Access | Ideas worth sharing

Access information

This information does not contain personal opinions as to PHM's suitability for those with access needs, but aims to accurately describe the facilities and services the museum offers to all of our visitors.

Introduction

• People’s History Museum (PHM) in Manchester is the national museum of democracy, telling the story of its development in Britain: past, present, and future.
• The museum is free to enter with a suggested donation of £5.
• The museum is a member of the Visit England Quality Assurance scheme and is accessed annually.
• Infrared hearing loop facilities are available throughout the building (Info Desk, Engine Hall, Coal Store Conference Room, Meeting Room, Mini Theatre in Main Gallery One, and Labour History Archive & Study Centre).  If you are attending a public event or Venue Hire event and need to use the hearing loop, please inform a member of staff in advance.  Kindly supported by Manchester City Council’s Disabled Access Grant Scheme.
• The main galleries are designed to provide a range of sensory experiences, including several different audio, visual and touch elements.
• Everything a visitor should need to know is condensed into one handy visitor map with pictures of the floors, the museum galleries and ‘don’t miss’ highlights.
• View the visitor map
• The visitor map is also available from the Info Desk.

Pre-arrival

• The museum is located on the corner of Left Bank and Bridge Street in the Spinningfields area of Manchester city centre.
• Information on getting to the museum can be found on the Visit page of this website.  The museum does not offer a collection service.
• The museum is situated on a main road in the city centre on a public transport route.
• You can download PHM’s Social Story to familiarise yourself with the museum building ahead of your visit.
• Visitors with disabilities requiring information on areas such as equipment hire, wheelchair repair, Shopmobility, or RADAR toilets will be referred to Disability Equality NW for advice and guidance.  Staff are willing to use the telephone or internet to help with these enquiries.
• The museum has large print text for the main galleries and Changing Exhibition Gallery.

Arrival

• Outside the museum is drop off only, opposite the main entrance on Left Bank.  There are dropped kerbs on the streets to provide access to the museum.
• The streets surrounding the museum are in good condition, they are paved and level with a gradual increase to the main entrance to the museum on Left Bank, from the main road outside the museum, Bridge Street.
• The ramp to the museum has a handrail to the left hand side.  There are also six steps to the left hand side of the main entrance, with a handrail on either side.
• There is street lighting on Left Bank, and the reception area is brightly lit to make it easy to see the museum from outside.
• The main entrance has an automatic glass door which opens outward.
• The clear door opening width for the automatic glass door is approximately 44 inches (1,118 mm)

Main entrance, reception area and Info Desk

• The main entrance leads directly to the reception area and Info Desk on the ground floor and is level throughout.
• Seating is available in this area in the Processional Way, to the right of the Info Desk.  There are tables, benches and stools, which can easily be moved by staff to accommodate wheelchair users or pushchairs.
• The floor surface is an anti-slip vinyl resin floor.
• The main reception area is well lit, with fluorescent tube lighting in the Processional Way, ceiling spotlights on reception, and LED strip lighting in the shop, which is to the left of the Info Desk.
• The Info Desk has a low counter area suitable for wheelchair users.
• The Info Desk has a protective screen.
• Lockers are located on the lower ground floor of the museum.  They require a £1 coin to operate which is refundable when you retrieve your belongings.
• A hearing loop system is installed at the Info Desk.
• Magnifying glasses are available from the Info Desk.  We offer magnifier and colour overlay filters in our Changing Exhibition Gallery to assist visitors with reading exhibition labels.
• There is also free wheelchair hire and plug points in the Processional Way for mobility scooters and battery operated wheelchairs.
• If you require a quiet space during your visit ask any member of staff.

Gallery and exhibitions displays

• Interpretation is mostly via text panels.  We offer guided tours and a range of sessions for groups.  We use actors for Living History performances in the Mini Theatre space in Main Gallery One, as part of the museum’s public programme of events and for group visits.  Each gallery has a combination of hands-on audio, video and computer interactive touchscreens (which are subtitled and/or displayed visually).
• All Learning sessions are adaptable to meet support needs.
• Interpretation boards are in large print and we provide magnifying glasses for further assistance.  Interpretation boards include large print text, pictures and illustrations.  We use the Ekarv method for our labels and interpretation boards which makes the text more readable.
• There is background music and sounds in all of the galleries.  In the Changing Exhibition Gallery there are occasionally TVs playing short films.  In the main galleries there are interactive parts of the displays, such as the Speakers’ Corners, the touchscreens, and various touch elements which make sounds when you interact with them, for example there is a cupboard door in Hannah Mitchell’s kitchen which plays audio when you open it.  Background noises are turned off for Living History performances and other events where necessary.
• No flashing lights are used in the main galleries.  For changing exhibitions the museum will provide signage and warning should there be any flashing lights used.
• The clear door opening widths to the Engine Hall, Changing Exhibition Gallery and main galleries are all approximately 64 inches (1,626 mm).  The doors are the appropriate weight and within the required range but Visitor Services Assistants will be happy to help open them.
• There are various types of seating provided throughout the main galleries and Changing Exhibition Gallery.
• The Changing Exhibition Gallery has a wood floor surface, and the main galleries have short pile carpets.
• The Changing Exhibition Gallery displays are evenly lit by overhead LED spotlights.
• The main galleries currently use both halogen spotlights and LED spotlights.  Lighting in the main galleries is at a low level to protect paintings and banners.
• There is lift access to all floors.  All lifts in the museum are wheelchair accessible and the main lift near the reception area also has audio announcements.

