Educational Visits
Alnwick Castle is proud to be one of the UK’s most iconic castles. With its rich history, engaging educational workshops, tours, and activities, it’s the perfect destination for a day of learning outside of the classroom.
This makes us a top choice for schools and educational groups looking for a day trip in Northumberland.
In this section, you will find everything you need to know about our education programme for UK schools and educational facilities. To book your school day trip to Alnwick Castle, email us at education@alnwickcastle.com.
Education ticket prices for Alnwick Castle
Here are our current prices for Alnwick Castle’s educational visits:
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Primary school prices: £6.95 per student (plus one free adult ticket per five students).
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Secondary school prices: £6.95 per student (plus one free adult ticket per 10 students).
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Further education prices: £13.85 per student (plus one free adult ticket per 15 students)
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Additional teacher/adult prices: £14.95 per adult.
What’s included in your educational visit to Alnwick Castle?
We know how important it is to broaden students’ horizons by learning about history and stories of the past. With this in mind, we include a few extras to make your visit to us as informative and engaging as possible.
Pre-visit
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Two complimentary adult tickets are available for teachers to visit the castle in advance (once the booking is confirmed).
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PDF copies of relevant risk assessments, including a hazard identification sheet and our public liability insurance certificate.
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Pre and post-visit resources linking to your booked workshops.
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Downloadable trails and maps of Alnwick Castle, available via our educational resources section.
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Enhance your trip with an educational visit to the Fusilier’s Museum of Northumberland.
On the day
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Free adult admission ticket for every fifth paying student in Key Stages 1 and 2.
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Free adult admission ticket for every tenth paying student in Key Stages 3 and 4.
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Free entry for your coach driver, as well as a complimentary food voucher. We also have an ‘information for coach drivers’ document to help you make the most of your visit.
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Admission to The State Rooms of Alnwick Castle.
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Admission to Dragon Quest.
Educational things to do on a visit to Alnwick Castle
Why not start planning your educational visit to Alnwick Castle today? We have plenty of things to do that will keep your students engaged and learning all day long.
With a jam-packed activities schedule, you may wonder how long to visit us at Alnwick Castle. Most schools spend the whole day to ensure the chance to explore fully. However, a half-day is also plenty of time to see the wonders of the castle.
Below is a list of our workshops and activities tailored to students and educational visits.
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Educational Workshops
Our educational workshops at Alnwick Castle are categorised into Key Stage focuses and have been designed with the national curriculum in mind. Click on the link to see a risk assessment for each workshop.
From storytelling for Key Stage 1 and crafts for Key Stage 2 to constructing a castle using math skills for Key Stage 3, there’s a workshop to suit every educational group.
Our educational workshops last for 35 to 45 minutes. This provides students with plenty of time to learn and spark their curiosity while leaving enough time to explore the castle’s other wonders.
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Educational Tours
You can also add a guided tour or specialist talk to your school visit. Our educational talks and tours at Alnwick Castle cover everything from Harry Hotspur to the Tudors — and even the filming of Harry Potter!
For Key Stages 1 to 4, we offer a 30-minute guided tour of the castle, where you can roam around the historic grounds with a member of our Education Guiding Team — all while learning stories and secrets of the castle’s history.
If you’d rather go into a part of our history in more detail, we can offer in-depth specialist talks to match your students' learning. Our educational specialist talks last 15 to 20 minutes, with time for a Q&A session afterwards.
Email us at education@alnwickcastle.com to express your interest in a specialist talk or educational tour.
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Artisans Courtyard & Dragon Quest
A day of learning wouldn’t be complete without a visit to our Artisans Courtyard. In this mystical area of the castle, students can participate in medieval craft demonstrations, dress up in historical costumes, sit on the throne of Hotspur Hall, and play traditional games.
Finish your educational school trip with a venture into the Dragon’s lair, where students can conquer our Dragon Quest. They can journey through the mirror maze and over the fiery bridge to see how many dragons they can find.
Dragon Quest is included in your ticket admission, and you can find the opening times on the ‘What’s On?’ board upon arrival.
Please note:
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This exciting experience can be scary for younger students, so it is recommended for children between 5 and 12 years old.
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Dragon Quest contains dramatic, loud sound effects, strobe lighting, and uneven surfaces.
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All children must be accompanied by an adult.
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CCTV is in operation throughout Dragon Quest.
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School-friendly facilities at Alnwick Castle
We have everything you need on-site for a smooth school trip and day out to Alnwick Castle.
Food and drink
We have plenty of food and drink facilities, catering to all students — fussy eaters or not!
You may also bring your own food to have a picnic on the castle grounds.
The Courtyard Cafe is open from 10 am to 4 pm every day and stocks a range of sandwiches, soups, and savoury bites. We also have the Armoury Takeaway, open from 10 am to 4 pm for paninis, sandwiches, sweet treats, and hot and cold drinks.
We also sometimes have local street food providers in The Courtyard during peak periods in the summer months and school holidays.
Accessibility at Alnwick Castle
The castle grounds include various surfaces, including cobblestones, flagstones, grass, gravel, and wood. These can be uneven and steep in places.
An accessible toilet is located between the Courtyard Cafe and the Stables Fryery. Additional accessible toilets are located in the Pavilion at the nearby Alnwick Garden.
Learn more about accessibility at Alnwick Castle or to discuss your requirements please contact the Alnwick Castle team.
Plan your educational visit to Alnwick Castle in Northumberland today. Enquire by emailing us at education@alnwickcastle.com and take a look at our FAQs.
See something we haven’t covered? Get in touch, and our team will do everything possible to make your day trip one your students won’t forget.
We can't thank you enough for engaging the children in such a well thought out, fun, inclusive and interactive workshop - it's up in the top workshops we've taken part in for sure!