Visitors with disabilities are very welcome. We are in a Grade I listed, 19th-century building, so access to the museum isn't always straightforward.
When planning your visit, it might be useful to know the following:
- Everything in the Museum is on open display, and we ask visitors not to touch anything
- There is historic furniture throughout the Museum – please don’t sit on the chairs. Please ask our friendly staff if you need to sit down
- The Museum has some uneven flooring, with grilles in some places, through which you can see the floor below
- The walls are covered with objects, some of which are extremely fragile
- Some areas are dark and narrow
Please get in touch before your visit and we’ll do everything we can to make sure you have a positive experience.
If you need any further information on accessibility, please contact us on 020 7405 2107, or email admin@soane.org.uk.
Physically disabled visitors Back to top
Our resources are limited and as such, we require that visitors with requiring the lift call at least 24 hours ahead. To organise your visit, please call 020 7405 2107.
We now have an internal and an external platform lift for step-free access to the Museum. Please call ahead so that we have a member of staff on hand to operate the lift as, due to our Grade 1 listing, the lift cannot be in a public space.
If you use crutches or a walking stick, you should be able to go everywhere inside, but some spaces are too narrow for walking frames. If you would like to borrow one of our custom wheelchairs, please call ahead.
Inside, standard wheelchairs are usually too big for our narrow corridors and doorways; so visitors with wheelchairs larger than 41cm wide, 84cm deep and a height of 82cm, will be asked to transfer to our own specially manufactured narrow wheelchairs.
Blind and partially-sighted visitors Back to top
If you’d like an audio tour of the museum, please book this in advance and we’ll make sure it’s ready for your arrival.
Ask us if you’d like to borrow large-print copies of exhibition labels and panels. We can also offer a large-print or braille version of our short guide to the museum.
We advise visiting during the day, because we use very little artificial light. We can sometimes offer torches or additional overhead lighting though, so please ask us.
We’ve developed our guide dog policy with advice from the Guide Dogs Association. If you use an assistance dog, we recommend leaving them with us in a designated safe space (where they’ll have plenty of water) during your visit.
To bring your dog with you into the Museum, you have to be accompanied by a member of staff, both for your dog’s safety and your own. So please let us know by calling 020 7405 2107 that you’ll be visiting so we can make sure someone is available.
Deaf and hard of hearing visitors Back to top
We offer induction loops at the front desk and in our shop.
We can also set up induction loops for seated lectures, talks and events – please let us know when you book.
Visitors with learning disabilities Back to top
The Museum has easy read information guides available. Please contact mpatel@soane.org.uk for more information.
Website Accessibility statement Back to top
To find out more about Website Accessibility on our Website Accessibility Statement page.