Part A — Website Terms of Use
Last updated: 01/06/2026
1. About us and these terms
This website, www.ryemuseum.co.uk & www.ryecastle.co.uk (the “Website(s)”), are operated by Rye Museum Association (“RMA”, “we”, “us”, “our”), a charity that operates Rye Castle Museum at its two sites, Rye Castle & Prison (RCM Ypres Tower) and RCM East Street Museum in Rye, East Sussex.
- Registered charity number: 1057421
- Company registered in England and Wales (company limited by guarantee): 03226143
- Registered office: 3 East Street, Rye, East Sussex, TN31 7JY
- Email: info@ryemuseum.co.uk
These terms tell you the rules for using our Websites. By accessing or using the Websites you confirm that you accept these terms and agree to comply with them. If you do not agree, please do not use the Website.
2. Changes to these terms
We may update these terms from time to time, for example to reflect changes to our services or to legal requirements. The version published on this page is the one that applies whenever you use the Websites. Please check this page from time to time so that you are aware of any changes.
3. Accessing the Websites
The Website is made available free of charge. We do not guarantee that the Website, or any content on it, will always be available or be uninterrupted. We may suspend, withdraw, or restrict all or any part of the Website for business or operational reasons, and we will try to give reasonable notice of any suspension or withdrawal.
You are responsible for making sure that everyone who accesses the Website through your internet connection is aware of these terms and complies with them.
4. Acceptable use
You may use the Website only for lawful purposes. You must not:
- use the Website in any way that breaches any applicable law or regulation, or that is fraudulent or harmful;
- attempt to gain unauthorised access to the Website, the server on which it is stored, or any server, computer, or database connected to it;
- knowingly introduce viruses, trojans, worms, or other material that is malicious or technologically harmful;
- systematically extract, copy, scrape, or harvest data or content from the Website (including for training automated systems or building a database) without our prior written permission; or
- use the Website in a way that could damage, disable, overburden, or impair it, or interfere with anyone else’s use of it.
We may report any breach to the relevant authorities and cooperate with them.
5. Intellectual property
The content on this Website is owned by or licensed to RMA and is protected by copyright and other rights. Your use of that content is governed by Part B — Copyright and Terms of Use below.
6. Material you submit
If you contact us through the Website, send us material, or post any content where the Website allows it, you confirm that the material is your own or that you have the right to provide it, and that it is not unlawful, defamatory, or infringing of anyone’s rights. We may remove any content that we reasonably consider inappropriate, and we are not responsible for content submitted by other users.
7. Links and third-party content
The Website may contain links to other sites and resources provided by third parties (for example video hosted on Vimeo, social media, payment or mapping providers). These links are provided for your information only and we have no control over, and accept no responsibility for, the content of those sites or resources. Inclusion of a link does not imply our endorsement.
8. Accuracy of information
The historical and educational content on this Website is provided in good faith for general interest and information. While we take care over our content, we do not warrant that it is complete, accurate, or up to date, and it should not be relied upon as a substitute for professional or specialist advice. Opening hours, admission charges, and event details may change — please contact us to confirm before travelling.
9. Visiting, bookings, and purchases
Memberships, and tickets that you buy through this Website are governed by Part C — Membership and Ticket Terms (Online Purchases) below. Admission paid at the door, group bookings, and items bought from our museum shops are handled by us directly or in person and are subject to the arrangements in place at the time. Nothing in these terms affects your statutory rights as a consumer under UK law, including rights relating to goods that are faulty or not as described.
10. Donations
Donations to RMA are voluntary and gratefully received and, except where the law requires otherwise, are non-refundable. If you make a Gift Aid declaration, you confirm that you are a UK taxpayer and meet the relevant conditions.
11. Our liability
Nothing in these terms excludes or limits our liability where it would be unlawful to do so. This includes liability for death or personal injury caused by our negligence, or for fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation.
To the extent permitted by law, we exclude all implied warranties and conditions relating to the Website, and we will not be liable for any loss or damage that is not foreseeable, or for any loss arising from your use of, or inability to use, the Website or reliance on any content on it. We are not responsible for any loss or damage caused by a virus or other technologically harmful material that may infect your devices due to your use of the Website or your downloading of any content from it.
12. Privacy and cookies
We only use your personal information as set out in our Privacy Policy and Cookie information, which explain how we collect, use, and protect your data. Please review them so that you understand our practices.
