National Justice Museum

What National Justice Museum does

The National Justice Museum is a registered educational charity (charity number 1030554) founded in 1995 and headquartered in Nottingham, UK. It operates the National Justice Museum — housed in the city's former Grade II* listed Shire Hall and County Gaol — alongside the City of Caves attraction. The organisation's core proposition is curriculum-linked legal and civic education, delivered to more than 30,000 young people annually through on-site sessions, an NJM On Tour programme covering Birmingham, Liverpool, Sheffield, Winchester, Aldershot, Swansea, Warwickshire, and Rochdale, and video-conferencing-based online learning. A collection of more than 40,000 artefacts underpins the educational and visitor experience, with an Access Fund underwriting 26% of participating learners.

Revenue is generated through a diversified mix: attraction admissions; a newly launched Annual Pass scheme (July 2025) covering both the National Justice Museum and City of Caves; paid learning sessions priced from £5 to £395; corporate venue hire; donations and Gift Aid fundraising; retail and merchandise; and tiered corporate partner sponsorships (£5K–£75K/year). Grants and public funding — including a £249,996 National Lottery Heritage Fund award and a £362,900 government grant in 2022, plus Arts Council England National Portfolio inclusion from 2022 — provide material non-traded income. Strategic partnerships with the Royal Courts of Justice, Rolls Building, Manchester Metropolitan University, Greater Manchester Police Museum, Royal Holloway, Cumberland Lodge, the Charles Dickens Museum, and LSE Library extend the charity's institutional reach and provide privileged positioning within the UK justice-education ecosystem. The organisation has received TripAdvisor Travellers' Choice recognition in 2022, 2023, and 2024 and a Museums Change Lives Award in 2021.

Name

National Justice Museum

Legal name

National Justice Museum

Website

https://nationaljusticemuseum.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The National Justice Museum is a Nottingham-based educational charity (founded 1995) operating heritage sites and delivering curriculum-linked legal and civic learning to 30,000+ young people annually across the UK, funded through admissions, grants, and corporate sponsorship.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Heritage Museum and Public Legal Education Services

NAICS

Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712), Historical Sites (71212)

akta.pro primary industry

Cultural Heritage Institutions (Archives, Historic Houses, Monuments Foundations) (THAJADAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Legal Literacy & Public Legal Education (Know Your Rights) (EDAAAFAI), Mock Trial & Moot Court (EDAMAGAC), Museum, Zoo & Attraction Gift Shops (CRALAJAG)

Keywords

• Heritage museum services
• Curriculum-linked legal education
• Courtroom workshop programmes
• Public legal education
• Visitor attraction experiences

Headquarters

HQ city

Nottingham

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Attraction Admissions: General admission tickets for National Justice Museum and City of Caves attractions; joint tickets for both venues; recommended visit duration 1.5-5 hours
2. Annual Passes: Annual Pass scheme launched July 2025 providing 12 months of free return visits; automatic conversion from booking; valid for original booker and guests only
3. Educational Learning Sessions: Curriculum-linked workshops delivered on-site at Nottingham, London courts, Manchester MMU, and Greater Manchester Police Museum; outreach programs at schools; online learning sessions; pricing varies by session type and duration from £5-£395
4. Corporate Venue Hire: Conference, corporate hospitality, event, banqueting, and retail activities through commercial trading subsidiary; hire of historic courtrooms and museum spaces for events
5. Donations and Fundraising: Charitable donations supporting learning programmes and access fund; Gift Aid scheme for UK taxpayers to claim 25p per £1 donated; corporate sponsorship packages
6. Retail and Merchandise: Gift shop offering items inspired by museum themes, exhibitions, and Nottingham city; goody bags pre-orderable for school groups at £2.95 per person

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels10 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

The National Justice Museum operates two Nottingham heritage attractions — the National Justice Museum (housed in a Grade II* listed former Shire Hall and County Gaol) and the City of Caves — and delivers curriculum-linked courtroom-based learning programmes for UK schools, colleges, and universities from authentic courtrooms in Nottingham, London, and the North West. Its core product is immersive public legal education using real courtrooms, historic prison cells, and a 40,000+ object collection, complemented by online learning, outreach delivery, corporate venue hire, and an annual pass scheme.

