Accessibility

Tickets

If you’re a visitor with a disability and you need a carer, personal assistant or essential companion to help you with access during your visit, you can bring them free of charge when you buy a ticket.

Parking

We have five Blue Badge parking spaces behind the main building. You’ll find a short flight of steps or a sloping path to help you get to the entrance. If you need any help to get into the building, please call us on 01323 832731. We’re all here to help.

Toilets and changing

There is an accessible toilet on the lower floor which also has an adult-sized changing bed and hoist.

Access

The hands on exhibit spaces in our building are wheelchair accesssible as are two of our telescope domes and the cafe. There are doors inside the public areas to access the toilets. We are a historic building and some of our telescopes are up steep flights of stairs that may not be accessible to everybody.

Outside, there are ramps to access outdoor exhibits, with flagstone paths between buildings and some grass surfaces that can be uneven. The shop can be accessed without steps via the main entrance.

Assistance dogs

Want to bring your assistance dog on your accessible family day out? Great – you’ll both get very warm welcomes! Just ask at reception if you need water or poo bags and we will be happy to supply them.

Exhibitions and shows

All our exhibits are interactive. That means you can enjoy them using your senses. Touch them, watch them, hear them. The exhibits are low down so everyone can reach them.

The Light and Colour gallery has low-lighting which may impact those with visual impairment.

Our science shows can sometimes have loud noises. We’ll tell you before we start and you can borrow ear defenders if you need to.