Bringing art alive
5
5
Date of visit: May 2024
I am a disabled person. I have experience of challenges around: a hidden impairment and moving around.
Overall Rating
Excellent
Not at all what I expected. Used to the very formal, almost library like, settings that art galleries can be like I was blown away by the National Galleries of Scotland. I had read about the upgrades to the building and improvements but wasn't expecting what I found.
Disabled Access In and Around
Excellent
With already high expectations of what disabled Access was going to be like I was pleasantly surprised by some of the discoveries I made. There are a couple of options for getting into the galleries and I decided to use the old traditional entrance up on the mound rather than the subterranean entrance which I know to be very accessible. After negotiating the heavy doors; which another visitor kindly opened for me, I entered into the galleries. At first it all looked very familiar and as though not much had changed, but I was going to discover more changes as I dived further into the building. As I left the main galleries and headed for the signage and directions for the lift I suddenly encountered my first massive surprise in that there was a changing places toilet. The lift Access was much better than the old days with bright new lifts with spacious cabins and easy easy to use buttons. I was starting to be impressed by this and descended down to explore the Scottish collection. It was somewhere around here that my visit was going to step up a gear as I discovered something called the Spotify app. Quickly downloading this onto my iPhone and my world changed! With this app on my phone, I was able to point it towards any of the exhibits and it would automatically recognise what I was looking at and the phone would deliver me information about the item or painting and would give me lots and lots of options including pictures; it worked with the Access technology on the phone and all of a sudden I was immersed in exploring the art.
Parking & Transport
Good
Parking and transport around this part of Edinburgh is challenging. Knowing this I decided to come into town using the tram. A handy stop on Princes Street it's only a short distance from the galleries. I decided to go and explore the gallery which is closest to the mound. No, which one is which but seeing as they are actually joined together with a subterranean corridor, it doesn't actually matter that much. It's also quite easy to get to the galleries by using the bus service as there is a handy bus service on the mound just outside and a short distance away on Princess Street. There are further bus stops.
Accessible Toilets
Excellent
The building had several accessible toilets and I took time to have a quick look at these. It also had the changing places toilet; albeit it wasn't slightly smaller footprint but had all the facilities you would expect. With all of these toilets to hand and the reassurance, that they would be suitable my visit anxiety calmed down and I enjoyed spending time. Just looking at the pictures just like everyone else.
Staff
Excellent
Ring my visit I met several staff.around there is points throughout the galleries and in the shop and welcome area in the lower part of the building. Everyone was friendly and helpful.
