Really loved our visit here and would recommend it to anyone in town! The building itself is really well preserved, especially considering its age. The courtroom is particularly magnificent, and the original cells are also impressive. There are plenty of artifacts to demonstrate history, which is done in a thoughtful, informative and sensitive way given some of the subjects. But the stand out is definitely the actors who totally bring it all to life in the courtroom, jail, women's wing and yard. Not only do they really make you a part of it, but they follow up with details and context. I only wish we had more time there!

It was a very fun tour. There were performances throughout the day. We watched the trial of the cheese rioters and a public hanging. Both very fun and interesting. They really give you a sense of what trials and hangings look like back in the days. Definitely worth a visit if not for the various prison cells underneath then for the public hanging.

Went on a school trip with my daughters class, really enjoyed it. The characters were excellent actor’s especially the Georgian jailer, very strict! The kids loved the mock trail and the artefacts. Recommend a visit

You need 2 hours here at least. A real prison and courtroom and hanging place. 500 years of history. In my opinion a lot more interesting than the city of caves which is a 40 minutes walk around a very small place with just words. In this museum and ex prison and court house, there are so much to see, explore, and reflect on. A very interesting and unique place worth visiting. Buy the joint famiky tickets for both museums to save on ticket fees. If you only have time for one Museum, pick this one instead of the city of caves.

Good value for money. Some experienced and knowledgeable staff/actors who talk you through how the courts and legal system used to run. There are mock trials and hangings throughout the day.

Very interesting place to visit, the old courtroom is particularly impressive. Went midweek and there was barely a handful of people there. Have to hand it to the costumed performers, must have been off-putting to do your spiel to an audience of one at a time. One criticism, I'd have liked to have seen a bit more of the place recreated as near as possible to how it would have looked at the time, all the cells had large info boards up and took away any realism, maybe one or two could be set up as they would have looked

An absolute must if you like social history, what a fantastic insight into our local jails,prisons,courts,convicts and their crimes. The harsh reality of the times, re enacted by 3 very talented in character guides. A courtroom drama and a public hanging. Lots to see, all set out in such a way to draw you into the terrible world that convicts faced 2 to 3 hundred years ago. Allow at least 2 hours....there are lots of steps and small spaces, but for me that adds to the drama. There are lifts to all the different levels in the building, good accessible toilets and a cafe. Book on line, you get a time slot....helps to keep an even spread of visitors. I also booked to see the caves...you get a discount, and there only 200 yards away.

Loved the mock Court and the hanging. Great funny actors. Brilliant interesting history of prison life. Well worth a visit. Take the kids.

Absolutely brilliant family or group day out. So much history to learn about. The place has an eerie feel and I'd love to go back for a ghost walk! The staff and actors get the 5 out of 5 from me, friendly, informative and very funny.

¡Interesting museum to visit in Nottingham!. We were lucky for enjoyed a Candlelight concert. Beautiful night and an impeccable concert. Thanks!

We visited this museum on a whim as it was across the road from our hotel and I'm so pleased we did. A fantastic museum looking into the history of how criminals were treated and punished in the very building itself. Amazing staff, taking on roles such as Barrister, Prisoner or Hangman, all being incredibly informative both in and out of character, bringing history alive. I'd definitely recommend timing your visit to be able to see the trial reenactment and public execution reenactment (no spoilers but it doesn't get gruesome, although you'll definitely know how the prisoners felt and will learn alot about how criminals were punished). Considering we popped in on a whim, we spent over 3 hours here, left feeling informed, entertained and grateful for finding such a fantastic museum.

Brilliant museum, fascinating insights and nicely brought to life with some fun role plays. If you park at the NCP on Stoney Street you can claim a discount at the museum reception. Instead of paying £22.50 parking we only paid £7.30 so well worth asking for it.

Opens at 10am weekends so don't get there early. This is a wonderful experience for those interested in Justice or working in the justice system. There are staff who act in character bringing things to life. We visited the execution, and it shone a light into the ancient legal system and how justice was served. It was a great experience all round.

Absolutely fantastic learning experience. We had the pleasure of receiving excellent performances from an individual playing a barrister and an individual playing a judge and hangman. The Barrister actor was exceptionally talented and well informed in history. She spent time talking to us about the history of the building and it was clear she has a passion for education.

This is a interesting and informative place to visit. It's a bit of a rabbit warren of rooms and corridors and, to be honest more signage would have been useful. Also if you have any mobility issues it could be a problem seeing all the museum. This museum is definitely worth a visit and I would 100% visit here again.

Fantastic evening. Tribute to Pink Floyd. Brilliant musicians. Great venue. Enchanting!! Will be booking again.

