FAQs

We recommend pre-booking your tickets via the 'Book Tickets' button at the top of this page or just click here (you'll be taken to another browser tab). You can still pay on arrival but pre-booking helps us manage the number of people in the museum to ensure your visit is as safe and enjoyable as possible. Once inside the museum, there is no time limit to your visit!

If you are visiting with a Membership Plus card, you do not need to pre-book your ticket.

For any queries related to booking online please call our booking line 028 90 428 428.

The museums have operated as two separate museums for a number of years now as the Ulster Folk Museum and the Ulster Transport Museum. This means we no longer do a dual ticket that gets you into both museums on the same day as one experience. The Ulster Folk Museum has a separate website (ulsterfolkmuseum.org) and you can book a ticket for that museum here.

We are able to scan your ticket on entry either from a printed ticket or on a smartphone or tablet. Proof of booking is required to enter the museum. If you forget your pre-booked tickets, we can check your booking reference but this may take a little longer to check at admissions and delay your visit.

Tickets are non-refundable and non-transferable. In extenuating circumstances, please call our booking line on 028 9042 8428 our team will work with you as best we can to reschedule your visit.

Yes, we take bookings for groups of over 15 people – and you get a 10% discount! Please email us to discuss details of your visit and to receive your discount. Please make sure you state the booking is for ‘Ulster Transport Museum’ in the email subject.

The only discount scheme we are part of is Membership Plus. You do not need to pre-book your ticket, just show your membership card at admissions. If you have any queries in advance of your visit, please call our booking line on 028 9042 8428.

For affiliate member organisations such as Irish Museums Association, Art Pass or International Council of Museums, please call our booking line on 028 9042 8428 to book your ticket.

No, unfortunately since the change to Universal Credit, we are unable to offer discounts.

Yes. Visitors with a registered disability can enter the museum for free and access helpers or carers accompanying them on the day are also offered free entry. Carers/helpers cannot come for free on their own. Visitors may be asked to confirm their eligibility by presenting one of the following:

• Award letter from the Department for Communities
• Disabled Drivers Blue Badge card
• Disabled persons' bus pass

We have a limited number of mobility scooters and wheelchairs available for any visitor with additional accessibility needs. These can be booked in advance by emailing us. Please state that this is for ‘Ulster Transport Museum’ in the email subject.

No, adhering to company policy, all children under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult.

We estimate that most of our visitors will tour the museum site anywhere between 2 to 2.5 hours. There is no time limit to your visit and you can enjoy the exhibits and galleries at your leisure. If you are also planning to visit the nearby Ulster Folk Museum, we recommend you leave a further three hours to explore that museum. 

Note: you will need to book a separate ticket to the Folk Museum, as the museums operate separately now. Check out ulsterfolkmuseum.org.

Yes, our car park is open until 6pm on the days the museum is open and free for all visitors. There are also two e-charging points for electric cars (EV).

We also have bike racks located on-site, down at B Galleries (Land, Sea and Sky building). Please note, however, there are no facilities within the museum to store personal belongings.

It just helps us manage the number of visitors to expect in the museum on any given day. You will notice in the booking portal - which can be accessed via the 'Book Tickets' button at the top of this page - that your ticket shows up as £0.00, whether you have an Individual Membership or Family Membership. You are essentially enabling us to record your visit in advance.

If you prefer to book over the phone please call 028 90 428 428 (Monday - Friday, 09.00 - 16.00. Note these are our membership admin opening hours, not the museum opening hours).

HMRC has deemed priority booking to be an additional benefit to members and therefore we are unable to offer priority booking for members as a result.

We would ask that members bring their membership card with them so our visitor team can either validate your pre-booked ticket on arrival or record your admission on our system. We can also accept a member’s photographic ID for validation of tickets.

Yes. We have two exhibit buildings, A Galleries and B Galleries, and all the different exhibitions within them are open. 

The A Galleries is the first building you'll come to from the car park and train halt, where our famous trains are and where you'll also find the TITANICa exhibition. B Galleries down at the bottom of the site (or the first building you'll come to if you come in from the coastal path) is our Land, Sea and Sky gallery where the Museum of Innovation also is. 

Then there's also the 'Our Place in Space' outdoor trail, which is free to do and part of the Ulster Transport Museum experience. It's only when you go into the buildings you have to pay general admission.

