Explore the Jorvik Group
Explore the Jorvik Group
Accessibility
At JORVIK Viking Centre you are standing on the site of one of the most famous and astounding discoveries of modern archaeology. Between the years 1976-81 archaeologists from York Archaeological Trust, an independent educational charity, revealed the houses, workshops and backyards of the Viking-Age city of Jorvik as it stood nearly 1,000 years ago.
These incredible discoveries enabled us to build JORVIK Viking Centre on the very site where the excavations had taken place, creating a groundbreaking visitor experience where you take a journey through the reconstruction of Viking-Age streets and experience life as it would have been in 10th century York.
Watch the video: JORVIK Viking Centre Overview
View PDF Access Guide here (PDF, 19 MB)
View the Word version of the Access Guide here (.docx, 26 MB)
Click on the links below to find out the information you need:
Recite Me is a web accessibility toolbar that allows website visitors to customise a site in a way that works best for them.
The toolbar can be used to provide text to speech functionality, fully customisable styling features, reading support aids and a translation tool with over 100 languages, including 35 text to speech voices.
You may find the Recite Me toolbar useful if you have dyslexia, visual impairments, autism, ADHD, epilepsy or hyperlexia.
The toolbar can be activated using the button at the top of the homepage.
There is step-free access to the entrance and throughout the building. There is a lift between floors and an accessible toilet. All staff have disability awareness and Autism Awareness training whilst some staff have BSL training.
Glass doors have contrast markings. We have interpretation available in level 1 translation and in large print. Some parts of the building have low lighting, though you can borrow a handheld lamp.
Visual stories are available to download on our website and we have paper copies at our front desk.
We have a hearing loop on all our ride capsules and at our “pod” area.
We have a complimentary ticket policy for carers and personal assistants, and all tickets are valid for one year, allowing as many returns and re-entries as you like.
Seating is available throughout the building, and we have sensory packs for you to use at our front desk.
Learn about our Sensory information here
We provide the following accessibility equipment free of charge to visitors:
Please note: Due to a high number of sensory bags disappearing, you will need to leave a card (ID or bank) at our admissions desk in order to borrow one. Your card will be returned to you when you drop the sensory bag back off at our admissions desk.
Our ride capsules and pod area have a hearing loop.
We also operate a traffic light sticker system at all our attractions:
You can pick up the sticker colour of your choice at the front desk.
19 Coppergate
Coppergate Shopping Centre
York
YO1 9WT
what3words: lots.lovely.guitar
There are several bus stops along Piccadilly, including busses service by First York, TransDev, and others. By heading North along Piccadilly (towards the main square and the Minster), you turn left at the main stop light onto Coppergate. Halfway down the street on the left hand side, there is a pedestrian area that slopes downhill. Follow this to the bottom of the Coppergate Shopping Centre, where the Jorvik Viking Centre is located on the right hand side. The bus stop is 0.1 miles / 0.2 km from JORVIK Viking Centre.
The nearest train station is York Rail Station. The train station is 0.7 miles / 1.1 km from JORVIK Viking Centre.
York is on the East Coast main line between London and Scotland. It takes less than two hours to get to York from London. Trains run every half an hour, with at least 25 direct trains each week day. Direct rail services also run to York from many of the UK’s main regional centres. York can be reached easily from all the following stations: Edinburgh, Glasgow, Birmingham, Bristol, Leeds, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham and Liverpool.
Information on train times and prices is available by telephone from within the UK on 08457 48 49 50.
The nearest drop off point is along Tower Street, behind Clifford’s Tower and outside the Hilton York, near the Castle Car Park. From the Hilton, follow Tower Street around the corner to the left, then walk along Castlegate for about 60 meters. On the right hand side will be a downhill pedestrian pathway alongside St Mary’s Church. At the bottom of the hill, turn left and walk for another 25 meters. The JORVIK Viking Centre will be on your left.
You can get a taxi with Streamline by calling 01904 656565. The taxi company has a wheelchair accessible vehicle.
The nearest car park is the Castle car park, just a five minute walk away (for Sat Nav Users, Castle Car Park Postcode: YO1 9SA).