An incredible experience, full of history about the courts, trials, prisons and the corrections system that was in place in the 17-18th centuries, but not only. Very well presented, there is a court in which you can take part as judge or juries or even the perpetrator 😱. Beautiful! Friendly stuff with some of them in costumes playing a role in the museum. Highly recommend!

This was a super interesting and well-done museum that can be seen in 1-2 hours, depending on how thoroughly you read everything. The museum goes through topics like what is crime, forensics, historical transportation to penal colonies, how capital punishment has evolved, what prison conditions were like, etc. It has a pretty comprehensive view, particularly focusing on the last few hundred years in Britain. Though the museum is occasionally dated looking, there is excellent signage and visuals. What stands out compared to other similar museums, though, is the gaol representations on the lower levels, and able to physically see things like solitary confinement or dungeons. If you purchase the joint caves ticket, note that the caves are on a separate site about a 3-4 minute walk down the street and down a few flights of stairs. There is not parking on site, but car parks nearby. Toilets are clean and near reception.

An intriguing place to visit. We learnt a lot about "justice" in past times. The exhibits were informative and well thought out. I was less comfortable by the audience participation (that's just me) but they were well constructed and orchestrated. Particularly impressed by executioner / jailer, he played his part excellently and brought situations to life. Well worth a visit

We had a great morning out and it's well worth the money. Its a labyrinth of a building with things over many floors. My dad came with us and sadly had to miss out on some things as he was struggling with his mobility. Sadly its just due to the building with it being listed and not being able to make adjustments to the whole building. But the staff were really accommodating, they were all lovely and the trial and hanging were great. Also the cafe in there is really quaint and the food was really good. There wasn't a huge selection but both of my fussy eater children found something they really enjoyed. We would visit again but we'd have to leave dad at home.

Where to begin, ok the museum is engaging and interesting but the section of the prisoners work was emotional. We were lucky enough to speak to the ladies who were doing the exhibit and it was a serious eye opener and yet so sad. I got locked into several of the prisoners work and it really was emotional for me. The history of forensics was great for learning how it all began. There is a lovely little cafe with friendly staff Now for the best part - there is several parts where the staff engage you in a ' hanging ' and a ' court scene ' the 2 members of staff get you involved using humour and sillyness but at the same time you were learning how the justice system worked back then. This alone is a reason to visit the museum. I cannot recommend this place enough for all ages to visit

We didn't know what to expect when we booked a visit (we had a designated slot). Our 8-year-old probably didn't enjoy it as much as we did, although she did chuckle during the live court session, where some of the crowd were asked to participate in a court scene that was based on true life events and prisoners. There is a second live scene called Georgian Hanging outside in the exercise yard where the same actors are involved. Both performances are very entertaining and well worth the visit. There are four floors full of exhibitions and interactives and a little Café at the entrance level that serves cold and hot food, and doubles as a sweet shop.

We visited the National Justice Museum, first impression was that it was expensive... perhaps I'm just used to wondering round free Museums?! Anyway, we thought we would give it a whirl anyway, and it kept us busy for a couple of hours. The actors probably made the experience much better, and if anything a few more doing other roles (like a prisoner) would have been nice. Kids were more engaged with the walking round the dark prison and underground bits more than anything, and I felt there could have been more handsy on type things for them to do. Probably best to do this if you have older children perhaps?!

Fab day out at the museum. We started the day in a chocolate making session, where we made all sorts of treats. We then moved on to our visit of the museum itself, lots of fun in the courtroom where visitors get the chance to find fellow guests 'guilty or not', all under the watchful eye of the Judge! We finished our day playing detective at the Junior Detectives event set in the dark underground world of bygone 'Narrowmarsh'. The event was fantastic, such good fun for kids and adults alike. This place is an absolute gem, do not miss! 🙂👍

An absolutely lovely experience. All the actors are very funny, kind, and knowledgeable about the ins and outs of the Gaol and the Court of the past. Apart from the shows, they are around the exhibits to show you about and answer any questions. You can tell they are genuinely passionate about the topic and highly devoted to their respective roles, and can tell you all the details of the history and use of each room. I learned a lot and heard several interesting anecdotes. The museum itself is very well done, with lots of interactive exhibits and firsthand accounts that are sure to make it a memorable experience for adults and children alike. Take my word - have a visit! :)

The ever funniest museum I have ever been, thanks the performers, they are professional and knowledgeable, luckily, with other humorous "volunteers" , the shows are fantastic, we spent a happy 3 hours throughout the visit. Meanwhile, thank you all the reformers to improve the environment of the prisoners and seek for a more fair trial for all.

