Aberdeen Maritime Museum

Date of visit: August 2024

I am a disabled person. I have experience of challenges around: a hidden impairment, accessing toilets and moving around.

I use or have experience of: changing places toilet, disabled toilet, hidden impairment, powerchair, toilet with hoist, toilets, walking aid, wheelchair

Overall Rating

Aberdeen Maritime Museum is quite the attraction. Spread over four floors, with fantastic views from the top, it has just about everything you'd expect and a few things you wouldn't. With authentic marine equipment, a reproduction of a ship's cabin, and even a suit of Samurai armour, it's well worth a visit. Learn about Aberdeen's industrial past and present at this reasonably accessible venue.

Disabled Access In and Around

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Except for the road outside, which is hardly their fault, the access within the museum is rather good. There’s a lift to all four floors with Braille buttons, which holds eight people, or likely three along with a powerchair user. There are handrails on each side of the lift. A floor down from the ground level is the Ship and Wreck Room, where you'll find examples of the safety wear worn on the rigs and the accessible toilet. On Level 1, you'll find the Duthie Deckhouse, the Rattray Head lighthouse lens, and a gallery in Provost Ross’s House. On Level 2, you'll find displays of historic models and paintings, exhibitions on ships built in Aberdeen, the fishing industry, and North Sea drilling. There’s a second toilet on this level, which isn’t very well signposted. On Level 3, you’ll find views over the Harbour Gallery and learn the unique story of Thomas Blake Glover, the Scottish Samurai. There are some ramps between floors, but it’s better to take the lift. I didn’t see an induction loop at any part of the museum, or alternative formats such as large print, easy read or Braille documentation.

Parking & Transport

There is no parking outside the venue, but there is an NCP car park across the road, which has four accessible bays and 365 standard spaces. The nearest bus route is up the hill on Union Street. The closest bus station is Aberdeen Bus Station, and the closest train station is Aberdeen Railway Station, which is a 10-minute walk from the museum. I should highlight that the entrance is uphill, with cobbled roads—it wasn’t much fun pushing a manual wheelchair up that!

Accessible Toilets

There are two accessible toilets at the museum, one on the lower ground floor and one on the 2nd level. The lower ground toilet is small with an outward opening door, secured from the Only a right-side transfer is possible but there's a bin in the transfer space which may be obstructive to some. There are grab rails on either side of the toilet seat, which is set against a contrasting wall. There's a low, small sink with what I can only describe as pump-style taps, and two vertical levers with rubber tips, which need to be pushed down to increase the water pressure. There's a hand dryer and paper towels provided, both a sanitary bin and waste bin, and a baby change. There's no red emergency cord in the toilet, which is concerning as the toilets are a little out of the way. As with the lower ground toilet, the one on the 2nd floor doesn't a have red cord. The toilet is behind a heavy wooden door and is locked from the inside by turning the snip. The door opens out. It features a small, low sink with separate hot and cold taps, the handles of which are typical twist-style handles. The toilet seat is set against a contrasting wall, with grabrails on either side. A left-side transfer is possible but there's a slim bin in the transfer space. There's a hand dryer and paper towels provided and both a sanitary bin and waste bin. Free period products are available.

Staff

I spoke to a gentleman at the front counter who was pleasant to speak with and answered a question I had regarding an alternative access route - he suggested the front was best.

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