13. Governing law
These terms, their subject matter, and their formation are governed by the law of England and Wales. The courts of England and Wales will have exclusive jurisdiction over any dispute or claim arising out of or in connection with them.
14. Contact us
To ask about these terms or anything on the Website, please email info@ryemuseum.co.uk or write to us at the registered office above.
Part B — Copyright and Terms of Use
Last updated: 01/06/2026
1. We take copyright seriously
Rye Museum Association takes copyright seriously. Almost all of the text and most of the images on this Website are created by us or come from our own historic collection, and unless stated otherwise they are © Rye Museum Association. Where we use third-party material, we do so with permission or under licence, and we use and credit it according to the relevant licence terms.
The RMA and Rye Castle Museum names and logos are our trade marks and may not be used without our written permission.
2. What you may do
You are welcome to view, browse, and print pages from the Website for your own personal, non-commercial use. You may also quote short extracts for the purposes of private study, research, review, or news reporting, provided you do so fairly and credit Rye Museum Association as the source.
3. What you need permission for
Except as set out above, you may not copy, reproduce, republish, distribute, adapt, or otherwise use any content from this Website — in particular images — for any commercial purpose, or in any publication, product, or other website, without our prior written permission. You must not remove or alter any copyright, trade mark, or other notice on our content.
We are usually happy to grant permission, including for educational and community projects. To request permission to use content from this Website, please contact info@ryemuseum.co.uk, telling us which material you would like to use and how you intend to use it.
4. If you are a rights holder
Please contact us if you come across any content on our Website for which you are the rights holder and which you believe we do not have permission to use. We will ask you to explain why you think the material may have been used in error and to confirm that you are the rights holder, or are authorised to act on the rights holder’s behalf. If we have made a mistake, we will gladly put it right — by adding a proper credit, agreeing licence terms, or removing the material.
To contact us about any copyright matter, email info@ryemuseum.co.uk or write to Rye Museum Association, 3 East Street, Rye, East Sussex, TN31 7JY.
Part C — Membership and Ticket Terms (Online Purchases)
Last updated: 01/06/2026
These terms apply when you buy a membership or an ticket from Rye Museum Association (“RMA”, “we”, “us”, “our”). We sell and manage memberships and tickets through our online box office hosted by Tickettailor (Tick Tailor Limited), at https://www.tickettailor.com/events/ryemuseumassociation, which you can reach from links on www.ryemuseum.co.uk. Your contract for the membership or ticket is with RMA; Tickettailor provides the booking platform on our behalf. These terms apply in addition to Part A. Please read them before you place an order. If anything is unclear, email info@ryemuseum.co.uk before buying.
1. How an order is made
You place your order through our Tickettailor box office. When you do so you are offering to buy from us. Tickettailor will send an acknowledgement, but the contract between you and RMA is formed only when you receive a confirmation email containing your membership or ticket details. Your use of the box office is also subject to Tickettailor’s own terms of use and privacy policy. We may decline an order, for example if an event is sold out, if there has been a pricing or description error, or if payment cannot be taken, in which case we will not charge you or will refund any payment taken.
2. Prices and payment
All prices are in pounds sterling (£) and include any applicable taxes. Payment is taken at the time you place your order and is processed securely through the Tickettailor platform and its payment partners; RMA and Tickettailor do not store your full card details. Any booking or transaction fee will be shown clearly before you pay. If we discover that the price of something you have ordered was wrong because of an obvious error, we will contact you to confirm whether you wish to continue at the correct price before processing your order.
3. Membership
3.1 What membership includes
Membership of the Rye Museum Association gives you unlimited free admission to Rye Castle & Prison and RCM East Street Museum on production of a valid membership card, the Rye Museum and Local History Group Journal, and the other benefits described on the membership pages of the Website at the time you join. We may vary the benefits from time to time, but we will not reduce the core benefits during your current membership period.
3.2 Membership period and renewal
Membership runs for the period stated when you join (for 1 year). Your membership does not renew automatically unless we have clearly told you otherwise at the point of purchase; we will contact you before your membership ends to invite you to renew.
3.3 Membership cards
We will issue your membership card by email and digital wallet after your order is confirmed. Cards are personal to the named member(s) and are not transferable. Family tickets admit up to 2 adults and 2 children. You must produce a valid card to claim free admission. Please tell us promptly if a card is lost or stolen so that we can arrange a replacement. All memberships are non-transferable.