Public toilets

• Gender toilets are located on the ground floor next to the reception area, which include accessible facilities.
• Gender neutral toilets which are also accessible are located in the Engine Hall on the ground floor, on the lower ground floor, and off Main Gallery Two on the second floor of the museum.  All of these toilets are accessible by lift with no steps or ramps.
• Wheelchair accessible baby changing facilities are available in the ground floor toilets and second floor toilet.
• There is Braille on the toilet doors to provide further assistance.
• The doorway of the accessible toilets next to the reception area on the ground floor is approximately 39 inches (991 mm) wide.  The lower ground, Engine Hall, and second floor accessible toilets all have similar measurements.
• There is clear space to the right hand side of the accessible toilets next to the reception area, which is approximately 29 inches (737 mm).  The lower ground, Engine Hall, and second floor accessible toilets all have similar measurements.
• The height of the accessible toilets next to the reception area is approximately 16 inches (406 mm).  The lower ground, Engine Hall, and second floor accessible toilets all have similar measurements.
• There are two vertical grab rails on either side of the sink in the accessible toilets next to the reception area.  There is one vertical rail next to the toilet which can be lowered for extra assistance, one horizontal rail next to the toilet and one horizontal handrail on the door.  The Engine Hall accessible toilet has the same amount of handrails.  The lower ground and second floor accessible toilets all have the same amount of handrails except they do not have handrails on the door.
• The fire alarm has sounders and flashing lights.
• All accessible toilets have red alarm cords in case of emergency.
• All toilets are brightly lit with ceiling spotlights and include emergency lighting.
• All toilets have non-slip floor surfaces, either tile or vinyl.
• All toilets have lever taps.

Catering

• Visit the Open Kitchen Cafe & Bar page on this website for information about the catering offer at the museum.
• The clear door opening width from the museum into the cafe is approximately 72 inches (1,829mm).
• The cafe is level throughout, with large spaces between seats and fixtures for wheelchairs and pushchairs.
• There is a mix of seating provided.  There are two types of firm seat with no arm rests, upholstered comfy chairs with armrest, and taller ‘poser tables’ with high seating on the terrace outside.  Cafe staff are happy to move tables and chairs for guests with additional requirements.  Tables bases are 710mm high, with 25mm thick tops to go on top of them (735mm height in total).
• The cafe is well lit and uses a mix of ceiling spotlights, fluorescent tube lighting and big ceiling lamps.
• The floor surface is non-slip black vinyl resin.
• The hot food on offer at the cafe varies and caters to different dietary needs.  There are vegan, vegetarian, gluten free and dairy free options available.  There is also a children’s menu available.  Cafe staff have knowledge of different dietary needs and can advise visitors regarding allergens.
• Service in the cafe is currently 100% table service due to Covid-19 requirements.  We will consider changing this as and when restrictions change.
• Menus are available on each table.  Staff are happy to provide extra information as required.
• Tables are wooden, crockery is metal.
• There is occasionally background music in this area.
• The nearest toilets are the ground floor toilets next to the reception area which are a short distance from the cafe, and include accessible facilities and baby changing facilities.

Shop

• The museum shop is within the reception area, to the left of the main entrance to the museum.
• There is level access throughout the shop and large spaces between fixtures for a wheelchair or pushchair.
• There is a low counter at the Info Desk and a protective screen in front of the shop till.
• The displays are built into the walls and there is open access to the shelves.  The shelves are wooden, with cupboards at the bottom and a varied amount of shelves on each unit.  There are no more than three shelves on each shelving unit.
• There are also stand alone shop display units within the reception area, with space between them for a wheelchair or pushchair.
• There is no background music in this area.
• The hearing loop at the Info Desk services this area.
• Visitor Services Assistants are happy to give assistance if required.

Additional information

• All staff undertake equality and diversity training which includes aspects of disability awareness.
• There are visual and audio alarms present in the case of emergency or evacuation.  As part of the museum’s Health and Safety policy, staff are trained to assist with evacuation of the building in case of an emergency.  The museum has various refuge points on each level.
• Guide dogs are welcome.
• General signage is large print black vinyl lettering on white walls.  There is large print black vinyl lettering on a yellow background to indicate which floor you are on.  Large print yellow vinyl signage on the staircase directs the way to the main galleries.
• The Welcome Wall in the Processional Way to the right of the Info Desk uses a mix of text and images to show highlights of the museum’s collection and to advertise upcoming events.
• We are always looking for feedback on how we can improve the museum’s accessibility and visitor services.  If you have any comments or suggestions, please phone the museum on 0161 838 9190.