British Museum Accessibility Guide

Overview

The British Museum is one of the most accessible museums in London. Entry is free for everyone, including special access for disabled visitors and a companion to paid exhibitions. The building is large but well laid out, with lifts connecting all floors. Galleries are wide and easy to navigate in a wheelchair. Free wheelchair loans are available, and touch tours let blind and low-vision visitors experience key objects hands-on. The Great Court, with its striking glass roof, is fully step-free.

Getting There

• Tube: Tottenham Court Road (Elizabeth, Northern, Central lines). Step-free access from street to platform. The museum is a 5-minute roll along flat pavement.
• Bus: Routes 1, 7, 8, 19, 25, 38, 55, 98 stop nearby on New Oxford Street and Tottenham Court Road.
• Accessible entrance: The main entrance on Great Russell Street has a ramp to the left of the front steps. There is also a level entrance on Montague Street at the rear of the building.

Wheelchair Accessibility

• Level access through the Montague Street entrance or via the ramp at the Great Russell Street entrance.
• Free wheelchair loan from the information desk in the Great Court. First come, first served. No booking required.
• Lifts reach all floors in every wing. Lift locations are clearly signed from the Great Court.
• Gallery doorways and corridors are wide throughout. The Egyptian and Greek galleries on the ground floor are especially spacious.
• The Reading Room and Great Court are fully step-free.

Accessible Toilets

Accessible toilets are on every level. The cleanest and most spacious ones are on the ground floor near the north entrance and on the lower floor near the Sainsbury Exhibitions Gallery. All have grab rails and emergency pull cords.

Tips for Visitors with Disabilities

• Free entry to permanent collections. For paid exhibitions, disabled visitors and one companion enter free with proof of disability.
• Touch tours are available for blind and low-vision visitors. Ask at the information desk or book in advance through the website.
• Audio guides are available and include audio description content. Portable folding stools can also be borrowed for visitors who need to rest.
• The museum cafe on the ground floor has step-free access and space between tables for wheelchair users.
• Focus on one or two sections per visit. The collection is enormous, and trying to see everything in one trip is tiring for anyone.