• 10.00am - 5.30pm
  • FREE
  • Chelsea, London
  • 10.00am - 5.30pm
  • FREE
  • Chelsea, London

Planning your school visit

School children attending a Remembrance workshop
Schools

Our learning offer

The Museum's learning offer includes taught workshops, self-guided visits, gallery trails and a bookable lunch space. Our curriculum-linked workshops and resources connect young people with the stories, impact and innovations of the British Army from the 1640s to present day.

How to book

Admission to the Museum is free and there is no charge for school visits. However, whether you're coming for a taught workshop or a self-guided visit, you do need to inform us in advance by completing our online booking form.

We can also offer lunch room spaces and coat/bag drop for schools. Please let us know any particular needs when booking so the Learning team can best support your visit.

Taught workshops 

Workshops are designed for up to 30 learners and last an hour. They can be booked during term time (Tuesday-Friday), subject to availability.

Virtual workshops

Our virtual workshops are adaptations of our on-site offer. They include a mixture of short films, live link-ups with the Learning team, and digital resource packs.

Self-guided visits and trails

We also welcome schools that prefer a self-guided visit or wish to combine a workshop with self-guided time. We offer free curriculum-linked gallery trails which can be downloaded from our website. These are designed to support teachers and learners in finding and interpreting the gallery displays that are most relevant to them.

Preliminary visit

You are welcome to carry out a self-guided preliminary visit to the Museum to familiarise yourself with the galleries and layout, as well as to help inform your planning and risk assessment. Whether you come for a preliminary visit or not, if you would like more information about your school booking, please contact us at learning@nam.ac.uk.

School children looking at uniforms in the Global Role gallery

Facilities

Classrooms

Workshops are taught in our Foyle Centre, a dedicated learning space at the heart of the Museum. It features two classroom spaces and a lunch room.

Lunch room

Whether you want a taught workshop or a self-guided visit, school groups are welcome to use our lunch room to store coats and bags, and/or eat packed lunches while they are in the Museum. Packed lunches or other food and drink (unless purchased and eaten in the Café) must not be consumed anywhere else in the Museum.

The lunch room must be booked in advance. You will be allocated a time slot when we confirm your booking. You may be asked to share the lunch room with another group, and we will need to book multiple time slots for large groups. Please note that use of the lunch room is subject to availability and we ask that schools keep to their allocated time.

Group Entrance

We also have a Group Entrance for schools. This leads directly to the Foyle Centre to make your arrival easier.

Shop

Take home a souvenir from your school visit. We have a range of fun and engaging products starting from just £1.00.

Getting here

Tube

Sloane Square is a 10-minute walk.

Train

Victoria is a 20-minute walk.

Bus

170 stops outside the Museum.

Plan your route

Getting here

Cycle

Ormonde Gate is the nearest Santander Cycles docking station.

River Bus

Battersea Power Station Pier is a 15-minute walk.

Parking 

We do not offer coach parking. Coaches may drop off and pick up school groups outside the Museum, but schools will need to make their own parking arrangements. The nearest coach parking is at Battersea Park, which is a 15-20 min walk away from the Museum. Further information is available from the Wandsworth Council website.

We do aim to accommodate minibus parking for schools, but we recommend booking as early as possible as availability is limited.

Access 

The National Army Museum is fully accessible. Both our main and group entrances are accessible by wheelchair. Our main entrance has level access from Royal Hospital Road, and our group entrance is accessed by ramp.

We have toilets on every floor, and disabled access toilets on the ground and lower ground floor. We also have a Changing Places facility on the ground floor. The toilets near the Café are unisex.

There is lift access to every floor of the Museum, from two centrally located lifts. Stairs are also available. If your school has additional needs and you have a question that is not answered here, please contact the Learning team at learning@nam.ac.uk

Responsibilities 

Student behaviour and conduct is the responsibility of school staff. We ask that all teachers bringing school groups to the Museum, whether for a workshop or a self-guided visit, ensure that their students behave appropriately at all times.

The Museum is a public place and all groups are asked to show consideration towards our other visitors and to treat our collection and exhibits with care.

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"First time @NAM_London today. Thoroughly enjoyed it. Thought the presentation & interpretation made the subject accessible..."