We’ve seen the Romans, Anglo-Saxons, Vikings and Normans. Now, we’re ready for you.

The Minster is yours to explore with an annual family pass starting from just £20. Adult tickets are priced at £20 and include entry for up to four children aged 17 and under for a whole year. So, two adults and up to eight children can explore one of the world’s most magnificent cathedrals as many times as you like for just £40!

Enjoy tours, trails, exhibitions, an accredited museum, and backpacks filled with gadgets, all designed to help your young adventurer discover the cathedral’s 1400-year history. We encourage children and families to get hands-on during a visit. Here’s how you can make the most of your time at York Minster:

All of the activities listed below are included with general admission. 

Try our new ‘My Marvellous Map of York Minster’ trail

Practise your artistic skills and design your own map of York Minster with our brand-new trail, inspired by the magnificent illustrations of Isabel Saul. Bring York Minster to life with your creativity and artistic eye. Don’t forget to check out Isabel Saul’s original map design in the Nave.

Click here to download your map before you visit, or pick up a copy from the Welcome Desk when you arrive.

Or you can explore with one of our other specially designed, curriculum-aligned trails and look for special people, patterns and places as you journey around York Minster:

• Interested in science and technology? Choose from our three STEM trails: Maths Quest, Light Quest and Nature Quest
• Looking to delve into the detail? Try Mason Mouse’s Minster Detectives and Minster Navigators

Perfect for keeping little brains busy!

Grab a Little Explorer Backpack

Borrow a Little Explorer Backpack free of charge from the Welcome Desks. Each backpack is packed full of gadgets to help you on your adventure through the medieval Minster. Use the binoculars and magnifying glass to spot hidden details or the torch and mirror to investigate the nooks and crannies.

Why not explore:

• The Quire: where are the tiny wooden mice hidden?
• The Chapter House: how many silly faces can you find?
• The Nave: have you spotted our dragon?

Pick up an activity pack

Head over to Mason Mouse’s Wonder Box in St Stephen’s Chapel and pick up an activity pack filled with puzzles, experiments and colouring pages. There is something to inspire every age with curiosity and creativity.

Explore the Undercroft Museum 

Get hands on with history in our state-of-the-art Undercroft Museum. Follow in the footsteps of Roman soldiers, touch archaeological remains uncovered over the centuries, and explore changing exhibitions in the Treasury. Feeling strong? See if you can lift a replica of ‘The Horn of Ulf’, a 1,000-year-old elephant tusk gifted to the cathedral by a Viking lord!

Enjoy our green spaces

Relax in Dean’s Park or Minster Garden and take in these vibrant green spaces nestled in the heart of York, offering unbeatable views of the Minster. Perfect for dog walks and family picnics. Be sure to say hello to Paddington!