Visitors with Mobility Impairments
Flooring
No. 1 Royal Crescent is an historic building. Some of the floors are uneven. The flooring in the Basement and the Courtyard is flagstones. The Back Stairs are very steep and narrow. Outside the Gentleman’s Retreat there is glass flooring to showcase an original staircase below, this is on the main route but can be avoided by walking back through the Parlour to the Grand Staircase.
Step free access
The Museum is divided into two areas, No. 1 Royal Crescent (the historic house) and 1a, the domestic wing next door. There are two routes around the museum, one of which is step free.
The step free route gives access to the ground and basement floors of the main house museum and the ground and first floors of the domestic wing. This route gives step free access, via an accessible lift, to following museum spaces:
- the Dining room
- the Parlour
- the Gentleman’s Retreat
- the Housekeeper’s Room
- the Servants’ Hall
- the circulatory spaces, both above and below stairs
- the Shop
- the Andrew Brownsword Gallery (temporary exhibitions and holiday activities are regularly held here).
Unfortunately it does mean missing 4 rooms of the museum:
- the Gentleman’s Bedroom
- the Ladies Bedroom
- the Withdrawing Room
- the Kitchen
Multimedia Guides
A virtual iPad tour of these rooms is available to borrow from the ticket desk, when borrowing this, we will ask you to provide a credit card for security.
Toilets and Baby Changing Facilities
An adapted WC is located adjacent to the lift on the ground floor and can be accessed via the accessible lift or by descending 11 steps. This toilet has a quiet electric hand-dryer.
The ground floor toilet has baby changing facilities. This toilet is not accessible to wheelchairs. There is a quiet electric hand-dryer in this toilet.
An additional toilet is located at the end of the visitor route in the courtyard. There is a very loud electric hand-dryer in this toilet. This toilet is not accessible for wheelchairs.
Seating
A variety of seating is available throughout the museum, some with backs and arms. Please look for chairs and benches clear of a thistle, these are chairs that you are welcome to sit on.
Wheelchairs, Mobility Scooters and Buggies
We regret that mobility scooters, prams and buggies are not allowed in museum, in order to protect the furniture and displays from damage. Mobility scooters can be parked at the owner’s risk inside the railings on the paved area near the main entrance.
Manual wheelchairs are permitted. We have one manual wheelchair available to borrow, please telephone in advance to book it on 01225 428126 or ask at the ticket desk on arrival.