Free, secure car parking is available at York’s six Park & Ride sites. Park & Ride allows you to travel to York by car, park for free in secure car parks and complete your journey into the city centre by bus.
Award winning car parking company Q-Park operates the Shambles car park a short walk away on Garden Place. Q-Park Shambles is a clean, well-lit and safe facility offering a range of convenient services. Pre-book your parking online and use promo-code ‘Jorvik’ and receive a 10% discount on your parking. Address: Q-Park Shambles, Garden Place, York, YO1 7NT.
We work to welcome all disabled people to our sites through a variety of training, feedback, and sector-led research. We are always keen to improve our offer, so if you have any suggestions, please email us at [email protected]
You can also book additional assistance for your visit, available from 3pm onwards. We will provide a member of staff to accompany you around the centre to help familiarise you with the surroundings and introduce you to each area. We hope this additional assistance, at what is usually a quieter time in the attraction, will help you enjoy your visit. To book this assistance please email [email protected] in advance of your visit.
Breastfeeding is welcome at all our sites, and we can provide a private space if you would like.
Registered service animals are very welcome at all our sites.
We have a water bowl at the admissions desk for them to use.
Service animals may toilet outside in a small grassy area between the JORVIK Viking Centre and the nearby St Mary’s Church.
In case of an emergency, staff are trained to help everyone evacuate quickly and efficiently, and have been given specific training to help disabled visitors evacuate.
All staff receive the following training:
Some staff have also received BSL training, and we are working to increase the number of staff with this training.
We also take part in the Visitor Attraction Quality Assurance Scheme (VAQAS) run by VisitEngland.
We have been recognised for our work in accessibility and won the following awards:
We have also been shortlisted for other awards:
JORVIK Viking Centre is a highly interactive experience through Viking York where visitors get to see, hear, and smell what life was like 1,000 years ago. By using multiple senses, we strive to make JORVIK an experience that everyone can enjoy, and are constantly working to improve our accessibility. For further information, feel free to email ([email protected]) or call (01904 615505) or even stop in and speak to a member of staff.
Because we are an underground museum, JORVIK can feel somewhat claustrophobic when it gets crowded. Noise levels are generally never very high, but if the museum starts to become overwhelming, you are welcome to leave and come back at any point. All our tickets are valid for a full 12 months, so you can return at any time in those 12 months – and as many times as you like!
Our quietest periods are during the Winter months, and most days after 2pm. You can always contact our Reservations team ([email protected] or 01904 615505) to determine the best time for your visit.
Wheelchair and mobility scooter users must pre-book via phone (01904 615505) or email ([email protected]).
Please note, we are unable to offer online bookings for Wheelchair and mobility scooter users at this time.
As most of the attraction is underground, fire regulations dictate that only one wheelchair user may be inside the JORVIK Viking Centre at any one time.
Your visit also allows use of our manual wheelchair if required. Mobility scooters cannot be used within the Centre.
Our Admissions and Shop areas are both accessed from street level and our admissions doors are always open to allow easy access for wheelchair users and pushchairs.
Our Admissions area is a flat smooth surface with a lower desk area to the right as you enter. There is a lift that will take you to the start of your visit.
Our ride consists of moving capsules that transport visitors around to enjoy the sight, sounds and smells of Jorvik. One of the capsules is fitted with a modified space for wheelchair users to enjoy the ride without having to leave your wheelchair. Once you are inside the attraction, a member of our Technical team will come and talk to you about experiencing the ride and will escort you to the boarding point to provide assistance.
Please note that large electric wheelchairs can sometimes struggle to get on our ride but we do have our own manual wheelchair which you can transfer into if you are able.
Due to the limited space of our galleries and the use of a ride, we are unable to cater for mobility scooters. If you are able to walk there is a lift to use to get into the centre and all of our galleries are flat. If not, we also have a wheelchair you can transfer into.
There is full wheelchair access throughout the rest of the galleries at JORVIK Viking Centre.
To access our Shop at the end of your visit, you will need to go back up in the lift then leave through our Admissions doors, re-entering the shop through the external door to the right as you exit the Admissions area.