Museums & Galleries

Britain has so much history and culture it can be a little overwhelming, which is why it is always ideal to take a look at the museums that can be found in the region you’re visiting. Many of the region's museums have wheelchair friendly displays which are lowered making it easier for anyone using mobility devices to engage, spacious doorways and corridors so you can navigate around and guides offering BSL tours. 

Discover a different side to Britain

You’ll find everything from history to geology, science and more. Many exhibitions move from museum to museum, so that you can view it whatever region you happen to be in, while others will hold pop ups at various locations, giving a much more informal museum experience.

Lots of variety

Most towns in the UK have at least one museum, covering lots of different subjects and eras history and the best bit? Many of them are free to visit! Some of the top museums in the capitals of London, Edinburgh and Cardiff are free to enter, including the Natural History Museum, the Victoria and Albert, London Science Museum and the national museums of Edinburgh and Cardiff. These large museums are also incredibly accessible with wheelchair access and plenty of facilities. In fact one of the most accessible museums in the world is located in London!

Wherever you go in the UK, you’ll find many of the council-run venues in the city centres offer free entry with only certain exhibits or events carrying a charge. There are also a number of schemes in the UK’s main cities, where visitors can pre-book certain attractions and museums to receive a discounted price, or you can apply for a city discount card before travelling which will guarantee a lower charge when going to participating venues. The museums and exhibitions that do charge, usually offer a concession price to anyone travelling with a carer or a guide dog and of course, they often have blue badge parking close by. Whether you are visiting a large or small museum, you’ll find that they have a wide range of artefacts, displays and interactive exhibits, perfect for families to engage in a topic together.

Interactive displays

Some museums and exhibitions are dedicated purely to interacting with guests such as the London and Edinburgh Dungeons, that get you involved in trials, executions and more as they take you through some of the more grizzly parts of history. Other exhibits let you experience life in bomb shelters, mines and more. Museums are particularly good at staging events, especially during the school holidays and during the evenings. You can do everything from film screenings to speed dating – there are no restrictions! These interactive displays with exhibits that you can touch and get involved with are great for those with sensory conditions such as autism and those that have visual impairments.

The majority of modern museums are fully equipped to be as inclusive as possible and often have lifts as well as ramps, level floors and guides that can communicate in BSL as well as accessible displays for those with visual impairments. While many of the older museums are restricted by their venues, these too have, particularly in recent years, worked hard to make them as accessible as possible and often have queuing systems, entrances and provisions to make it as smooth as it can be for people of all abilities to enjoy their displays. If you need a bit of extra clarification or would rather have a private tour of a certain museum or exhibition, contact them directly and they will be able to help you. Some museums and exhibitions offer guided tours, either with an actual guide or with audio guides, to make sure you get the most out of your visit, these guides are happy to help if you have any mobility concerns or need a bit of extra support when moving around the museum, so if you’d like to ensure you have a guide, please speak to the museum and secure your place on one of their tours.