We suggest setting aside at least a couple of hours to look around. As your ticket is valid for 12 months, you can always return later in your trip.

Have a look at our suggested itineraries to find out how to best spend whatever time you have at York Minster.

Yes, you can. We recommend pre-booking sightseeing tickets before you visit so that you can avoid the queues and enjoy seamless entry to York Minster.

Book your tickets.

Wheeled bags, and bags larger than hand luggage are not allowed in York Minster.

There are nearby left luggage facilities in the city centre including – Yorbag. 

Please bring your driving licence, a utility bill, or YorkCard.

If you are a York student, please bring your local college/university ID card.

As a living cathedral, worship and prayer are at the heart of York Minster. There is no charge for those who come to attend a service, pray, or light a candle. If you wish to visit for such reasons, please let our welcome desk team know.

However it costs more than £33,000 a day to run York Minster. We receive no regular funding from the Government or the Church of England, aside from the salaries of three members of the clergy. Your contribution goes towards supporting the future of the cathedral.

Read more.

No. We never charge anyone who is visiting York Minster to attend a service, pray or light a candle.

Booking is not generally required, except for at a small number of major services. Please see our What’s On section for details. During busy seasons such as Advent and Christmas, people are advised to arrive in plenty of time as we do reach capacity on occasions.

Food is not permitted inside the Minster. Only cold bottled drinks are allowed; hot drinks are not permitted.

There is no café inside the Minster, but the York Minster Refectory is located nearby on the South Piazza. Picnics are also welcome in all of our green spaces.

We’re actually both! York Minster’s full title is The Cathedral and Metropolitical Church of Saint Peter in York.

The word ‘minster’ was coined towards the end of the sixth century. This was when Christian missionaries were sent to convert Saxon England. They built churches to be centres for worship. These churches also served as bases from which to preach in the surrounding countryside. Priests lived there, and the centres became known as monasteriums. This word entered the Old English language as ‘mynster’.

Yes, we have accessible toilets for all on the ground level. There are also baby change facilities.

See our interactive map to check their location.

Yes. There is ramped access at the main entrance to York Minster and most of the cathedral has level, ramped or lift access.

Read our full Accessibility Guide.

Yes.

To book a free carers ticket, please contact our Booking team on 01904 557200 or email at info@yorkminster.org

No animals may be brought into the Minster, except for service animals. We do not allow emotional support animals inside the Minster.

Please read our Accessibility Guide for further information.

Yes.

There is ramped access at the main entrance at Precentor’s Court. Most of the cathedral has level, ramped or lift access. The only exceptions are the Tower and Crypt.

Yes. You can find these facilities by the main toilets in the North Quire Aisle.

Yes. Breastfeeding is welcome throughout the cathedral. We have a designated breast feeding space – St Nicholas’ Chapel. Please speak to a member of our Visitor Welcome Team if you would like to use this space.

Yes, if they are for personal use and not commercial purposes.

Photography, audio and video recording is not permitted during Minster services, acts of worship or events.

Many of the objects in the Undercroft Museum and the Treasury are fragile, so flash photography is not allowed.

Yes, only if they are short clips for social media or online blogs.

Filming for any documentary, project, advert or commercial venture is not allowed without full written permission from our governing body The Chapter of York. This includes areas such as Dean’s Park and College Green around the external perimeter of the Minster.

To discuss filming projects, please contact the marketing team at marketing@yorkminster.org.

Any commercial photography requires the prior written permission of the Chapter of York. This includes:

• the recording of any images and/or sound for commercial purposes
• the uploading onto the internet
• any online publishing of any material created or recorded in the Minster

All commercial image-use rights in all images created inside York Minster remain the property of the Chapter of York.

To discuss commercial photography, please contact marketing@yorkminster.org

Taking off and landing a drone/unmanned aircraft system (UAS) from the Minster Precinct is not permitted without prior permission. This includes areas such as Dean’s Park and College Green.

If you would like to fly a drone/UAS in proximity to the Minster, please contact marketing@yorkminster.org