3.4 Your right to cancel a membership (14-day cooling-off period)
As a membership bought online is a service, you have the right to cancel within 14 days of the day after we confirm your membership, without giving a reason. To cancel, email info@ryemuseum.co.uk or write to us at the registered office; a clear statement that you wish to cancel is enough, and you may use the model wording at the end of Part C. If you ask for your membership benefits to start during the 14-day period and then cancel, we may deduct a proportionate amount for the period during which the benefits were available to you (and the value of any benefits already used) before refunding the balance. We will make any refund within 14 days of being told you wish to cancel, using the same payment method you used to pay.
4. Event tickets & Tickets
4.1 Booking and e-tickets
Each ticket admits the named number of people to the specific event/attraction, on the date and at the time shown. After your order is confirmed we will send your ticket(s) by email; please bring your ticket printed or shown on your phone. Tickets remain our property and are a licence to attend the event, which we may revoke for the reasons set out below. All tickets are non-transferable.
4.2 Refunds and the right to cancel
Event tickets and attraction tickets are sold for a specific date or period. Under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, the 14-day cancellation right does not apply to leisure services provided on a specific date. Tickets are therefore non-refundable and non-transferable once your order is confirmed, except as set out in clause 4.3. Please check your order carefully before buying.
4.3 If we change or cancel an event
If we cancel an event, or reschedule it to a date you cannot attend, you may choose a full refund of the ticket price or, where offered, a transfer to another date. Tower tickets are non-refundable as they are available to use for at least 30 days from purchase, but are only valid for 14 days from purchase. We may make minor changes to the programme, performers, or contents of an event or attraction without offering a refund. Our liability in connection with an event or attraction is limited to the price you paid for the ticket, except where the law does not allow us to limit it (see Part A, clause 11).
Occasionally, arrangements may need to change due to operational reasons, maintenance, weather, staffing, or unforeseen circumstances. If this happens, we will do our best to contact you as soon as possible and offer an alternative arrangement where available.
For group and school bookings, any cancellation or amendment policy should be read alongside your booking confirmation and any terms supplied at the time of purchase. Refunds, where applicable, are subject to the booking conditions in force at the time and to management discretion where stated.
4.4 Concessions, eligibility, and entry
Some tickets and free admissions (for example for children or members) depend on eligibility, and we may ask for proof on arrival. Events may have age restrictions, capacity limits, or accessibility information, which we will note at the point of sale. We may refuse admission to, or remove, anyone who behaves in a way that is unsafe, unlawful, or disruptive, or who cannot show a valid ticket; latecomers may be admitted only at a suitable break.
4.5 Photography at events
We sometimes take photographs or film at events or at our attractions for our records and to promote the museum and the charity’s work. If you would prefer not to appear, please let a member of staff know and we will do our best to accommodate you. How we handle any personal data is explained in our Privacy Policy.
5. Refunds, your statutory rights, and complaints
Where a refund is due, we make it to the original payment method. Nothing in Part C affects your statutory rights as a consumer, including your rights under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 if a service is not carried out with reasonable care and skill. If something goes wrong, please contact us at info@ryemuseum.co.uk and we will try to put it right.
6. Your information
We use the personal information you give us when buying a membership or ticket to process and fulfil your order, to administer your membership, and to contact you about it, as set out in our Privacy Policy.
Part D — Rye Castle Entry Terms
Entry to Rye Castle & Museum is highly flexible; visitors can pay at the door or book ahead online. The castle operates strict policies regarding accessibility, pets, and prohibited items, and offers a free carer scheme for visitors with special needs.
Key Entry & Booking Policies
Booking: Advance booking is not mandatory. You can easily walk up and pay at the door, but if you prefer to book ahead, you can use the Rye Castle & on the Museum Tickets portal website. These terms are specified above (part C).
1. Age Restrictions:
Unaccompanied children under the age of 16 are not permitted.
2. Concessions & Accessibility Carers:
One carer is admitted free of charge for visitors with special educational needs and disabilities.
3. Accessibility:
The Ypres Tower is a Scheduled Ancient Monument. It has uneven floors, low doorways, uneven steps and no lift. Access for wheelchairs is limited to the ground floor. There are no toilets in the Ypres Tower.
The East Street museum is fully accessible, but there is no public toilet.
4. Dogs:
Well behaved dogs are permitted in all areas of the castle and museum.
5. Position Statement:
We have a zero-tolerance position on threatening, aggressive, abusive, violent behaviour, or any other act of discrimination; we will not tolerate it inside our organisation or against our staff from people outside the organisation.