Reopening FAQs

We've reopened our doors

The National Army Museum is open once again, with measures in place so you can enjoy your experience here as safely as possible. Entry remains free, but we are asking visitors to book a time slot online before visiting.

FAQs

When is the Museum open?

The Museum is open daily from Tuesday 7 July, except on Mondays.

• Monday: Closed
• Tuesday - Sunday: 10.30am - 3.30pm (last entry 3pm)

What facilities are open?

Galleries

The galleries will be open to view via a one-way route. Some gallery interactives will be unavailable.

Café

The Cookhouse Café is now open between 10.30am and 3.00pm and available for takeaway or for eat-in, but with a reduced seating capacity to adhere to government guidelines.

Cold food on offer includes pre-packed sandwiches, kids' packed lunches, and cakes. Card payments only.

Templer Study Centre

The Templer Study Centre will be open for current readers Tuesday to Friday between 10.30am and 1pm, and 2pm and 3.15pm (last entry 2.15pm).

Access to the Templer Study Centre will be by appointment only in order that we can maintain social distancing guidelines and will require 10 working days’ notice. Please email info@nam.ac.uk to book your slot.

Before booking a visit, we encourage you to visit our Templer Study Centre page, read our website research advice, and search our Online Collection.

Shop

The Shop will be open. However, it will be accepting contactless card payments only. You can also visit our online shop.

Toilets and changing facilities

Toilets will be open, including baby change and Changing Places facilities. The locations can be found on our visitor map.

Lifts

Owing to Covid-19 restrictions, lifts will only be available for visitors with limited or restricted mobility.

What facilities are closed?

Cloakroom

The cloakroom will be closed, so we ask that you keep all your personal belongings with you (including push chairs) as you follow the one-way route. Please do not bring suitcases, large bags or scooters to the Museum.

Lunchroom

There will be no lunchroom facilities at this time and we ask visitors not to bring food and drink into the Museum.

Play Base

Play Base will remain temporarily closed. We will continue to monitor the situation and will reopen when government guidance allows and it is safe to do so. If you have any queries about Play Base, please email info@nam.ac.uk

Birthday parties

We are not currently able to offer children’s birthday parties.

Research visits (Stevenage)

Research visits to Stevenage are not possible at this time. We are currently reviewing our practices and will resume these visits as soon as it is safe to do so. If you have any queries about research, please email info@nam.ac.uk

What measures will you have in place to meet government guidance for visitors?

Risk assessments

Risk assessments have been carried out for both staff and visitor operations. These are regularly reviewed and take into account the latest guidance from the government and Public Health England.

Staggered entry

We are limiting capacity and staggering entry to the Museum. Entry remains free, but we are asking visitors to pre-book a time slot in advance of their visit.

Social-distancing markers

We have put markers outside the Museum to help you adhere to social-distancing rules as you wait to enter.

One-way route

We are offering a simple and safe one-way route around the Museum. You may need to wait to enter a gallery or to progress on your route. Our staff will be on hand, at a safe distance, to help assist and guide you during your visit.

Please do not use the lifts unless you have specific mobility needs. If you do need to use them, please observe the guidance outside and within the lift itself.

Protective screens

There will be protective perspex screens in place at the Welcome Desk, the Shop and in the Templer Study Centre.

Increased cleaning

We have increased our cleaning regime across the Museum with increased frequency to sensitive areas (handrails, handles and doors) and our toilet facilities.

Hand sanitiser

There will be hand-sanitising stations on entering the Museum, with additional stations located along the route.

How do I book my free time slot for the Museum?

Please book online before arriving at the Museum, choosing a date for your visit and one of the following time slots:

• 10.30am - 12pm
• 12pm - 1.30pm
• 1.30pm - 3pm

You can book a time slot up to a month in advance of your visit. We will release new time slots every Monday. Please be mindful of others when booking your slot and don’t book more than you need.

Please bring your ticket with you.

