Venue Description

Discover the story of Lancaster and Morecambe’s relationship with the ocean, the challenging lives of those living and working in the places between land and sea, and how our inland waterways have shaped our lives, work, and leisure. We uncover the dark legacy that the transatlantic slave trade has left in this proud, historic city and show how the Quay, where the museum stands, was once a bustling place of trade and commerce from all over the world.

Accessibility

The entrance to the museum is situated to the right of the custom house building. The entrance is on level paving slabs, and there are no steps. The front door is automatic and motion-sensitive. The door is wide enough for a wheelchair to fit through, and it opens inward. Once through this door, there is another automatic door that leads into the shop area. Upon arrival, visitors should go to the admission desk, where a colleague will issue them a ticket and a paper orientation guide to the museum. The museum is split across two buildings, the Custom House and the Warehouse. The Custom House is split between two different levels. The shop/admission desk, Grab and Go café, toilets and some museum exhibits are located on the ground floor of the custom house. The first floor of the Custom House has our Transatlantic Slavery Gallery and our Temporary Exhibition Space. Visitors can access the first floor either via a set of spiral stairs or, alternatively, it is linked to the lift via an external wooden jetty. From the ground floor, the lift can be accessed by exiting the shop area through a manual door. This can be propped open if needed. The lift is only big enough for one wheelchair or mobility scooter at any one time. The lift is too small for wheelchairs or mobility scooters to turn around in; however, visitors enter and exit on different sides of the lift in the Customs House and Warehouse making turning round unnecessary. The Warehouse can be accessed via the lift, or by climbing four flights of stairs from the shop area. After each flight of stairs, on each level, there is a stool for visitors to use if needed. The Warehouse is level throughout, except for a small mezzanine area that can only be accessed via a set of stairs. Stools are placed around the museum for the use of the public alongside several interactive exhibits which include seating. These include a mock stagecoach, a canal boat and a film show. The film show is narrated throughout and includes subtitles. There are audio interactives on all levels of the museum, as well as computer-based interactives in large print. We have wearable 3D floorplans of the warehouse available also. These include braille information about features of the floor’s layout. We have sensory backpacks available at the front desk for individuals to borrow during their visit. These packs are ideal for children and young people on the autism spectrum. The backpacks include ear protectors, communication cards, fiddle toys and more. In the Warehouse, we also have one of our ‘Touch and See’ units. This lithophane is a raised, 3D printed version of a painting in our collection. Alongside the panel, there is a set of headphones that provides an audio description of the artwork. This unit is designed to allow visitors with sight loss or other visual impairments the opportunity to connect with our collection.

Access Statement

Access Statement Link: https://www.lancaster.gov.uk/assets/attach/5375/Maritime-Museum-Access-Statement-2019.pdf

Toilets

We have one accessible toilet on the ground floor. It has level access and a push-pad-operated, automatic door that is wide enough for a wheelchair to fit through. There are grab rails, easy-turn taps, and an emergency pull cord.

Staff

Information about the staff has not been added for this venue.

Assistance dog facilities

Assistance dog exercise facilities

To the rear of the museum, a large field is available for visitors to exercise their dogs off-leash.