Name: National Horse Racing Museum
Rating: 5.0

National Horse Racing Museum

National Horseracing Museum, Palace Street, Newmarket, Suffolk CB8 8EP, UK

1-99 Years

Paid

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Description

The National Horse Racing Museum is a 5-acre attraction located in the heart of Newmarket. It combines history, sport and art to tell the story of horseracing from its earliest origins to the modern day. The site includes multiple galleries, historic buildings and interactive experiences, making it much more than a traditional museum.

Visitors can explore the National Horseracing Museum in the Trainer’s House and King’s Yard Galleries, the Packard Galleries of British Sporting Art in Palace House, and meet former racehorses in the Rothschild Yard. Activities include a racehorse simulator experience, ‘Meet the Horses’ sessions, and viewing artworks, artefacts and exhibits including items linked to famous jockeys. The site also features Palace House galleries such as the Rothschild Room, King’s Bedroom, King’s Sitting Room and Oak Room, along with a restaurant and gift shop.

Price starts from £15.00 for Adults(16 years and over), £7.50 for Children(5 years to under 16 years & under 5s free) and £40.00 for Family(2 Adults and up to 3 children). If you are looking for Best place for day out with kids and families then this is the perfect destination offering fun, adventure, and unforgettable memories for everyone.

Features

Paid
Host birthday parties: No

Features

The Museum: The National Horseracing Museum tells the story of horseracing from its earliest origins to the world-wide phenomenon it is today. This is explored through works of art, silver, bronzes and artefacts including silks worn by famous jockeys Lester Piggott and Frankie Dettori. Using the latest interactive and audio visual displays, the museum also takes a different look at the sport, examining the physical attributes of the elite equine athlete and the importance of thoroughbred pedigree. Your visit will not be complete without riding a winner on our famous racehorse simulator!
Palace House: Palace House occupies the last remaining part of King Charles II’s sporting palace and stables, providing an exciting attraction which is steeped in history. The whole site of the Palace House Estate offers visitors a top attraction to visit in Suffolk, that literally has something for everyone! Paintings by George Stubbs and Sir Alfred Munnings showcase the finest British sporting art from around the UK. Images of traditional rural pursuits are joined by some more surprising aspects of the subject – contemporary artwork from Peter Blake and Mark Wallinger. The gallery explores the development of these popular sporting images through paintings, sculpture, print-making and the applied arts.
Flagship home of Retraining of Racehorses: Meet former racehorses and find out how racehorses are retrained to riding horses as our friendly staff talk you through their routine. Every day we have a ‘Meet the Horses’ opportunity at 11am and 2pm during our Summer opening hours and 12pm only during our Winter opening hours, where you can say hello to our resident horses, hear about their stories and how we can help them prepare for life after racing. Find out how thoroughbreds can be very effectively re-trained for a satisfying and successful life beyond horseracing, as well as how our staff here are able to help them adapt to a new life post racing.
Events & Exhibitions: NHRM has an impressive range of events and exhibitions throughout the year.
Families: There is so much to see and do to for the whole family to enjoy together at the NHRM. Our family-friendly spaces are accessible for pushchairs and wheelchairs, have baby changing facilities and beautiful picnic areas.
Meet the horses: In the Rothschild Yard you will be able to see our beautiful horses. Just ask one of our friendly members of staff if you would like to meet one! You can also learn about the Retraining of Racehorses charity in the galleries located in the Rothschild Yard.
Racehorse Simulator: Make sure you don’t leave without having a go on our simulator – experience the thrill of riding a racehorse and see how fit jockeys need to be! (Children under the age of 4 may sit on but not ride).
Family Trails: Pick up a trail from reception and be taken on a fascinating journey of exploration and discovery around NHRM. You’ll find some amazing objects and wonderful tales! Perhaps you would prefer to play our Bingo game and choose which is the weirdest object in the whole museum!
Daily Meet the Horses sessions with our ROR horses: Daily ‘Meet the Horses’ session with the RoR team take place at 11.00am and 2pm Tuesday – Sunday. Join us in the Rothschild Yard, where you’ll meet our resident ex-racehorses, have the opportunity to interact with the horses, learn about their previous careers, and how they’re prepared for life post racing.

