steps in the North Quire Aisle or via a platform lift once inside the Undercroft Museum.
Click HERE to find our audio description page ahead of your visit.
Click HERE for our Undercroft Museum Social Story.
St Cuthbert Exhibition
Access to the exhibition is available to all visitors and is free as part of General Admission to the Minster.
Click HERE to download a digital booklet of the exhibition.
Click HERE for our exhibition Visual Story.
Click HERE to find our audio description page ahead of your visit.
Click HERE for our What to Expect video with audio description, captions and BSL interpretation.
Minster Shop
There is flat-level access to the Minster shop from the South side of the Nave towards the South Transept, and stepped or ramp access from the shop through the South Transept and out the South Door into the Minster Piazza. Any visitors who require ramp access to the shop, please ask at the North West door of the Minster and a member of staff will show you the way through. There is no ramp access directly into the shop from street level.
Tactile Model of York Minster
A range of services are provided at the Minster for people who are blind or partially sighted.
A tactile model of York Minster is offered to enable visitors to get an idea and orientation of the Minster. PENfriend™ audio description and Braille text is also provided to help interpret the design.
Tactile Plan and Adaptive Information about the Minster
A tactile site plan, with PENfriend™ audio description and Braille information is provided to assist blind and visually impaired visitors to learn about and navigate the Minster. The tactile plan and PENfriend may be borrowed in advance of visiting to enable blind and partially sighted visitors to learn something of the Minster before visiting. If you would like to request the plan to be sent to you, please email info@yorkminster.org, or call 01904 557200.
Self-Guided Route
The tactile plan enables blind and visually impaired visitors to find, and learn about, a series of interesting and informative tactile features around the Minster, on a self-guided journey.
Assistive items
There are sensory materials such as embroidery samples and stained glass examples available to help people with sensory impairments and learning disabilities learn about the Minster. These are kept securely at the main entrance and a member of staff will be able to help on request.
Hearing aid users
Audio induction loops to assist hearing aid users are provided in parts of the interior of the Minster. Minster staff and volunteers have also been trained in welcoming and communicating with deaf and hearing impaired visitors.
Assisted guided tours
We understand that some of our visitors might require extra help, or wish to take part in a guided tour and be able to plan this in advance. Our bookings team can arrange for specially trained guides to be available to meet you when you visit, but require 6 weeks’ notice to try and secure a guide (subject to availability). There is no additional charge for this service. If you would like to take advantage of this service please phone our bookings team on 01904 557200 or email info@yorkminster.org with details of the assistance required.
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