Illuminated FAQs

No, you do not need to print your parking confirmation email if you are able to show it to our car parking team and ticket checkpoint in the Remembrance Centre on arrival on a smartphone or other device. 

If you did not book parking at the same time as your tickets you should pay upon arrival at the Welcome Desk on the evening of your visit, tickets will be charged at £5 per vehicle.  

 

Yes, each car will require a parking ticket. Parking tickets can be purchased alongside your Illuminated tickets, in advance for £5 per vehicle. 

If you did not book parking at the same time as your tickets, or now need to buy additional parking tickets you should pay upon arrival at the Welcome Desk on the evening of your visit, tickets will be charged at £5 per vehicle.  

 

A limited number of accessible bays, issued on a first come first served basis, are available in Car Park A, as well as a drop off / pick up point at the front of the Remembrance Centre. Please have your blue badge ready to present to our parking attendants upon arrival at the car park. The team will direct you to the most suitable available space. 

If you did not book parking at the same time as your tickets, or now need to buy additional parking tickets you should pay upon arrival at the Welcome Desk on the evening of your visit, tickets will be charged at £5 per vehicle.  

 

It is strongly recommended that NMA Friends book parking in advance using your free parking code. 

You will not be required to book separate parking tickets. 

If you did not book parking prior to your arrival at the Arboretum you should pay upon arrival at the Welcome Desk on the evening of your visit, tickets will be charged at £5 per vehicle.   

The Remembrance Centre and Arboretum grounds will close to the public at 4pm each evening. Ticket holders wishing to arrive earlier in the day, or wish to use the Restaurant prior to their Illuminated trail entry time will be permitted to do so, and will be issued with a wristband at the Welcome Desk (prior to 4pm) or ticket check point upon arrival at the Arboretum. You will be permitted to enter the Illuminated route at your selected trail entry time. 

Our team will direct you to the appropriate car park when you arrive.

Please note that you may be directed to Car Park B, located further along Croxall Road.

 

Subject to availability, exchanges to a different date for the same event may be possible at the transfer cost of £2 per ticket, plus any difference in ticket price on the day of exchange. 
 
Tickets are non-refundable, and no exchanges are available within 14 days of the entry date on your ticket.  

No you do not need to print your Illuminated tickets, but please ensure you have downloaded the tickets using the link on your confirmation email as the tickets contain a unique barcode which will need to be scanned on entry.    
 
If you have booked your car parking in advance, the confirmation for this also does not need to be printed. Please either present your booking confirmation on your smart device, or the booking reference number you were provided at the time of your booking.  

Tickets can be purchased on the door subject to availability. No tickets will be made available for purchase on the evening in sold out timeslots. 

We recommend booking your tickets in advance to guarantee entry.

All visitors (including children under five years) must have their own valid ticket, which must be produced to gain entry to the event. Children under 16 must be accompanied by a responsible adult aged 18+.  

Inevitably bad weather can affect any outdoor light trail and therefore Illuminated will still go ahead unless the conditions become unsafe.  
 
If the Arboretum is required to cancel Illuminated as it is unsafe to proceed, wherever possible visitors will be offered an alternative date/time to attend. We will advise of any cancellation via our website and social media channels.  
 
Any decision to cancel will be taken by 2pm on the day and ticketholders will be notified by email or telephone with details of how to reschedule.   

Once you have entered, you are welcome to remain and walk the route as many times as you wish until the Arboretum closes.  If you wish to visit the Remembrance Centre and then re-enter the route, please let a member of the Arboretum team at the ticket check know. 
 
The last entry to Illuminated will be at 7pm.

If you find you're going to be a little late please don't worry, you will be able to enter Illuminated Arboretum until the following times:

Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday evenings - Last entry 7.30pm
Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings - Last entry 8pm

Please be patient with our team who will prioritise ticket holders booked onto the current timeslot.  

You will not be required to book separate parking tickets. 

The Remembrance Centre and Arboretum grounds will close to the public at 4pm each evening. Ticket holders wishing to arrive earlier in the day, or wish to use the Restaurant prior to their Illuminated trail entry time will be permitted to do so, and will be issued with a wristband at the Welcome Desk (prior to 4pm) or ticket check point upon arrival at the Arboretum. You will be permitted to enter the Illuminated route at your selected trail entry time. 

The Illuminated route is approximately one mile long, commencing around 200m from the entrance to the Remembrance Centre.

The Illuminated trail is approximately one mile long and is designed to be enjoyed at a leisurely pace. We ask visitors to be patient as they explore, and at points along the route, we may ask your party to pause to allow previous visitors to progress through the route.  

No, dogs are not permitted at Illuminated, with the exception of certified working assistance dogs.

Bikes, scooters and other ride on devices, including balance bikes, will not be permitted at this event. Mobility scooters, wheelchairs and other equipment used to facilitate access will be permitted on the trail. 

Though much of the Illuminated route travels along our hard-standing pathways, the route will travel through some of our woodlands, in these areas hardstanding temporary trackway has been laid to support access.

Many visitors have benefited from hiring an Arboretum mobility scooter during their visit. To ensure availability mobility scooters should be booked in advance either online here or by calling 01283 245 100. A £10 hire charge, taken at the time of booking, will apply. Please note, mobility scooter use is restricted to aged 14 years and over.

Suitable clothing for an outdoor event is recommended.

Toilet Facilities
Accessible toilets are available about halfway along the route and in the Remembrance Centre, where a Changing Places Facility is also available. 

Baby changing facilities are available in the Remembrance Centre. 

 

Visual Guide
A visual guide will be available online here once the route has been put in place. Printed copies will also be available from our Welcome Desk on the evening of your visit.  

 

Sensory Bags
Free sensory backpacks can be borrowed from our Welcome Desk. The backpacks include fidget toys, a torch - which could be helpful as the trail is outside and in the dark.

 

Visitors with specific questions relating to accessibility can contact us in advance of their visit on 01283 245 100 or email info@thenma.org.uk. During your visit our team will also be happy to answer any questions or queries. 

 

Illuminated is an outdoor light trail.

Please ensure you have sufficient warm and waterproof clothing as well as sturdy shoes as the route covers areas of uneven ground.    

The National Memorial Arboretum is located in Alrewas, Staffordshire, and is well signposted from the surrounding areas.   

Please use the postcode DE13 7AR for satellite navigation systems. Detailed information about getting to the Arboretum can be found here. 

Illuminated follows a set route around some of our grounds. Visitors won't be able to visit memorials that are unlit or are off the Illuminated route.

If you would like to leave a tribute at a specific memorial please do speak to a member of our team and we will ensure that items are placed in the areas requested the following day. 

Male, female and accessible toilets as well as baby changing and Changing Places facilities are available in the Remembrance Centre.  Toilets will also be located along the trail. A member of our team will be able to advise you on the nearest restrooms available.

The gift shop will be open from 10am until the end of the event.

We'll be offering a selection of tasty treats at the Arboretum during our Illuminated evenings which will be available to purchase from our Restaurant and concessions on the route.  

 

The taking of images and film footage for personal use only is permitted at the Illuminated.  The National Memorial Arboretum reserves the right to photograph and film Illuminated for use in, but not restricted to, printed marketing and promotional materials, digital communication channels including websites and social media, presentations and exhibitions. By entering the event, you give permission for your likeness to be recorded through video and still photography. Visitors are advised that media outlets may be on site during the event. 
 
Please note: Drones are not permitted on site.