Plan Your Visit

Facilities

Facilities at Osborne

  • Parking

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    Free parking 50m from reception centre, and additional parking a further 230m from the house entrance. 

  • Food And Drink

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    There are several refreshment venues at Osborne.

    The self-service café in the admission area sells light snacks including tea, coffee, soup, cakes and cold drinks. 

    The Beach Café offers a delicious menu of light refreshments and hot and cold drinks. Refreshements include the Island’s own Minghella ice cream in a range of tempting flavours such as oriental ginger, passionfruit or mango. The café is perfectly situated next to Osborne’s beach, converted from a pavilion built for convalescing officers in the 1940s.

  • Picnic Area

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    Enjoy a summer picnic at tables dotted around the grounds. There is also a family picnic area conveniently situated by the children's play-area.
  • Shop

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    Large shop located at the admissions centre selling Victorian themed gifts and an extensive range of jewellery, kids toys, books, jams and drinks.
  • Toilets

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    These facilities are undergoing essential maintenance, so we currently have temporary toilets in place while the work is carried out.  

    Toilets are situated near the admissions building, as well as beside the house in Magnolia Courtyard. You will also find toilets at the beach and at the Swiss Cottage. Baby changing facilities are also available near to the admissions point. Disabled toilets, with ramp access are located at admissions point and main house, Swiss Cottage and the beach. The beach toilets are located at the café.

  • Dogs

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    Dogs are welcome in the grounds of Osborne, including the formal gardens. Only assistance dogs are allowed in the house, Swiss Cottage, Cafe, Terrace Restaurant, play areas and on the Beach itself. There are outside seating areas in the cafe, terrace restaurant and beach cafe in which dogs are welcome. 

    Please note that dogs must be kept on a short lead at all times. Dogs must not be left unattended anywhere whilst at Osborne.

  • Museum

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    Nearly all of the artefacts in the House and Swiss Cottage & museum belong to the Royal Collection - unique historic items that belonged to Queen Victoria and Prince Albert and their children.
  • Exhibition

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    At the house, the Victoria and Albert 200 exhibition marks the 200th anniversary of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert's birth. A lively interactive display at Swiss Cottage gives an insight into childhood at Osborne.

    At Queen Victoria's private beach, new exhibition panels explain how important the beach was to Victoria and her family, and how important it is today as a wildlife habitat.

  • Gardens

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    Osborne is famous for its selection of formal gardens containing rare and unusual plants, and there is also plenty of space to run around. Enjoy the formal terrace gardens, visit the sheltered the walled garden, admire the view the Solent from the Palm Terrace or visit the charming childrens gardens and wild meadow which surround the Swiss Chalet.

    As well as a stunning array of plants, rare red squirrels can be spotted amongst the trees. Gravel, tarmac and concrete provide access for all abilities.

    Benches and rest points are dotted throughout the grounds.

  • Family Friendly

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    Baby Changing Facilities

    Male and female toilets are situated near to the admissions centre, main house, the beach and at the Swiss Cottage. Baby changing facilities available at the admissions area, the house and the beach.

    High Chairs

    Highchairs available in café and restaurant.

    Play Areas / Adventure Playground

    Children's play area located near the visitor car park. There is also plenty of room for children to run and play in the grounds.

    Push Chairs Allowed

    Pushchairs are not permitted within the House, with the exception of disabled access buggies. Pushchairs can be stored near the entrance to the house.

  • Education

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    Education

    Education group visits must be pre-booked.
  • Please Be Aware

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    Some traffic in the grounds (golf club traffic, site vehicles and deliveries).

    Please also note that the left luggage facilities at Osborne are unsupervised, and that large bags are not permitted in the house. Mobility scooters and pushchairs are not permitted in the house, manual wheelchairs are available to borrow during your visit for use indoors. There is a lift from the ground floor to the first floor.

  • Venue Hire

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    Available For Event Hire

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    Civil Weddings

    Please ask our hospitality coordinator for further details.
  • Holiday Cottages

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    Pavilion Cottage and Sovereign's Gate Holiday Cottages on the Osborne estate
  • Commercial Photograph And Filming

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    Photography (without flash or tripod) is permitted in the house. The copyright of the artefacts within the house remains with the Royal Collection.

    English Heritage welcomes all photographers to our sites and we hope you will share your pictures of the outside areas with us on Instagram, Flickr and Facebook.

    We do have some restrictions at certain locations, so if photography is your main reason for visiting, please call the site ahead of your visit to check if any parts of the site are restricted.

    We are keen to promote the use of our sites to location managers and commercial photographers. If you are interested please go to Filming Locations for more information and contacts.

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