Access | Ideas worth sharing

Exploring the museum

• During your visit staff can advise on ways to move around the museum.
• There is lift access to all floors.
• The lift near the foyer is wheelchair accessible, has tactile marking of either braille or raised numbers, and has audio announcements.  It has a door opening of 1,280mm and depth inside of 2,560mm.
• The lift in the Engine Hall is suitable for manual wheelchairs but may not be large enough for electric wheelchairs or mobility scooters.  It has a door opening 780mm wide and depth inside of 1,390 mm.
• The clear door opening widths to the Engine Hall, Gallery One, Gallery Two, and Gallery Three are all approximately 1,626mm.  The doors are the appropriate weight and within the required range, but Visitor Experience Assistants are happy to help open them.
• General signage is large print dark blue vinyl text on yellow backgrounds.  There is large print dark blue vinyl text on a yellow background to indicate which floor you are on.
• The temperature is lower in all galleries due to air conditioning systems.
• Use PHM’s visitor map (also available from the welcome desk) and Visual Story to familiarise yourself with the museum building ahead of your visit.

In case of emergency:

• Staff are trained to assist with evacuation of the building in case of an emergency.
• There are visual and audio alarms present in the lift near the foyer, in case of emergency or evacuation.
• The museum has refuge points on each level.

Toilets

• Toilets are signposted throughout the building with large print dark blue vinyl text and symbols on yellow backgrounds.
  
• There are gender neutral and left and right transfer accessible toilets on the ground floor.
• There is a Changing Places toilet on the ground floor.  Use a RADAR key or ask at the welcome desk for access.
• There are gendered toilets on the ground floor.
• There is one gender neutral left transfer accessible toilet on the lower ground floor and one on the second floor.
• All toilets are accessible by lift with no steps or ramps.
• Wheelchair accessible baby changing facilities are available in the ground floor toilets.

Using the facilities:

• Inside the entrance to the ground floor toilets there is a small bench seat and a water bottle filling station.
• The doorways of the accessible toilets are approximately 914mm wide.
• The doorway of the Changing Places toilet is approximately 1,162mm wide.
• The height of the accessible toilets is approximately 457mm.
• There is a clear space to the side of each accessible toilet of at least 290mm.
• The ground floor accessible toilets each have two grab rails on either side of the toilet (one vertical, one horizontal), one vertical grab rail next to the toilet which can be lowered for extra assistance, two vertical grab rails on either side of the sink, and one horizontal grab rail on the back of the door.
• The lower ground and second floor accessible toilets each have one vertical grab rail next to the toilet which can be lowered for extra assistance, and two vertical grab rails on either side of the sink.
• The ground floor accessible toilets have door handles that lift up to lock.  Accessible toilets on the lower ground floor and second floor have separate door handles and locks.
• All accessible toilets have red alarm cords in case of emergency. The fire alarm has sounders and flashing lights.
• All toilets are brightly lit with ceiling spotlights and include emergency lighting.
• Toilets have a mixture of lever taps, motion sensor operated taps, hand dryers, and paper towels.

Shop

• The museum shop is within the foyer, to the left of the main entrance.
• There is level access throughout and large spaces between fixtures for a wheelchair or pushchair.
• The shop displays are built into the walls and there is open access to the shelves.  There are no more than three shelves on each shelving unit.
• Some materials may be at an inaccessible height for wheelchair users; staff will assist in accessing these materials.
• There are also stand alone shop display units within the foyer, with space between them for a wheelchair or pushchair.
• The induction hearing loop at the welcome desk services the shop area.
• The shop accepts both card and cash payments.

Find out more

• You can contact Disability Equality NW for advice and guidance on equipment hire, wheelchair repair, Shopmobility, and RADAR toilets.  Museum staff are happy to use the telephone or internet to help with these enquiries.
• Find out more about planning a family visit.
• We are always looking for feedback on how we can improve the museum’s accessibility and visitor experience.   If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, please contact the museum on access@phm.org.uk or 0161 838 9190.