Facilities

Parking: For people who wish to travel by car there are a number of car parks in Newmarket as shown on the maps below. The two closest to the National Horseracing Museum are Rous Road, CB8 8LX (short stay – 4 hours) and All Saints, CB8 8ET (long stay) car parks.
Food & Drinks: After exploring the 5-acre site, grab a bite to eat from our on site bakery or restaurant. The Tack Room Restaurant features the best of British produce, showcasing seasonal and local produce where possible. Throughout the summer, the outdoor terrace in the King’s Yard provides the perfect space to dine.

What to see

Palace House

Rothschild Room: The first gallery in Palace House explores 17th century sporting art. Rural sports such as hunting, hawking, shooting and horseracing have been the subject of paintings for hundreds of years. In the 17th century, they were mainly pursuits of the aristocratic and land-owning elite, the traditional patrons of sporting art. Paintings and tapestries of sporting scenes were often commissioned to decorate royal palaces, country houses and hunting lodges.
The King's Bedroom: The King’s Bedroom is the second gallery in Palace House and displays work from the 18th century. Huge growth in the popularity of sporting pursuits in the early eighteenth century led to a thriving school of British sporting art. Rural sports, and the art that celebrated them, continued to be a symbol of wealth and status. Sporting patrons wanted artists to capture their successes both in the field and on the racecourse. George Stubbs was a key artist of the period, famed for his naturalistic depictions of horses.
The King's Sitting Room - a Golden Age: By the end of the 18th century, the rural sporting landscape was changing. Transformed by agriculture, the British countryside was becoming an ideal setting for foxhunting. The introduction of new hedges and fences, erected to enclose the land for farming, created challenging obstacles to be jumped. With ever-improving transport networks, the countryside was becoming more accessible to a wider variety of people. The art of the period captures the broader range of sports that were on offer. The growing popularity of sport in Britain increased the demand for affordable sporting art. Sporting imagery began to appear everywhere, from high art to everyday objects.
The Oak Room: Since the reign of Charles II, racing art has captured a sense of the awe and excitement associated with the sport. Early native sporting artists created countless portraits of early champions, celebrating the strength and speed of the thoroughbred racehorse. Later in the century, a new age of scientific discovery and enlightenment shaped the development of equine painting. The pre-eminent sporting artist George Stubbs depicted racehorses with new anatomical precision and influenced a new generation of naturalistic equestrian portraiture.

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Price

Price: Paid

Price Details

Adults (16+): £15.00.
Children (5–15): £7.50 & (Under 5s are FREE).
Family (2 Adults & up to 3 Children): £40.00.
Student: £9.00 (Valid ID required).
Armed Forces: £10.00 (Includes US Armed Forces; proof of ID required).
Art Fund Member: £10.00 (One admission per National Art Pass).

Pricing URL: https://www.nhrm.co.uk/tickets-pricing/

Birthday Parties

Offer Birthday Parties: No

Winter (1st November – 31st March): Tuesday – Sunday 10am – 4pm.
Summer (1st April – 31st October): Tuesday – Sunday 10am – 5pm

Address: National Horseracing Museum, Palace Street, Newmarket, Suffolk CB8 8EP, UK

Post Code: CB8 8EP

Council: West Suffolk

County: Suffolk

By Car: Travel from Norwich – A11 past Barton Mills roundabout and then take A1304 signed Tattersalls. From London – A11 and then A1304 signed Newmarket. From Cambridge – follow the A1303 through Bottisham.
By Train: Travel to Newmarket is easy, with regular trains from Ipswich and Cambridge. When leaving the station on foot, turn left up Green Road and then right down Station Approach. At the bottom turn left into The Avenue and carry on to the end of the road. Turn right at the lights into the High Street. You will pass The Jockey Club and then need to turn right by Cafe Nero into Sun Lane. At the top of Sun Lane, turn left and the Museum entrance is 50 yards on your right.
By Bus: Buses to Newmarket are available from London Victoria, Stansted, Cambridge, Bury St Edmunds and Great Yarmouth. The closest bus stop to the museum is on the High Street and just a 2 minute walk from Palace House via Sun Lane, next to Pizza Express. We are also just a short walk from Newmarket Bus Station.
Parking: For people who wish to travel by car there are a number of car parks in Newmarket as shown on the maps below. The two closest to the National Horseracing Museum are Rous Road, CB8 8LX (short stay – 4 hours) and All Saints, CB8 8ET (long stay) car parks.