The Moors National Park Centre

The Moors National Park Centre is our historic visitor centre, set in an idyllic spot on the banks of the River Esk, near Danby. From the doorstep, you can see pretty much everything that makes the North York Moors National Park so special: moorland, woodland, farmland, miles of hedges and drystone walls, historic buildings – all basking in glorious peace and quiet.

Enjoy a big breath of moorland fresh air and soak up the sweeping views. It's an official Dark Sky Discovery Site too, one of three in the North York Moors.

Entry to the Centre is FREE. For directions and opening times, go to Planning your visit.

Keep up with the latest news at the Centre by liking their Facebook page.

New visitor experience

The new visitor experience which opened in July 2019 provides a fascinating insight into the history and habitats of the North York Moors; exploring how these iconic landscapes were formed and the connections between the plants and animals that thrive there. Experience the dramatic story of Victorian ironstone extraction, the ingenuity of the moorland railways and the sometimes harsh realities of the people who shared in this short-lived ‘gold rush’ of the North York Moors.

Ongoing improvements are still being made to the exhibition space, therefore certain interactives and displays are not yet fully operational. Please bear with us whilst we are undergoing these changes, we hope they don't cause you too much disruption.

There are loads of fun and fascinating things to do, inside...

Explore our exhibition about the people, history, wildlife and landscape of the National Park; it's packed with fascinating facts and entertaining interactives
Visit the Inspired by... gallery with its changing exhibitions of work inspired by the North York Moors plus gallery shop with artworks, artisan crafts and handmade jewellery
Climb the walls! Try our fabulous climbing wall. Kids only – it's far too much fun for adults!
Splash out in the shop. There's a great range of books, maps and guides, postcards, and it's a good place to purchase something unique from or about the area
Have a cuppa in The Woolly Sheep Cafe and treat yourself to some delicious home-cooking
Join in one of our many events and activities that go on here in the holidays
Check out our musical programme including an annual chamber music concert.

And heaps more outside...

Make like a monkey in the outdoor adventure play area
Visit our woodland kitchen for messy mud-pie making, in the Mud Kitchen, complete with ovens, cupboards, pots and pans. It's open from spring until the end of November. Perfect for under 5's
Hire a Minibeast Explorer Pack which comes with a minibeast hunting kit and a selection of minibeast games. It costs £3 to hire for 2 hours plus a £10 refundable deposit.
Get lost in the Salmon Labyrinth, following the incredible journey of a salmon upstream to its spawning grounds
Try your hand at quoits, a traditional North York Moors pastime
Become a natty navigator – brush up your wayfinding skills in the Compass Field
Explore Crow Wood via a short, circular, easy access route that starts in the main car park
Admire the sculptures – some of them even talk!
Have a picnic in the grounds
Go for a walk – why not try one of the 5 easy-to-follow routes in the Walks from the Moors Centre booklet, available to purchase for £2 in the Centre.

The Moors National Park Centre is home to our Education Team and we provide an extensive programme for school visits.

Watch Ceri, Heather, Florrie and Toby show you around

What's the story?

Picnic time? Rainy day? Looking for fun? Then borrow one of our 'Story Time Boxes' and spend an hour or two in the company of Monty the Wood Mouse! The boxes have all you need to entertain your under 7s, including a special story, character puppets, mask making materials and colouring sheets, family games and song sheets. Hire a box from £3/hour or £10/day (plus returnable deposit). Story Time boxes are also available out of hours and overnight, just ask for details.

Dog policy

Please note - dogs are not allowed in the Centre buildings or in Crow Wood, except for assistance dogs.

Crow Wood, a small woodland area, is used for children's activities such as den building and plant identification where children are likely to be in close contact with the ground and professional advice given to us is that we should avoid the potential for contamination with domestic animals.

Please speak to our National Park Centre staff who will be happy to advise on alternative dog walks from the door.

Accessibility

Full accessibility description available here.

Facilities

Pay and display car park
Cycle racks available
Bird hide
Children's trails, activities and events
Guided walks and other events
Indoor climbing wall and outdoor play area
Interactive displays
Inspired by... gallery
Gift shop with books, local crafts and souvenirs
Mud Kitchen for under 5s
Tearoom
Toilets
Tourist Information Centre
Woodland and riverside trails
Wheelchair loan for onsite use
Free Refill for water bottles

Further information

Winter opening - Opening times and planning your visit

Public transport: Danby Station on the Esk Valley railway is an easy 1 mile stroll away on footpaths.

The Moors National Park Centre
Lodge Lane
Danby
Whitby YO21 2NB
Email
Tel: 01439 772737

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