Fascinating accessible museum with cafe
4.5
4.5
Date of visit: October 2022
I am a carer or friend of a disabled person. I have experience of challenges around: accessing toilets, hearing and moving around.
I use or have experience of: changing places toilet, disabled toilet, hearing aid or cochlear implant, walking aid, wheelchair
Overall Rating
Excellent
This is a very interesting museum which has been run by the same family - the Stephensons - for many years.
Disabled Access In and Around
Excellent
The access is excellent, especially considering this is an old building. The whole museum area is step free and level. Access to the cafe is down a long gentle ramp. The cafe is self service and has plenty of room between the tables for a wheelchair. There is another entrance directly to the cafe from the car park but this has steps. The display cases are all glass from top to bottom so a wheelchair user can always see something. There is a large spacious gift shop. To show the gems and stones to the best advantage the lighting is quite low - not a problem for us but just noting it to alert others. There were display cases all round the edge of the main room and in the centre but there was always room to get a wheelchair between them. There is a one way system round the Crystal Cave part where you can see stones illuminated by infrared light showing different colours. Some very large stones/ crystals are not in cases and are at a good height to be seen by a wheelchair user. The cafe serves light meals such as soup, sandwiches and paninis.
Parking & Transport
Good
The car park is quite large and all tarmac. There are only two Blue Badge spaces but they do have cross hatching on each side. The first part of the car park is on a downward slope but these spaces are near the top and close to the door.
Accessible Toilets
Good
The toilet has rails on both sides. There is room for a wheelchair user and assistant. It is also the baby change and the position of the changing platform made it a bit difficult to squeeze past to assist my relative. There was not a red cord and there would not be room for a lateral transfer. I'm being picky, though. It is a very good toilet for a privately run and privately funded museum.
Staff
Excellent
Very helpful when I phoned in advance to check some details about access. During our visit all the staff we met were extremely pleasant, knowledgeable and helpful.
Additional Information
I haven't included photos of the actual displays. Photography is allowed but I'm not sure about publishing pictures on another website. We were really impressed by the thought that has gone into making this museum accessible. Too much to take in on one visit. We'll have to go back!