Product overview

National Justice Museum operates as a dual-attraction complex comprising the National Justice Museum (housed in Nottingham's Grade II* listed former Shire Hall and County Gaol) and the City of Caves partner attraction, together offering immersive experiences around justice, law, and underground heritage. The core educational offering consists of curriculum-linked learning programmes delivered on-site at authentic courtrooms across Nottingham, London (Royal Courts of Justice, Rolls Building), and the North (Manchester Metropolitan University, Greater Manchester Police Museum), as well as via NJM On Tour mobile workshops reaching courtrooms nationwide, and online/blended learning sessions. Supporting services include venue hire, corporate sponsorship, the NJM Access Fund for disadvantaged students, and the Annual Pass membership scheme (launched July 2025). The museum houses over 40,000 law and justice artefacts.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• National Justice Museum (Heritage Attraction) A Grade II* listed museum housed in Nottingham's former Shire Hall and County Gaol, featuring Victorian criminal and civil courtrooms, an Edwardian police station, 800-year-old prison with Georgian cells and medieval dungeons, and over 40,000 objects covering British Criminal Justice System history. Open to the general public for self-guided and guided experiences.
• City of Caves Underground cave attraction beneath Nottingham featuring the only medieval underground tannery in the UK, WWII air raid refuge spaces, and Victorian slum remains. Tours last 45–50 minutes with a 5-minute walk between venues.
• On-Site Courtroom Learning Workshops Curriculum-linked educational visits delivered in authentic courtrooms at Nottingham, London (Royal Courts of Justice, Rolls Building), and across the North (Manchester Metropolitan University moot court, Greater Manchester Police Museum). Programs cover Key Stages 1–5 and include contemporary themes (cyberbullying, knife crime, county lines) and historical themes (suffragettes, Victorian children, capital punishment).
• Online / Blended Learning Workshops Virtual courtroom workshops and digital learning programmes delivered live online, including Theatre of Law (London), Human Rights Workshop, and Decisions in Law Digital. Includes hands-on activities, mock trial preparation toolkits, and topical sessions on cyberbullying, human rights, and routes into law.
• NJM On Tour Mobile learning programme bringing courtroom workshops to real working courtrooms across the UK, including Rochdale Town Hall, Swansea Coroners Court, Liverpool Civil & Family Court, Aldershot Magistrates' Court, Sheffield Magistrates Court, Birmingham Civil Justice Centre, Warwickshire Justice Centre, and Winchester Combined Court.
• Decisions in Law Digital Two-hour online workshop for KS3–4 focusing on developing skills, knowledge and aspirations for legal careers. Students explore courtroom roles, investigate the Derek Bentley case, create closing statements, and debate outcomes. Cost: £250 per session.
• Human Rights Workshop 1.5-hour outreach or online workshop for KS5 students exploring the history, implementation, and contemporary significance of human rights. Students examine the European Convention on Human Rights and debate real court cases. Developed in partnership with Royal Holloway and Cumberland Lodge. Cost: £150 per session.
• Theatre of Law (London Primary Schools) Project for London primary schools introducing KS2 students to the legal and criminal justice system. Includes school launch session, digital toolkit for mock trial preparation, and visit to Royal Courts of Justice or virtual courtroom workshop. Cost: £10 per pupil (on-site) or £200 online.
• Annual Pass Annual membership scheme providing 12 months of free return visits. Available as National Justice Museum Annual Pass, City of Caves Annual Pass, and Joint Ticket options. Non-refundable and non-transferable.
• Corporate Venue Hire Hire of the museum's historic courtrooms and gaol spaces for corporate conferences, hospitality, banqueting, team building, and private functions. Delivered through a commercial trading subsidiary.
• NJM Access Fund Charitable programme enabling young people from socioeconomically disadvantaged areas and under-represented communities to participate in award-winning educational visits. Over 30,000 young people participated last year, with 26% supported through the Access Fund.
• Corporate Sponsorship and Access Partner Programme Corporate partnership packages with Platinum (£75,000/year), Gold (£37,500/year), Silver (£15,000/year), and Bronze (£5,000/year) tiers funding the NJM Access Fund. Partners receive discounted hire, brand association, ESG alignment, and tailored CSR partnerships.
• Charitable Donations Charitable donations supporting learning programmes, educational visits, and museum operations. Gift Aid available for UK taxpayers allowing 25% extra reclaim at no extra cost to the donor.

