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Accessibility at Royal Armouries Museum

We welcome visitors with disabilities and are committed to providing appropriate facilities, and an enjoyable and memorable visit. We value your viewpoint on the services we provide and welcome feedback.

Information for Carers – updated December 2022

We encourage carers to carry out a pre-site visit, where appropriate, to ensure everyone makes the most of their visit whether they are in a group or visiting independently. Staff on site can answer your questions and direct you to areas of interest, including local facilities situated in the close vicinity.

Parking for visitors with disabilities

Museum disabled parking spaces

Multi-storey car park disabled parking spaces

There are about 40 blue badge parking bays in the multi-storey car park located next to the Holiday Inn.

Assistance dogs

Assistance dogs are welcome in the museum and can look forward to:

Wheelchairs

We have four manual wheelchairs available for use by visitors. The wheelchairs can be used for the duration of your visit. Please ask at the reception desk on your arrival.

Mobility scooters

Mobility scooters are permitted in the museum, however we do not have any to loan.

Sensory backpacks

We have five sensory backpacks to encourage, support, and enhance the museum experience of children and young people on the autism spectrum and their families.

Backpack features

Accessible and Changing Places Toilets

Accessible Toilets

Accessible toilets can be found throughout the museum:

Toilet features

Changing Places Toilets

Our Changing Places Toilet (CPT) is accessible to the public and located on the ground floor of the museum, approximately 36 metres (120 feet) from the main entrance. Access to the CPT is by Radar key which is available from our reception desk.

CPT facility features

Accessible museum entrance

The museum entrance is 100 metres (approximately 110 yards) across Armouries Square from the museum’s disabled parking spaces, coach park, and drop-off point.

Access to galleries

Comfort seating

The museum is large with galleries and facilities over 6 floors. Therefore, we have provided seating throughout.

If you cannot find a seat while visiting please ask a member of staff who will be happy to assist.

Large print booklets

Large print booklets for our “Treasures trail” are available to borrow on request from gallery hosts on these floors.

Handling/tactile products

Currently, we do not offer handling sessions for regular visitors, but there are often opportunities for handling objects and asking questions after live shows in the galleries. Sometimes, the handling of objects is the focus of our gallery talks.

Object handling sessions are available for school groups to book.

Accessible presentations

Audio-visual displays

All films in the galleries are presented with:

Live performances

Live performances take place daily in a variety of dedicated spaces in the galleries. Performance areas are equipped with:

Access to outdoor event spaces

Tiltyard

The Tiltyard is an outdoor event space which is used for our horse events, including jousting. It is located opposite the Holiday Inn and close to the disabled parking bays. Accessibility for wheelchairs or mobility scooters is limited and varies for each event. Therefore, we encourage people to reach out to us when planning your visit.

Amphitheatre

The amphitheatre is an outdoor event space used occassionally for combat demonstrations and gun firing during special events. It is located at the north-west corner of the museum between the Hall of Steel and the canal dock. The step-free route from the museum entrance to the amphitheatre is paved with the Yorkshire stone and can be uneven. There is a ramp onto a block paved area that surrounds the amphitheatre. Seating is on the steps of the amphitheatre. The floor of the amphitheatre is paved with stone blocks which can make the surface uneven.

Staff awareness training

The Royal Armouries recognises that increasing staff awareness of the issues with Accessibility, Inclusion and Diversity is a vital part of removing those barriers experienced by people with disabilities, making them feel safe and welcome, and providing them with an enjoyable experience.

Action taken so far

Contact Us

If you require any additional information please contact us at enquiries@armouries.org.uk.

See also

Disabilities Equality Policy (PDF, 41 KB)

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