We all know that British people have a reputation for being a bit eccentric and it seems that some of our museums reflect this. Along with the standard art galleries and historical museums we also have a wealth of stranger, more specialist museums on offer, dotted around the country. We found out about the disabled access at a selection of specialist museums, some more normal than others:
The Pencil Museum, Cumbria
The Pencil Museum is, like many of these museums, so much more interesting than it first sounds. The first pencil factory of Keswick opened in 1832 and the pencil business has remained there ever since, attracting 80,000 visitors a year. The museum takes you on a journey through the history of pencil making and there’s lots for kids to do too to engage their creative side.
It first came to our attention when we saw it in last year’s dark British comedy, Sightseers. It turns out that the pencil making process is actually fascinating – everybody who goes to The Pencil Museum seems to concur with this view. Highlights include sculptures made out of pencils and the world’s biggest colouring pencil which is 26 foot long and weighs almost 450 kilos!
The museum is all on one level with no steps or ramps. Disabled parking is available opposite the main entrance to the museum. They have a disabled toilet situated outside the building.
House Of Marbles, Devon
The House of Marbles will take you back to your own childhood memories and beyond with a collection of board games, marble games and bagatelles from the early 1600’s. The museum, also a working factory, lets you see how glass and marbles are made as well as exploring the history of those processes. The museum includes a vast historic collection of marbles and in-depth explanations of how marbles have been made throughout the years.
So you can learn something but you can also have fun with the games inside and outside and the amazing handmade marble runs. The best of these is ‘Snookie’ – the longest marble run in the U.K. and, for all they know at the House of Marbles, possibly the world.
The restaurant, glass works, toilets, shop and museums are all accessible for wheelchairs. There is a small area of the shop upstairs which is not, however staff are more than welcome to assist with purchases. Guide Dogs are welcome at House of Marbles in all areas. Opposite the restaurant is a disabled lavatory. Reserved disabled parking is situated at the front of the building by the main entrance, to the side of the main building is additional disabled parking by our secondary entrance and coach passenger drop off. The access sounds good and you may even learn the rules of marbles – if there are any.
American Museum In Britain, Bath
Dedicated to explaining the history of America, this museum is full of folk and decorative arts from all corners of the United States. The only museum of Americana outside the United States, it was founded to bring American history and cultures to the people of Britain and Europe. Current exhibition, Gangsters and Gunslingers: The Good, The Bad & The Memorabilia, is a fascinating exploration of the country’s obsession with the anti-hero in the forms of Cowboys and Gangsters.
The permanent collection is an eclectic mix of pictures, sculptures and antiques that show the many sided history of America. It’s a one of a kind outside of the USA. The museum also has beautiful grounds to explore, covering over 125 acres, of which 35 are open to the public.
All buildings are fully accessible via ramps and a lift is fitted within the main museum building. Mobility Scooters are not allowed in some areas of the museum but there is a manual wheelchair available at reception to use instead. The first section of the Backwoods Trail is accessible; however, the slope of the property makes wheelchair access into other parts of the grounds difficult. The Visitor Services team are able to drive a golf buggy around the site to help those with walking difficulties.
Blue Badge holders are able to park directly outside the main museum building. An accessible toilet is located in the Gallery Shop. There is also an accessible toilet in the Coach House which is open on event days. Assistance dogs are welcome throughout.
Diggerland – York, Kent, Durham and Devon
Diggerland is a strange concept – an adventure park based around construction machinery. Visitors can spend time operating actual diggers, under the guidance of trained staff, regardless of how old they are or if they have a driving license. Only children under 90cm seem to face restrictions. Activities include the Sky Shuttle, Spin Dizzy and digging dirt with a 6 ton digger. If you’re wondering why anyone would want to pay to use a JCB then this is not the place for you, but if need to ask you’ll never know. If you like big machines what could be better? It’s a bit bizarre and not for everyone but it’s quite fun really.
Each disabled visitor may bring in one carer/helper free of charge. The carer/helper may use the rides and drives if they wish to. Each Diggerland site has a dedicated parking area for cars with disabled parking permits and at least one disabled toilet. As you’d hope from somewhere full of diggers and construction equipment, the pathways inside Diggerland are either concrete, tarmac or gravelled so wheelchair and mobility buggy access should be adequate.
Disabled visitors are welcome to use as many of the rides and drives as they would like during the day. As real construction machines are the basis for the activities in Diggerland, the machines may not be suitable or provide easy access for the disabled. Marshals will supervise visitors where they can, but staff are not able to lift or assist disabled visitors.
Most of the diggers which the public can operate in Diggerland use hand operated controls only. The controls are power-assisted and do not require great strength to operate them
You probably wouldn’t say that Diggerland is stylish in any sense but we’re putting it in here because it is undoubtedly quirky.
Galleries Of Justice Museum, Nottingham
Based at Nottingham’s old courthouse and gaol, the Galleries Of Justice Museum focuses on gruesome stories of crime and punishment in a variety of different formats. Exhibitions include one on the local Robin Hood and are supplemented with audio and performance led tours of the building. Actors take you through the process from trial to sentencing and on to prison (or worse) in full, nasty detail. It’s the only museum of its kind in Europe – outstanding for any fan of horrible history.
The Museum consists of five floors with lift access on the first and second floor and from the exercise yard outside. So not all levels of the museum are accessible for the less able. However, they have a new virtual tour available for wheelchair users which enables you to see areas of the museum that are not fully accessible for wheelchairs. These areas include the Women’s Laundry, Sheriff’s Dungeon and the Night Cell. The virtual tour sounds like an interesting idea. There is a disabled toilet near the reception.
There are nine steps from the pavement to the customer services desk but it is possible to avoid these if you plan ahead. You can get inside using the lift in the museum courtyard but to do so you need to get a member of staff to come and assist you. You can contact them when you get there by ringing the doorbell for the Iberico tapas bar which is just ten feet right of the main Museum entrance. Probably best to call in advance so they know that you’re coming.
There are some pretty ‘different’ museums to be found around the country. These are just the tip of the ice berg. If you know any other quirky yet accessible museums please contact us. We’re always looking for more!