The Armed Forces Memorial, and its immediate surroundings, will be closed to visitors from 10am on Friday 8 August to 5pm on Sunday 17 August to allow us to prepare to host the national VJ Day 80 commemorations. The rest of the Arboretum will remain open to visitors as normal. We are sorry for any inconvenience this might cause and appreciate your understanding during this time.
Our 1.5 mile-long Illuminated Arboretum route will use mesmerising light, colour and sound to bring the fascinating stories of the Arboretum to life in an entirely new way.
There will be something to captivate all ages from fun hands-on elements, immersive spaces and areas for personal reflection.
Entry to Illuminated Arboretum is every 15 minutes between 4.30pm and 7.30pm. Once you are in the event, please feel free to spend as long as you wish going around the route.
View our full list of tickets and prices here. NMA Friends and group discounts available.
We hope you're feeling hungry - we'll be offering a tasty selection of takeaway treats which will be available to purchase from our Restaurant before you head outside.
Along the route you'll also be able to pick up fresh hot food and drinks.
The Coffee Shop will be closed during the event.
We look forward to welcoming visitors to Illuminated Arboretum.
We have pulled together a list of all our frequently asked questions that will help you plan a visit.
Visitors with specific questions relating to accessibility can contact us in advance of their visit on 01283 245 100 or email info@thenma.org.uk.
During your visit our team will also be happy to answer any questions or queries.
We will be running a select number of relaxed sessions during this years Illuminated Arboretum run. These will be held at 4.30pm on 8-10 and 14-17 December. These sessions will feature reduced noise levels, fewer numbers of visitors and muted light displays.
To book tickets for these sessions, please call our team on 01283 245 100.
Though much of the route travels along our hard-standing pathways, the route does feature areas where pathways are more uneven or are softer underfoot, in these areas hardstanding temporary trackway has been laid.
A limited number of wheelchairs and mobility scooters available to hire. To ensure availability, they should be booked in advance by calling 01283 245 100. We respectfully ask that a donation is made for the use of a manual wheelchair; a charge of £10 applies for the hire of an electric scooter. Payment will be taken at the time of booking.
An Illuminated Arboretum Visual Guide will be available here closer to the event, once the route has been installed. Printed copies of the route can also be collected from our Welcome Desk on arrival.
Free sensory backpacks can be borrowed from our Welcome Desk. The backpacks include fidget toys, a torch - which could be helpful as the trail is outside and in the dark.
Accessible toilets are available about halfway along the route and in the Remembrance Centre, where a Changing Places Facility is also available.
Baby changing facilities are available in the Remembrance Centre.
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