Quantifiable outcome

• 30,000+ young people annually participate in learning programmes
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers17 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Royal Holloway, University of LondoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership developed through the 'Citizens Project' supported by National Lottery Heritage Fund. Human Rights workshops developed in collaboration with Royal Holloway, exploring history, implementation, and contemporary significance of human rights for students.
• Cumberland LodgecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the 'Citizens Project' alongside Royal Holloway and National Lottery Heritage Fund. Collaboration on human rights education workshops exploring European Convention on Human Rights and real court cases.
• Charles Dickens MuseumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCross-site partnership delivering 'Dodging the Law: The Case of the Artful Dodger' program. Students visit Charles Dickens Museum and Royal Courts of Justice for immersive Victorian crime and justice study day.
• London School of Economics (LSE) LibrarycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Suffragettes: On Trial and In the Archives program. Students visit Royal Courts of Justice courtroom workshop and LSE Library to explore The Women's Library archives including diaries, letters, and newspaper articles related to suffragette Elsie Duval.
• Manchester Metropolitan UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partnership providing brand new purpose-built moot courtroom for KS2-5 educational workshops. Law students assist with courtroom role-play, introducing pupils to higher education opportunities.
• Greater Manchester Police MuseumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for North region learning delivery. Victorian charge office, police cells, and 1895 Magistrates courtroom used for historical crime and punishment workshops including Tour and Play and Crime and Punishment programs.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Museum of London: Major London heritage museum delivering curriculum-linked learning programmes and operating retail, venue hire, and admissions. Comparable charity-museum operating model with substantially larger scale.
• Beamish Museum: North East England open-air living museum, charitable trust, with extensive school-trips and learning programmes. Comparable UK heritage-charity education model with diversified ticketed admission and grant funding.
• Tower of London: Iconic UK heritage attraction with school workshops, venue hire, retail, and strong TripAdvisor performance. Comparable in consumer-attraction and learning-programme economics, though substantially larger.
• York Castle Museum: Regional heritage museum operated by a charitable trust with strong educational programming for UK schools. Comparable in operating model — heritage venue with curriculum-linked learning and ticketed admissions.
• Historic Royal Palaces (Tower of London et al.): Major UK heritage charity operating multiple ticketed historic-attraction sites. Larger and broader in portfolio than NJM, but highly comparable on the heritage-attraction + school-learning + venue-hire model.

Direct peers

• Charles Dickens Museum: London heritage museum delivering curriculum-linked educational programmes in an authentic historic setting. NJM operates a cross-site partnership with this museum, and both share a heritage-charity business model reliant on admissions, school visits, and donations.
• The Postal Museum: UK heritage charity museum with a strong schools and family-learning programme, gift shop, venue hire, and London headquarters. Comparable operating model — heritage attraction with structured curriculum-linked learning and an arts/heritage funding profile.
• People's History Museum: Manchester-based museum focused on democracy and social justice history. Overlaps thematically with NJM's law/justice/civic-education remit and shares the UK charity-museum model with school workshops and donations-led funding.

Others

• The Law Society: UK professional body for solicitors that runs public legal-education and outreach initiatives. Not a visitor attraction, but a thematically adjacent institution competing for the same UK schools' citizenship/legal-literacy curriculum budget.

Regional players

• Old Bailey / Central Criminal Court (public viewing): London-based legal-justice heritage experience offering public viewing of criminal proceedings. Shares NJM's law-and-justice visitor angle, but operates as a public court rather than an educational charity.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@nationaljusticemuseum
• Facebookfacebook.com/nationaljusticemuseum
• Instagraminstagram.com/justicemuseum
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nationaljusticemuseum

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about National Justice Museum