SEND support from Wakefield Museums and Castles

About this page

We’re committed to making our sites accessible for everyone.

Our sites are Castleford Museum, Pontefract Castle, Pontefract Museum, Sandal Castle and Wakefield Museum.

This page tells you about what support there is for SEND visitors and families at our sites. SEND stands for special educational needs and disabilities.

$A child holding a magnifying glass up to their eye and a child wearing ear defenders and grinning at Pontefract Museum$

Access information

Each of our sites has detailed information about accessibility. There is dedicated information for visitors with different needs.

If you need any more information, you can always contact us. You can email at museums@wakefield.gov.uk. Or you can call on 01924 302700. Please note: this number is monitored Monday to Friday, 9am to 4pm. You can leave a message if calling out of hours.

$Two adults and a child reading information panels about liquorice at Pontefract Museum$

Relaxed openings

Our museums have weekly relaxed opening sessions. These are usually quieter times to visit.

Any loud noises will be turned down or turned off.

Everyone is welcome. You do not need to book.

Pontefract Museum relaxed openings: Tuesdays, 2pm to 4pm
Wakefield Museum relaxed openings: Thursdays, 4pm to 6:30pm
Castleford Museum relaxed openings: Fridays, 9:30am to 12pm

$Five children in halloween costumes beside two members of staff dressed as witches at Pontefract Castle. One of the children is a wheelchair user.$

Upcoming SEND events

We run lots of exciting activities and events at our sites. Most of our events are free or low cost.

SEND visitors are welcome at all of our events. However, we also run events specially designed for our SEND audiences.

Here’s some upcoming SEND events:

Weekly SEND summer holidays activities at Castleford Museum. Fridays 24 and 31 July, and 7, 14, 21 and 28 August. Enjoy a different historical theme each week. Free and no booking required.
SEND Knight School at Pontefract Castle. Wednesday 5 August, 10am to 11am. Free, but booking required.
SEND Medieval Master Chefs at Pontefract Castle. Wednesday 12 August, 10am to 11am. Free, but booking required.
SEND Sports at the Castle at Pontefract Castle. Wednesday 19 August, 10am to 11am. Free, but booking required.
SEND Medieval warfare and silly science at Pontefract Castle. Wednesday 26 August, 10am to 11am. Free, but booking required.
Featherstone Rovers Learning Disability Super League display at Featherstone Library Museum Hub. Open during Featherstone Library opening hours. Free and no booking required.

You can find information about all of our upcoming events on our What’s On page.

A child and adult exploring resources in the Pick and Mix station at Castleford Museum

Pick and Mix stations

Castleford Museum, Pontefract Museum and Wakefield Museum all have a Pick and Mix station. There are lots of tactile tools and resources available to support your visit in the drawers. You can choose items such as fidget toys, coloured lenses or frames or ear defenders.

The Pick and Mix station is in the Welcome Space when you first enter the Museum. You do not need to ask to borrow any resources. Please return items at the end of your visit for others to use.

$A young family of three children in Civil Wars style dressing up grinning at the camera as their dad smiles and watches on at Pontefract Museum$

Information for families

Each of our sites has a dedicated ‘information for families’ page.

These pages bring together key information you and your family may need to plan your visits.

$A child wearing a dragon costume at Pontefract Castle$

Early Years

Our sites are great places to bring your Early Years groups. They are full of multisensory experiences and inspiring places to explore together.

More about our Early Years offer

SEND Local Offer

We are part of the Wakefield Council SEND Local Offer. The SEND Local Offer is something every Local Authority has to have. It tells you things and helps children and young people aged 0 to 25. It also helps parents, carers and professionals.

There are lots of different organisations that are part of the Local Offer across the Wakefield district. More about the Wakefield Council SEND Local Offer.