Having spent an entire month in London, I've seen my fair share of museums! I want to share my experience with you and let you know what's accessible and worth seeing if you're planning a trip to London.
I'm giving each museum a rating (1-10) on how accessible each one was. I'll let you know if there's a lift and accessible toilet, which will factor into the museum's score.
The British Museum
If you're a history lover, this one's for you. In The British Museum you'll discover art,
history, and human culture from the beginning of time to present. There's an Egyptian sculpture gallery, African galleries, a Roman Empire exhibit, and so much more! My favorite part was seeing the mummies at the Egyptian exhibit and the Rosetta Stone.
Entrance: I suggest using the main entrance on Great Russell Street. There are stairs leading up, but two self-operating lifts on either side. This entrance takes you to the Ground Floor, which is where you want to start. The alternative is the Montague Place (North entrance) which has level access, but takes you to the Lower Level floor.
Lifts: There are lifts that allow access to all 3 levels of the museum. Here's a map showing where the lifts are: https://www.britishmuseum.org/sites/default/files/2022-03/The_British_Museum_map_March_2022.pdf
Toilets: There are accessible toilets on all 3 floors. They all have plenty of room for both manual and power wheelchairs. They also have red pull cords in case of emergencies and grab bars. Map showing accessible toilets: https://www.britishmuseum.org/sites/default/files/2022-03/The_British_Museum_map_March_2022.pdf
Rating: 10/10 -- I felt like this museum was extremely accessible and doable even if you're alone. Just plan what you want to see ahead of time because it is such a huge museum.
The National Gallery
The National Gallery is in the middle of London's famous Trafalgar Square and is one of the top galleries in Europe. This museum blew me away! So many famous paintings were here from artists like Monet, Van Gogh, Morisot, and Rembrandt. Plus Trafalgar Square is such a fun area! Definitely a must-see, even if you're not a major art fan.
Entrance: There are 4 accessible entrances. I used the Sainsbury Wing Entrance but any of them will be fine. There's no cobblestone or hills in the area surrounding the entrances.
Lifts: There are 2 levels to the museum and lifts that allow access to both. There was a lift not far from the Sainsbury Entrance if you choose to enter this way. Here's a map showing where the lifts are: https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/visiting/floorplans/level-2
Toilets: There were fully accessible toilets on both levels of the museum. All toilets are spacious and have red pull cords and grab bars. There's even full changing toilet on Level 2 that comes with a height adjustable bench, hoist, peninsular toilet, height adjustable sink, colostomy shelf, and adjustable shower. AMAZING RIGHT?!
Rating: 10/10 -- Very accessible museum if you're alone or with people! Also best accessible toilet I've ever seen!
Tate Modern
This is a modern art museum that contains artwork from the early 1900s to present. I didn't get to see all of this museum because a friend and I paid to see a Surrealism exhibit that's separate from the main galleries. Keep an eye out for special exhibits! This one was really interesting and was only £5. My highlights were seeing pieces from Salvador Dali and Pablo Picasso.
Entrance: We went through the Turbine Hall Entrance, which was step free, but had a super long/steep ramp leading down. I had to have my friend wheel me down because it was so steep. The website says there's also a step free South Entrance where the disabled car park is so you may want to try that one out.
Lifts: If you take the Turbine Hall entrance you'll find the lifts on the left at the bottom of the ramp. There are 4 levels and lifts reach all of them.
Toilets: Accessible toilets are on all 4 levels and are large enough for manual and power wheelchairs. There are grab bars and red pull cords for emergencies
Rating: 8/10 -- The only reason I'm docking points for this one is because of that super steep ramp at the entrance. I wouldn't have felt safe going down it on my own. Other than that, super accessible!
Victoria & Albert Museum
This was another one of my favorite museums! It's got a little bit of everything; art, architecture, fashion, photography, and furniture.
The first time I visited the V & A I got tickets for an exhibit called Fashioning Masculinities: The Art of Menswear. It basically showed how menswear has evolved overtime and how elements of men's fashion from the past has been incorporated into fashion today. Clothing from designers like Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Armani, Off White, and more were featured. There were even outfits displayed that had been worn by celebrities like Timothee Chalamet, Billy Porter, and Harry Styles!
I also ate lunch and had afternoon tea here! The food was REALLY good, lots of healthy options. There was a selection of cakes and a variety of teas available for afternoon tea. I had the carrot cake and Earl Grey Tea.
The second time I went I explored the rest of the museum. I still didn't get to see all there was because it's so massive. I suggest you spending at least 3-4 hours here to see it all.
Entrance: Use the main entrance on Cromwell Road. There’s a ramp to the right of the steps. It was steep enough going up that I used my SmartDrive, but I was fine going down it by myself.
Lifts: There were lifts to get to all levels of the museum. However, parts of the museum were split level, meaning there were ramps to be get to these areas. It was easy going up the ramps because I had my SmartDrive, but I felt like they were really steep so had a friend help me down.
Toilets: There are accessible toilets on levels 0 to 4. I will note that the toilet next to the cafe was a tight squeeze. You may not be able to fit if you have a power wheelchair.
Rating: 8/10 — Docking points just because of the few ramps throughout the museum.
The Wallace Collection
This one was a bit of a hidden gem. It’s located in Manchester Square, which was just a short walk from where I was staying. This museum is occupying the Hertford House and has an amazing collection of paintings, sculptures, armour, and furniture. They also have an amazing indoor courtyard where you can eat lunch or have afternoon tea.
There was a special exhibit called Inspiring Walt Disney, The Animation of French Decorative Design. The exhibit displayed sketches from classic Disney films and explained how Walt took inspiration from French design in his movies. There was an audio guide available which was really nice because you were able to understand what you were looking at. My favorite thing at this exhibit was the wall of Mary Blair's original drawings of Cinderella.
Entrance: The main entrance is step free and sloped with a ramp.
Lifts: As soon as you get through the front doors the lifts are straight and to the left. The lifts accessed all floors of the museum.
Toilets: The accessible toilets are located on the lower ground floor. One thing I love about this bathroom and most of the ones I've seen in the UK is the horizon bar attached to the door. It makes closing the door SO much easier. I wish bathroom doors in the US had this.
Rating: 10/10 No complaints:)
--
I really hope this helps if you're planning a trip to London! Don't hesitate to reach out to me if you have any questions
Comments