Birthday parties FAQs

How do I book a birthday party?

If you're interested in holding a party at the National Army Museum, please complete our Birthday Party Booking Form. We'll get back to you to confirm the slot, or if applicable, offer alternative dates.

Birthday parties must be booked no less than 30 days before the event date.

How do I pay?

Once you've received an Order Agreement, we'll issue you with an invoice for 100% of the package fee. This constitutes a non-refundable deposit. Payments are in GB Pounds Sterling and can be made by BACS transfer or by credit or debit card. NAMTL does not accept AMEX. All prices are inclusive of VAT.

Confirmation of your booking requires a signed copy of NAMTL's Order Agreement incorporating Terms and Conditions, together with full payment of the package fee.

What age group do you cater for?

Our parties cater for children aged 8 or under. This is based on the nature and suitability of the activities in Play Base, our family play area.

Can I hold my party at any time?

Our scheduled time slots for parties are:

Morning: 11.30am to 1.30pm (Friday to Sunday)
Afternoon: 2.30pm to 4.30pm (Friday to Sunday)

Each standard party experience lasts two hours. If you would like to extend your time in Play Base by one hour, please contact birthdays@nam.ac.uk.

What is the Party Builder?

Our Party Builder is an online tool for adding extra features to make the occasion that little bit more special. These extras are provided by NAMTL's approved suppliers and include birthday cakes, additional food for party children, and food and drink for adults.

Upon confirmation of your booking, we'll send you a link to open the Party Builder. You'll need your Order Agreement Number to use this tool, and will be invoiced separately for any extras.

How many children can I invite?

Our General Hilarity party package is based on 20 children. You can invite fewer, but will still be charged the standard package rate.

If you would like to add extra children, please use our Party Builder (extra numbers will be charged at £27.50 per child). Play Base can hold up to 30 children.

Do adults need to attend the party?

The supervision of children is your responsibility. At least one adult (parent or carer) must attend for every four children. Please ensure that you have sufficient adult helpers for the duration of your party.

We are unable to allow more than 20 adults into our standard party room. If you would like to invite more than 20 adults, please email birthdays@nam.ac.uk to enquire about our larger Foyle room upgrades.

Do you run birthday parties?

While we're happy to help you where we can, parties are not supervised or led by our staff. Our standard party packages include venue hire, children's food packs, party bags and custom invitations.

What are food packs?

Each party child receives their own meal box containing:

British ham or cheddar cheese sandwich
Falafel pot
Packet of Pom-Bear crisps
Mini flapjack or mini brownie
Carton of juice

These packs are freshly made on site by our in-house caterer, Searcys, and are included in the price of the party package.

Jugs of tap water, paper plates and napkins, and plastic cutlery and cups are also provided. Food and drink is not allowed in Play Base.

Can I bring my own food or birthday cake?

No food or drink can be brought onto the premises. If you wish, you can order additional food for party children using our Party Builder. It also includes birthday cake options, starting from £86.00 for a chocolate or Victoria sponge, and from £260.00 for a bespoke Happy Birthday 3D fondant cake (see Spiderman cake). Flat fondant cakes (see Peppa Pig cake) cost £160.00.

Because of very sensitive smoke alarms, we cannot have naked flames inside the building. All our cakes are decorated with LED candles.

What if a child has a food allergy or special dietary needs?

We will do our best to cater for any special dietary requirement. Please inform us as soon as possible after booking your party.

How soon do I need to confirm my requirements?

Any Party Builder extras need to be confirmed at least ten days before the date of your party.

Is food and drink provided for adults?

Food and drink is only provided for adults if you have pre-ordered it on our Party Builder. Our current menu is as follows:

Hot drinks

Tea (per person) - £4.65
Coffee (per person) - £4.65
Tea and mini pastry (per person) - £7.95
Coffee and mini pastry (per person) - £7.95

Soft drinks

Harrogate Water still/sparkling (750ml glass bottle) - £6.55
Harrogate Water still/sparkling (500ml plastic bottle) - £3.30
Fruit juice (per litre) - £7.95
Elderflower cordial still/sparkling (per jug) - £11.90
Coke/Diet Coke (330ml can) - £3.95
Lemonade (330ml can) - £3.95

Beer and cider

Freedom Lager (330ml bottle) - £6.55
Freedom Pale Ale (330ml bottle) - £7.20
Aspall Cyder (330ml bottle) - £7.20

White wine

Marsanne, Joie De Vigne, Pays d'Oc, Languedoc, France, 2021 - £35.65
Pinot Grigio, Vinuva, Organic, Terre Sicilliane, Sicily, Italy, 2021 - £37.65
Vinho Verde, Anjos de Portugal, Quinta da Lixa, 2021 - £39.60
Sauvignon Blanc, Featherdrop, Marlborough, New Zealand, 2022 - £46.20
James Bryant Hill Chardonnay, Schied Vineyards, Central Coast, USA, 2020 - £48.20

Red wine

Villa Rossi, Sangiovese, Rubicone, Emilia-Romagna, Italy, 2020 - £35.65
Southern Shiraz, South Eastern Australia, NV - £37.65
Podere, Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, Umani Ronchi, Abruzzo, Italy, 2021 - £39.60
Conde de Valdermar Crianza, Rioja, Spain, 2018 - £43.60
Les Parcs Pinot Noir, Guy Allion, France, 2020 - £49.50

Sparkling wine and champagne

Ca’Del Console Prosecco Extra Dry, Italy - £50.85
Searcys Selected Cuvée Brut, NV - £82.50
Searcys Selected Cuvée Rose, NV - £93.75
Drappier Champagne Carte d'Or Brut, NV - £88.45

Food

Sandwich platter (for 10 people) - £55.80
Charcuterie and cheeseboard (for 10 people) - £54.00
British cheese platter (for 10 people) - £35.10
Antipasti platter (for 10 people) - £35.10
Fruit skewers (for 10 people) - £35.10
Mini Cumberland sausage rolls with chutney (for 10 people) - £35.10
Mini Hereford beef and cheese sliders (for 10 people) - £37.65
Mini vegetarian quiche (for 10 people) - £35.10
Mac and cheese croquettes (for 10 people) - £35.10
Margherita pizza (for 10 people) - £35.10
Vegetarian pizza (for 10 people) - £35.10
Bowl of chips (for 10 people) - £34.20
Mini falafel burgers (for 10 people) - £37.65

We provide all service ware.

How do I get my invitations?

Upon confirmation of your booking, we'll send you a link to the customisable invitation template. It can be emailed or printed.

How early can we arrive?

We recommend that your guests arrive 5-10 minutes before your time slot. Our parties operate strictly within the scheduled slots.

When do I get access to the private party room to decorate?

You'll get access to the private party room, known as The Mess, 30 minutes before the start of your party.

The walls are neutral, so you can easily theme the space. Please use white tack to stick up banners and posters. And if you would like to bring helium balloons, please make sure that they are weighted – we have a high atrium! After the party, please take away all your decorations with you.

The Mess is laid out with a large rectangular table (clothed), seating and soft seating. Our caterer will bring your food and drink into the private party room just before you finish your session in Play Base.

What should children wear?

Play Base is all about having fun and being adventurous. We recommend that children wear comfortable clothing.

Where can we put our bags and presents?

You can store bags and presents in the private party room. NAMTL takes no responsibility for any lost or damaged items.

Am I allowed to take photos?

Yes, you can photograph or film your party in The Mess and Play Base during your exclusive use of these spaces.