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.
There are five accessible parking spaces provided for visitors with disabilities in the coach park area. The coach park is opposite the Holiday Inn, 100 metres from the museum entrance. These spaces are only provided during museum opening hours of 10 am to 5 pm. Additional accessible parking spaces are available in the multi-storey carpark next to the Holiday Inn.
Assistance dogs are welcome in our museum.
The museum entrance is 100 metres across Armouries Square from our accessible parking spaces, coach park, and drop-off point. Armouries Square is an open and level paved area. All access routes to the museum entrance have a step-free path.
Inside the entrance is a red reception desk where a member of staff will welcome you and provide an information sheet containing the day’s events. They will also be happy to help with any requests.
We have four manual wheelchairs available to borrow for the duration of your visit. These are allocated on a first come, first served basis. Please ask at the red reception desk at the museum entrance on arrival.
The museum can be a great place to visit for both learning and as an indoor social space, with several quiet seating areas in the galleries, a café and a coffee shop. 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.
To encourage, support and enhance the museum experience of children and young people on the autism spectrum and their families during a visit, we have created five sensory backpacks that contain an appealing selection of items, ranging from fun and soothing sensory toys to ear-defenders.
The backpacks are available free of charge from Reception. They can be used for the duration of your visit and returned to the Reception on departure.
All galleries are accessible via the lifts. Lifts are fitted with audio announcements, handrails, and operation buttons at the rear of the lift at a height suitable for wheelchair users.
Portable folding seats are provided in every gallery for visitors who find standing difficult. There are also window seats in the gallery areas.
Accessible toilets are located on the ground floor and floors one (1), two (2) and four (4). We are aware that the accessible toilets on floors 1, 2 and 4 do not meet current access standards – being 200 mm shorter than recommended.
There are no Changing Places facilities within the museum but there is one about a 6-minute walk from the museum at Assisted Living Leeds.
The Tiltyard is an outdoor events space which is used for our horse events, including jousting. Accessibility for wheelchairs or mobility scooters is limited.