All our galleries are open for you to enjoy and you are allowed to get on board our trains and trams unless told otherwise by signs or our visitor guides on the day. Have a look at what all you can 'see & do' at the museum.

Single-use visitor maps are available on arrival to help you navigate the museum buildings.

If doing the 'Our Place in Space' outdoor trail, you can download the trail app here.

Yes, we can provide guided tours for larger groups up to 20 people on request by contacting info@nationalmuseumsni.org. There is an additional charge for this (£120 per group of up to 20).

Dogs are allowed in outdoor spaces at the Ulster Transport Museum however they must be kept on a short lead at all times. And we ask that you please pick up after your dog. Dogs are not permitted into the exhibit buildings unless your dog is an assistance dog. Assistance dogs are dogs that are trained and needed by their owner/user to service them. This includes:

• Guide dogs who assist visitors who are blind or visually impaired.
• Hearing dogs, or signal dogs who help visitors who are deaf or hard of hearing.
• Service dogs who are not specifically trained for visual or hearing impairment, but are trained to do other work, such as provide mobility and emotional assistance to certain visitors.

Yes, however there are certain points in the museum you should be aware of that are more accessible than others.

You will have to go outside to go between A Galleries and B Galleries, as they are two separate buildings. There is an accessible pathway between the two buildings. 

There are lifts in both the A and B Galleries which are serviced every three months and are fully operational with the help of a Visitor Guide. You should know, though, that the ramps in B Galleries, although working, they cannot take heavy loads. So for example, a mobility scooter can’t be placed on them.

The 'Our Place in Space' path, although passed as accessible, it is a gravel patch and it can be challenging in some parts for prams, wheelchairs and scooters. 

Yes, you are allowed to get on board our trains and trams and any other vehicle as part of our exhibitions unless told otherwise by signs or our visitor guides on the day. 

There is a natural recommended route in place in A galleries due to some ramps but more so to make sure you don’t miss anything!

We have two mobility scooters available as well as battery powered wheelchairs and manual wheelchairs, all of which are bookable ahead of your visit by emailing info@nationalmuseumsni.org.

Yes, however there are certain things you should note:

If arriving by train, there is an accessible route to the museum from the platform, just follow the Translink signs.

You will have to go outside to go between A Galleries and B Galleries, as they are two separate buildings. There is an accessible pathway between the two buildings. 

The 'Our Place in Space' path, although passed as accessible, it is a gravel path and it can be challenging in some parts for prams, wheelchairs and scooters. 

When you arrive at Cultra Station, you will come across the Transport Museum first. From there, it’s a 15 minute walk to the Folk Museum. Please note the walk is uphill, so if you have any accessibility requirements please call us on 028 9042 8428 prior to your arrival and we can look into arranging one of our mobility scooters or wheelchairs.

No.

There are public toilets in both the A Galleries and B Galleries, which are managed and cleaned on a regular basis. Please ensure you follow the guidance we have put in place for everyone’s safety when using our toilets and keep in mind that several disabilities are hidden when it comes to using adapted toilets.

At the moment, we do not have a Changing Places facility. We have been granted approval for Changing Places toilets (subject to funding), so this is a facility that we hope to have in the future.

The Midland Tearoom in A Galleries is closed, however, there are vending machines with hot and cold drinks, light refreshments, tray bakes and confectionary. We have an allocated seating area where these can be enjoyed.

You’re welcome to bring a picnic to eat outdoors and we have increased the amount of picnic tables available on site. Food and drink are not allowed to be consumed in our galleries, beyond the allocated seating area, in order to help us protect our collections.

There is also a new drinking water station installed outside, near the B Galleries, where you can fill up reusable water bottles, helping our sustainability efforts.

There is a new drinking water station installed outside, near the B Galleries, where you can fill up reusable water bottles. Thank you for helping towards our sustainability efforts.

The main gift shop is located in A Galleries. There is a pop-up gift shop in B Galleries but it is currently closed and we hope to get it open again soon.

Please note, we are unable to allow visitors to try on personal items such as jewellery but we are offering a full refund on all items (excluding earrings and food) up to 60 days on presentation of receipt and all returned sale items will be held off sale for 5 days. Every purchase supports the work of our museum.

No, we also accept cash payments in GBP Sterling and Euro (notes only). Any change we give in return will be in GBP Sterling.

Yes, our car park is open until 6pm on the days the museum is open and free for all visitors. There are also two e-charging points for electric cars (EV).