As of 8 February 2026, visitors to Norwich Castle in Norfolk can step back 900 years and see how royalty once lived through new immersive light-and-sound displays. Norfolk Museums Service has completed the installation of high-tech projection mapping and spatial audio in the Great Hall as part of the Royal Palace Reborn redevelopment.
The Royal Palace Reborn project cost £27.5 million and reinstated original Norman floor levels that were removed in the 19th century when the keep was used as a prison. That work lets visitors stand on the level associated with King Henry I’s palace, which was completed around 1121.
The new immersive scheme uses laser projection mapping and spatial audio to bring medieval life onto the stone walls. The redevelopment was made possible by a £13 million grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund and a £12 million contribution from Norfolk County Council, with further support from partners including the British Museum.
The project has been widely described as making Norwich Castle one of the UK’s most accessible castles: new lifts and other access improvements were designed to provide step-free access to all five floors, from the basement to the battlements. (Norfolk Museums Service’s visitor information has at times cautioned that access to the battlements by lift may be temporarily unavailable, so visitors should check the museum website for the latest access information.)
Since the full reopening on 7 August 2025, Norfolk Museums Service has reported an average of about 1,500 visitors a day, with more than 110,000 people visiting in the first three months. The sensory, audio‑visual exhibits are intended to help families and school groups experience medieval history in a more immediate and engaging way than traditional displays.
