Venue Description

Summerlee Museum sits on a 22 acre site complete with play park, canal and working tramway. Our exhibition hall tells the story of Industrial Scotland through its collections and explores and celebrates the lives of Lanarkshire people. We also have a reconstructed mine for visitors to really experience the conditions of work for miners and a row of cottages dating from 1840 - 1980 that people can visit to appreciate their homelife too. Recent additions to the site include the outside sawmill exhibit that is powered by a working steam engine, an accessible Engineering Pavilion displaying a wide range of machines from yesteryear and our Vulcan Steam Boat that sits on the canal and can be boarded. Summerlee is home to a small fleet of working steam engines including our 'miniature' Tigger and our full size Fowler engine. These are regularly seen in steam around the site during the warmer months. Café and Gift Shop on site.

Accessibility

The entrance to the main exhibition hall is at ground level with no incline or step and all the doors within are wide and either automatic or push button operated. The cottage entrances can be fitted with a ramp by staff should wheelchair access be required. We have an accessible lift to the mezzanine floor which houses our temporary exhibitions and from there the excavations viewing pod can be accessed along an elevated open corridor. The Vulcan boat is accessed via level ramps from the canal edge and the fittings have been designed to ensure that the boat is accessible.

Toilets

The door has clearance of 870mm. The toilet is fitted with an overhead tracking hoist and a fixed height changing bench, The wash basin is located on a track system that allows it to be moved horizontally and vertically.

Staff

Some of our visitor services assistants have undertaken various training courses looking at providing optimum customer service to all of our visitors including those with additional support needs, visual impairments and challenging behaviours.

Assistance dog facilities

Assistance dog exercise facilities

The canal basin is located approximately 2 minutes from our main gate and is secure from any roads. There is also a public park approximately 10 minutes away.

Other assistance dog facilities

We can provide waters to dogs on request