Roman Circus Visitor Centre
Museums & Science Centres · Colchester, Essex
No reviews yet
Closed — opens Tuesday at 11am
🏠 Indoor & outdoor0–11–33–55–88–1212–16Educational
What’s there
- Limited parking
- Baby changing
- Picnic area
Limited parking at the centre including disabled parking; pay-and-display public car parks on Butt Road and Napier Road about a 5-7 minute walk. Roman Circus Walk is a narrow residential cul-de-sac unsuitable for coaches.
Only facilities we’ve confirmed are listed — anything missing here we simply haven’t checked, rather than know to be absent.
The Roman Circus Visitor Centre, run by Colchester Archaeological Trust, sits beside the excavated remains of a Roman chariot-racing arena, the only one known in Britain. Inside, families can see a replica racing chariot and charioteer, a scale model of the circus, a model of Roman Colchester and audio-visual displays that explain how the races were run. Guided tours are offered, and the visitor walkway lets older children see foundations of the original structure. Outdoor picnic tables are available, and visitors can bring their own food and drink. The centre is a short walk from the town centre, so it suits a relaxed visit of an hour or so for school groups and families with children who enjoy history and archaeology.
Stuff to take with you
The things people wish they’d packed for a day out like this one.
Refillable water bottleMost places will fill it for free.
Snacks that survive a rucksackCheaper than the café, and buys you twenty minutes.
Wet wipes
Small first aid kitPlasters solve more days out than anything else here.
Kids' headphones
Loose changeLockers and old-fashioned car parks.
Sick bagsYou only forget these once.
Toilet rollAssume the worst about the facilities and you'll never be wrong.- Tablet headrest mountFor the long way home, not the day itself.
A penForms, competitions, name badges.
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Photos: 維基小霸王, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Renée Kools, CC BY 4.0 · david falkner from Birmingham, England, CC BY 2.0 · Politikaner, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Rolf Dietrich Brecher, CC BY-SA 2.0
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