National Horseracing Museum — Local services in West Suffolk

We had a wonderful day at this beautifully renovated museum. The various exhibits offered a range of information about every aspect of racing,in an accessible and varied way.lots to see and try for every age group. The highlight of our visit was a chat with the retired stable lad who had worked for top trainers all his life,who gave such a personal insight into the career and role of those who are behind the scenes in making these horses so successful .We felt that these important stories should be part of the museum exhibits as they inform our social history and give a broader insight beyond the glittering prizes into the world of racing. So much more interesting than the rather simplistic video display of a day in the life of a jockey .Details such as the training, the daily routine, the working conditions, the travel,life behind the scenes, are an important part of racing history, and we found fascinating. The other highlight was visiting the Rothschild yard ,meeting a retired racehorse and chatting to the groom to hear the story of this horse, his career, his wins,his personality,his future.Again , stories which bring this world of the...

The vicinity is very well kept and immaculate. However my main concern was the lack of communication from the staff, and lack of signage in the exterior areas: I was told at the ticket purchase area that there are child-friendly trails available, of which I never did find, as well as the opportunity to access the stable yard to meet the horses - I was told this by two separate staff members. My children and I got lost, and ended up accessing the yard via the entrance where the maneage area is. I then encountered a member of staff whom chastened me for accessing - (unbeknown and completely without my knowledge) - the yard. A simple, polite approach would have been appreciated, I am very upset by the way the staff member handled the matter and spoke to me, and I felt she did not believe me when I told her I did not have no intention whatsoever of accessing non-permittable areas. I travelled from quite a fair distance to visit, and I'm afraid the rudeness of this staff member completely ruined the trip. We...

I went to the NHRM the other day with an old friend who had been born and raised in Newmarket, and had been loosely connected with the racing world. (His dad had been an accountant whose clientele had been largely jockeys, trainers etc). Personally I have no interest in racing or horses, but I've always been interested in seeing the museum. I thought it was fantastic - really well laid out, and very interesting. And the art gallery connected to the museum was also top notch. Part of the place (in the stable yards behind the museum) features a racehorse simulator (sort of like a bucking bronco!) which is superintended by Frank, an octogenarian (presumably) ex-jockey/stable lad (judging by his height). Frank was brilliant - a treasure trove of information about Newmarket's illustrious history, and all its people. We also saw Solo, a retired thoroughbred racehorse who was undergoing retraining to allow him to continue in civilian life. The entire visit was absolutely first class and I recommend the NHRM...