Fascinating local history museum with step free ground floor access + friendly staff
4
4
Date of visit: September 2018
I have experience of challenges around: moving around
Overall Rating
Good
Small, local history museum with galleries on 3 floors. There are displays on a variety of topics including the big storm of 2014 which damaged the railway line. There is also a small garden.
Disabled Access In and Around
Good
The museum is in a former house built in the early 1800s house. There is step free access to the ground floor. The upper floors are accessible by stairs. There is a stair lift to access the 1st floor, which has a number of rooms. The 2nd/ top floor is only accessible by stairs. There is also a garden area which is accessed by a couple of steps, but on request they will open the side gate for step free access. The website says that there is a wheelchair available. The museum is laid out with display cabinets and information boards. In the 1st floor room about the 2014 storm, there is a video and there is seating.
Parking & Transport
Good
The nearest train station is Dawlish, which is a 10 minute walk away. There is step free access to platform 2, with trains heading towards Exeter/ London. Platform 1 with trains towards Paignton/ Torquay is accessible via a railway bridge with stairs only. However through Special Assistance they can arrange and accompany you to cross the railway line. I found the special assistance excellent at Dawlish Station. The museum is located on a hill. There is an adjacent car park to the museum. Local buses stop nearby.
Accessible Toilets
Excellent
There is a large, clean, accessible toilet with grab rails on the ground floor.
Staff
Excellent
Staff were very friendly and welcoming.
Additional Information
It's a lovely small museum. The museum is only open in the summer season and there is an admission charge (£2 when I visited) and as there was plenty of intereting things to see it was well worth it. If you want to visit check the opening hours on the museum's website. No photographs allowed so I only was able to take a photo of the outside.
