National Waterways Museum Ellesmere Port Reviews Summary

Value for Money

Pros:

• "Once you pay, your ticket can be used for the year so really good value."
• "£9.50 pp for an adult ticket that you can use an unlimited amount of times, for the duration of one year."
• "Overall, a bargain day out, given you can return for free for the remainder of the year."
• "The entry price allows you to return for a year, which makes it great value."
• "Your entry ticket is valid for a year, which is really useful."
• "Very well priced £25.00 for family of 4 and this pass lasts for 12 months, excellent value for money."
• "The family ticket was pretty cheap and was valid for a whole year so we can go back whenever we like."

Cons:

• "Looking at the original price, it's not worth the £12 unless you are a massive boat fanatic."
• "Wasn't impressed as really expensive."
• "A bit pricey to get in, but tickets are valid for a year's admission both to here and to their sister museum in Gloucester."
• "Took the kids here and they enjoyed it for an hour or so, I found it quite expensive for what it is especially once you've bought lunch and the kids want something from the shop that you can't really avoid."

Facilities & Accessibility

Pros:

• "There are also toilets on the site."
• "The museum is set over 7 acres and has a lot of things to see and do."
• "Parking is adequate and wheelchair access is surprisingly good for most exhibits and main buildings."
• "There is ample car parking, the reception area has the gift shop and a very decent cafe indeed with many dietary requirements catered for."
• "Free parking and ticket lasts for 12 months of unlimited use."
• "The lighting at the site is decent yet the majority of the site is outdoors with a few indoor sections."
• "The bus stops and Merseyrail Station are about a 10-15 minute walk away."

Cons:

• "Not a great place to take small children. There's a lot of hazards not least of which is plenty of very deep water."
• "Not really suitable for people with walking difficulties as there are a lot of steps to get to certain things."
• "The outside areas are either fenced off for maintenance or full of boats waiting to be refurbished."
• "Not a place to visit if you wear heels due to many rough surfaces & cobbles and not really suitable for youngest children due to the proximity of un-barriered deep water."
• "Only gripe is that we visited in a camper van and they've installed a height barrier on the carpark."

Exhibits & Attractions

Pros:

• "The museum is interesting and fun."
• "The attractions include a blacksmith workshop, engine room, toll house, horse stables, exhibits of canal artefacts, meeting rooms and a row of 3 old cottages, furnished in the style of different time periods."
• "A great display of old boats with lots of useful information."
• "Most of the museum is interactive and really interesting to walk around."
• "Fantastic collection of waterways history. I particularly like the engine and the interactive displays."
• "A fabulous experience, to learn about our waterways history, with plenty of exhibits and lots of historic boats."
• "The whole site is like stepping back in time.. remarkable."

Cons:

• "Shame that a few of the exhibits weren't working."
• "The event was very unorganised."
• "Unfortunately many of the exhibits were closed due to work being undertaken."
• "Very interesting but a lot of the interactive sections are all broken and seem to have been broken for a very long time."
• "Found it interesting but disappointed that there were no trips on barges due to ill health of operator."

Cafe & Food Services

Pros:

• "Cafe sold good quality food and information on the signs inside of or on boats was good and interesting to read."
• "Great cafe, nice coffee, cake & food."
• "The café is also very nice, well priced, lots of choice and very modern/clean."
• "Us parents enjoy the bacon butties at the cafe."
• "Really good cafe with great views."
• "Great cafe on site with some outdoor seating."
• "The cafe is lovely with homemade sandwiches and hot snacks."

Cons:

• "However they stop serving food from 2.30 pm."
• "The menu seems to get less each time I go there."
• "Food is basic and quite expensive, service slow but sure would be quicker on normal days."
• "The thing that let it down for us was the cafe. There was little choice but the real issue we had was the vast number of dogs there."
• "Cafe ok, a bit dear but service dreadful."
• "The only downside (in my opinion) - the cafe's products are too expensive."
• "Always a shame when the cafe is closed so early."

Staff & Volunteers

Pros:

• "I found the staff extremely helpful and knowledgeable."
• "The staff were very helpful and informative, especially a chap in the engine shed."
• "The volunteers really know their stuff and you get a feel for everything on site as a result."
• "The volunteers were all lovely & friendly."
• "The staff are all very knowledgeable about various things and it's all run by volunteers who love what they do which shows in the place."
• "All the staff are so pleasant, happy & helpful."
• "The staff are all welcoming, helpful and very knowledgeable."

Cons:

• "Not EVERYONE loves dogs. I strongly object to dogs in eating areas."
• "Some people positively rude."
• "Lots of volunteers walking around but not given any information out."