Accessibility information

The approach to the main front entrance from Claremont Road is tarmac, paving and resin bonded gravel on paths. Currently, you can access the front entrance doorways in two ways:

• The accessible ramp on the left side of the building, which has two accessible routes: one from Claremont Road and one at the front left corner of the museum. These routes provide level access to the front entrance with power assisted doors. Here you will also find the Reception Desk and shop area.
• A stepped route up the front stairs to the power assisted doors.
• The external platform lift on the right side of the building. This lift provides level access through power assisted doors to the entrance of the museum. 

The Reception Desk for the museum can be found at the main (front) entrance.

If you have a Blue Badge, we have four accessible parking bays at the front right corner of the museum you can use. If these are occupied please ask at the Reception Desk or call (0191) 208 6765 and we will try to find you a space in the private staff car park.

You can also drop off at the front entrance plaza at the bottom of the main external stairs, or at the lay-by on Claremont Road. 

There is no other public parking at the museum. 

The nearest public car parking is approximately 300m away on Claremont Road. Go past the museum towards Exhibition Park (north), over the roundabout and you'll find parking on the right. There are also numerous parking spaces in the city centre car parks.

Inside the museum you'll find lifts and stairs providing access to all floors. All lifts have voice announcers and Braille indicators. The museum is spread out across the ground floor and first floor. You'll find the Great North Museum: Hancock Library on the 2nd floor in the rear part of the building. This also has lift access.

All floors have level access. Stairs have raised tactile indicators on the underside of the handrails. Stairs also have contrasting nosings.

Large print orientations maps for the museum are available on request at the Reception Desk. You can also request these in advance of your visit.

You'll find accessible toilets on the ground, first and second floors of the museum. The accessible toilet at the rear of the museum on the ground floor has a shower with a seat and an adult changing table.

The nearest Changing Places toilet is in Newcastle University’s Daysh Building on the ground floor. It is accessible by radar key and can be accessed out of hours by contacting the University Security Service on (0191) 208 6817.  

Please contact the museum Welcome Desk if you do not have a radar key.  

You can find bench seating at the main entrance and within a number of galleries around the museum (Living Planet, Ancient Greeks, Fossil Stories, Ice Age to Iron Age, Ancient Egypt, Mouse House). 

Café seating has a combination of chairs with and without arms. 

There are some external benches in the gardens and spaces for people who use wheelchairs. 

You can also request a portable folding seat to carry with you during your visit.

One wheelchair is available for you to use. Please ask at the Reception Desk.

You can use the shop telephone on request for emergencies or to book accessible taxis.

You can get standard and large print plans from the Reception Desk.

Download a copy of our visual story to help orientate yourself round the building before visiting.

Additional pre-visit information is coming soon. If you require anything in advance of your visit please call us on (0191) 208 6765 or email info@greatnorthmuseum.org.uk.

Your assistance dogs and guide dogs are welcome. The Reception Desk can provide a bowl of water. 

Family pets are not allowed inside the museum.

Induction points are fitted throughout the museum. You'll find them at the Reception Desk, cafes and interactive points in the galleries.

You'll find a number of audio points in the museum. Video which has spoken narrative is subtitled and has accompanying BSL. Audio points in the Hadrian’s Wall gallery have text versions on the panels. 

If you use a wheelchair, all interactives are accessible for you.

Depending on availability, we may be able to offer guided tours of the museum. 

Please email info@greatnorthmuseum.org.uk to discuss your needs.

The fire alarms have voice evacuation sounders and visual flashing lights. 

Both lifts are designated as fire evacuation lifts and staff will assist you in the event of an emergency. In the event that the lift is out of action, there are evac chairs available. 

If you can't exit the building, you should wait at the fire refuge points at the top of each stairwell (in the four corners of the museum) to await evacuation. 

If you will need assistance to exit the building in the event of a fire alarm, please tell a member of staff.

If you would prefer to have a quieter experience of the museum, we recommend that you avoid the peak times for school visits, which are between 10am and 2.30pm on weekdays during term time. 

We also hold relaxed, autism-friendly openings on dates during school holidays. These are advertised on our What's On page as they become available.

To prepare for your visit, you may like to use our visual stories.

We encourage visitors to bring any support items with them which they may find useful (for example ear defenders) but we also have a stock of items for accessibility support which can be borrowed from our front desk:

• Ear Defenders (adult and child sizes)
• Magnifying Sheets
• Torches
• Coloured overlay reading rulers
• Wheelchair lap trays
• Sensory Bags

If you have any other access needs which may require particular support, please do contact the museum before your visit and we will do our best to help!  Please call us on (0191) 208 5121 or email info@greatnorthmuseum.org.uk to discuss your needs.

If it would be helpful to find out about the spaces in the museum before you visit, you can watch our video tour, which will guide you through soundscapes, changes in lighting level, sensory and interactive opportunities.

Audio Universe: Tour of the Solar System is sound-based astronomy show aimed to support visitors with vision impairment to ‘hear’ the Universe.  

Experience the Solar System like never before by traveling on a spacecraft that can turn the objects in space into sound. You'll be transported inside a special spacecraft that takes you to the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope (VLT) to view the stars in the night sky, before lifting off into space to visit the Earth, Moon, Sun and all the planets of the Solar System. 35 minutes.  

£3.75 per person. Free for visitors with vision impairment.
Please buy your tickets at the Museum Shop. 

Find out more about the Great North Museum: Hancock Planetarium.

We have wheelchair user spaces, a hearing loop and we can support neurodiverse visitors by adjusting the environment to suit their needs (e.g doors to be open, raised lighting levels, lowered sound levels). Book with the Learning team if your group may need an adjusted environment or email: learning@greatnorthmuseum.org.uk

Find out more about the facilities we have available for families.