If you are unable to book your time slot online, please call the Museum switchboard on 020 7730 0717 during Museum opening hours. A member of our team will be pleased to assist you.

Your contact details will be held securely for 21 days in order to support NHS Test and Trace. Please see our Privacy Policy for further details.

Do I need to arrive at the start of my time slot?

No, you can arrive at any time during your time slot. However, we estimate that it will take an hour and a half to enjoy the galleries via our one-way route.

Can I turn up without a ticket?

No, you need to book your free ticket before you arrive.

Do I need to print my ticket?

No, but you will need to show it on your phone, if you don't have a print-out.

What will happen when I arrive?

Queuing

You may have to queue outside the Museum. Please use the social-distancing markers to guide you.

Security check

If you bring a bag to the Museum, it will be searched upon entry. Our security officer will ask you to place your bag on the desk and open it before they perform the bag search. Our security officer will be wearing disposable gloves to carry out the check and will change gloves between each bag search.

Once the check is complete, the security officer will ask you to close and collect your bag so that you can begin your visit.

Please do not bring suitcases, large bags or scooters to the Museum.

Check-in

You will be asked to check in at our Welcome Desk so that we can confirm your booking and provide you with any information you might need to assist you with your visit.

Will there be someone to ask if I have questions?

Yes, our staff are available to guide you and to answer any queries you may have. At the Welcome Desk, the Shop and the Templer Study Centre there will be protective perspex screens in place.

Can I book a school visit?

We are not able to offer school workshops in the Museum for the rest of this academic term. However, schools who wish to come to the Museum for a self-guided visit are welcome. If you would like to speak to the Learning team about how we can support your visit, please email learning@nam.ac.uk

From September 2020, we plan to offer a mixture of physical and virtual sessions. Please visit our Schools page for the latest on the workshops available to book. If you would like more information, please email learning@nam.ac.uk

Can I book a group visit?

Group visits are not currently possible. We hope to resume this service soon. For more information on group visits, please email info@nam.ac.uk

I have access needs. Can I still visit the Museum?

We continue to welcome visitors with access needs or reduced mobility. The Museum remains fully accessible with its one-way route in place.

It is also possible to borrow a wheelchair on site. These are fully disinfected after each use. If you would like to inform us of your visit in advance, please email info@nam.ac.uk

Will the Museum continue to run its Public Programme?

We will continue to deliver much our public programme using our digital channels. However, we will review this regularly and will advise when we can bring our lectures back into the Museum safely.

The rest of our programme, including family activities, gallery tours and gallery carts, along with our exclusive members programme will be phased in as we look to reopen our services more fully.

For the latest details, visit our What's On page, our social channels or sign up for our e-newsletter.

How can I get to the Museum?

We encourage visitors to walk, cycle or drive a safe distance to the Museum. If you rely on public transport, please consider the current government guidance before making your journey.

The Museum has cycle racks located at the front of the building. The nearest Santander Cycle Docking Stations can be found at:

• Ormonde Gate, 4-minute walk
• Flood Street, 10-minute walk
• Phene Street, 11-minute walk
• Manresa Road, 14-minute walk

There is some availability for visitor parking on local roads around the Museum. Details can be found on the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea website.

What else can I do to stay safe?

Visit the government website for more information about Covid-19 and prevention measures.

Why have you chosen to open the Museum now?

Our mission is to tell the story of our Army and those who have served in it. We want to continue to deliver our mission to our visitors as soon as it’s safe to do so.

The government guidance issued on 23 June 2020 indicated that we are now in Step 3 of the Covid-19 recovery strategy. As such, the opening of museums is permitted as long as Covid-19 secure guidelines can be met. The measures we have put in place are in line with this government guidance. We have also taken into consideration the National Museums Directors’ Council Good Practice guidelines for reopening.

Although we are a national museum, our local audience makes up a large proportion of our regular visitors, and it is primarily for this local audience that we reopen our doors. We encourage those who can cycle, walk or drive to us to visit us as we reopen.

Last updated: 7 August 2020