Yes and then again no
3
3
Date of visit: August 2021
I have experience of challenges around: a hidden impairment, hearing and moving around.
Overall Rating
Average
Lots of wheelchair access but no visible loop system for very quiet auditory experience (in temporary display gallery). Lighting dim, making pictures harder to see. Many exhibits raised up above height of wheelchair user. However, staff very welcoming and helpful, 2 manual wheelchairs to borrow, building majority slopes not steps.
Disabled Access In and Around
Good
Lift- but odd arrangement where you had to get within a cubicle area close to the door to press the button, which then opened out leaving you little space to retreat to allow the door to open. I would guess designed for the carer to open not the user. I saw no seating except within the temporary exhibition, explicitly for people to sit and watch and listen to audio-visual material. The voice track was very soft with no obvious T loop advertised, I could barely hear it. If there were any additional formats available, they were not obvious.
Parking & Transport
Excellent
2 disabled parking bays next to front door- fantastic. Great as long as you aren't the third disabled visitor, but there appeared to be some more parking not too far away (not sure of any of these were disabled width though, you might need to ring and check).
Accessible Toilets
Excellent
Staff
Excellent
Staff very welcoming and friendly, falling over themselves to help.
Additional Information
The Gallery is beautiful, the building mostly very clearly thought out for wheelchairs etc. Most artefacts are clearly signed and well lit. However, a surprising number of display cases had their contents just too high for wheelchair users to see (and I am 5'10" standing). this was also the case with some displays in the shop. The apparent lack of a loop system with the audio-visual area was disappointing. However, it was easy to get to and easy to move around in.