Fabulous place! Stumbed across this place and it was terrific. Paid entry £12 allows entry to a mock trial and a mock hanging with fab actors! The museum is full of artifacts and stories of convicts. Allow half a day plus to see everything.

I really like the place and staffs are very friendly. Ticket price okay and you can have student discount if you are student.

Fun museum with plenty of interactive exhibits and actors. Great value, we spent 90 minutes in here and could have easily spent longer! Very interesting to see the old prison cells and to hear about the history of the building. However get here earlier in the day of you want to see everything, we arrived at 15:30 and missed out on the court case (the last showing was at 15:00)

A gem of a museum! Such a fun interactive experience with the remarkably talented actors make sure you don't miss it! Exhibits are maintained and functional as well as educational.

Loved it here. Full of stories from the old prisoners. My father and I even took part in the courtroom drama. Highly recommended.

Love it !!! One of the most interactive but educational places I've been to! A must go for people of all ages !

Good history, and the performances by the staff are very in-depth and the staff appear very interested in what they do. The path through the exhibits could potentially be marked more clearly, sometimes ended up walking into the exits of some exhibits. Some exhibits may be inappropriate for younger children, but this is clearly signposted before you enter.

What a great place! You could easily spend the day here. Interesting, engaging and thought provoking I especially loved my personal crime number, and the interactive events...."guilty!"

Amazing museum about justice in real historic courtroom and prison, with actors playing characters from the past. Please check their website rather than google though for opening hours before your visit as they are sometimes closed to the public in the week during term time.

An absolutely fantastic experience. The map confused us a bit due to all the levels and different routes through to so many areas, but it was all very well done. Lots of very interesting and somber displays, and tons of history, especially as you get all the way down to the pit. Highly recommended and definitely will do this again - plus next time we'll go earlier in the day so we have more time!

Because of parking problems, we had to rush off, however, the whole experience was very good. The actors who depicted the various roles of Gaoler, Lawyer, Judge, etc. did it with great relish.

A few weeks ago we had family visiting and we were looking for something to do for all ages and came across the National Justice Museum in Nottingham. It was very easy to book and when we arrived there was a team of people telling us what was on. We started with a demonstration of the court system and then witnessed a public hanging, which unfortunately was postponed that day due to a last minute pardon, much to the 7 year olds annoyance! It's a great way to spend a few hours with entertainment, education and some exciting exhibits. If you've not been, go!

Years ago we popped in for a look at the free exhibitions but this visit we managed to book for the entire exhibit. For anyone who enjoys history with some live performance interpretation, then this is the place to go. The performers were top drawer (I would've liked to have seen more) I particularly liked the guy who played the judge and gaoler/executioner who performed his pieces with great scene chewing enthusiasm before dropping character to bring us back to reality about the location and the dark history that lies within it's walls. For the younger ones who aren't THAT bothered by the history, there is plenty to explore and the live performances are entertaining enough to keep them interested. I will definitely go again sans children so I can have more time to really appreciate it. 🙂👍

Had an incredible experience here today when myself (a wheelchair user) and my partner visited. Despite one of the lifts being broken, staff were incredibly attentive and talked me through the best routes that I could take, checked in regularly and made our experience enriching, inclusive and welcoming. The museum itself was so interesting, and at times harrowing! Very impactful and educational. Would 100% recommend- Thank you!

Booked this jointly when booking Nottingham Caves, was nice walking around and going to around the cells and having people working there and acting stuff out the rooms gives great insight and information I would definitely recommend going here was a well enjoyed experience

This place is one of the best places we've been in the UK for years. Learnt alot here. And had fun at the same time. Lots of interaction with people and even get to go in real court and take part

Brilliant! Well organised, actors were great giving you a insight into what happened. So much to see and learn about. Highly recommend visiting.

Brilliant the staff were amazing great day out

Great place to visit friendly staff enjoyed the interactive shows and exhibitions.

A really great museum. Engaging on all levels. A real insight into social history

This place is loaded with history. It reflect how things change with time. For example, people in the past had a severe punishment of being send to Australia, yet today going to Australia is favourable.

We went here for our work Christmas Party, for the murder mystery event. The event was great and the actors did an amazing job! Everyone enjoyed the plot and humour. The food was not very good. I don't think anyone managed to stomach the mushroom pate starter! The main was a reminder of school dinners. But the dessert was lovely. Overall, a great night out, worth going for the experience if they run something similar again!

Great place, really interesting and informative. The hanging and trial events are superb, make sure you experience one (many throughout each day)