Accessibility at the museum

The museum is housed in a Victorian factory building. We have made every effort to make the building accessible to all our visitors. We welcome your suggestions for improving access.

Physical accessibility

• The area around the outside of the museum is paved and sloped.
• The picnic area is paved.
• The main entrance has level access.
• There is level access from the main entrance to the shop, refreshments area, ground floor displays, the tannery, gender neutral accessible toilet, baby-changing facilities, meeting room, gardens and picnic area. 
• There is seating available in the shop, the tannery, and in the galleries on the first floor.
• The floors in the museum vary. They include carpet tiles, tiles, and wooden floorboards.
• Some doors in the museum have to be opened manually. This includes the front door, and doors leading the the accessible toilet and baby change facility.
• The museum display areas are on two floors (ground floor and first floor).
• There is a lift from the ground floor. Staff accompaniment is required to use the lift. The lift may be unsuitable for larger wheelchairs or mobility scooters. The useable space is 79 cm (width) x 111.5 cm (length). The maximum weight is 300 kg or 45 st. Maximum capacity is one person in a wheelchair and one other person.
• The reference library is on the second floor. Access to the second floor lift is shared with Walsall College next door, so it is not always practical to use it. We can make other arrangements if needed, such as bringing reference materials to the lower floors.
• There are three staircases in the building. The central staircase accesses all floors; the others link the ground and first floors only.
• There is a fully accessible gender neutral toilet on the ground floor, and further male and female toilets (not fully accessible) on the ground and first floors.

Sensory accessibility 

• There is a hearing loop in the meeting room.
• There is one audio-visual subtitled film in the tannery.
• There is a sensory activity – leather keyring-making – available (staff will make the keyrings during Covid-19 restrictions).
• All staff have disability awareness training. Some staff (part-time) have BSL or Makaton training.
• There are no full height glass doors or windows in the building.
• There are glass-fronted cabinets with low surface reflection.
• The walls and the doors have high colour contrast.
• The light levels in the building vary, but areas are generally well-lit.
• Visitor Assistants and museum demonstrators can verbally interpret displays.
• Text panels vary in quality. Older panels are text-heavy and use serif fonts. Newer panels have a low word-count, high contrast and large sans-serif fonts. All are in English.
• Items can be made available for handling, by prior arrangement.

Assistance dogs welcome

Assistance dogs are welcome in the museum. Please let staff at the front desk know if you need a bowl of water for your dog.

Contact us if you have a question about accessibility at the museum.