We are committed to making the Vale & Downland Museum accessible and welcoming for all.

Mobility
Most areas, including toilets, are accessible to visitors with mobility impairments. A stairlift assists with access to the main galleries and a wheelchair is available for visitors to borrow. Unfortunately, as the museum is housed within a historic old building, the Research Library and Mezzanine Gallery are not accessible to wheelchair users.

Assistance Dogs
We welcome Guide, Hearing and Medical Assistance Dogs to all areas of the museum. Pet dogs are allowed on our café terrace, they must remain on a lead and not be on the furniture. Owners must stay with the dogs.

Sensory Difficulties
The Museum uses a range of interpretation methods to enhance sensory access to the displays. These include audio with an induction loop, videos, interactive displays and handling objects.

Visual Story
We have created a visual story to help visitors prepare for their visit. This document will take you through the museum, starting outside the building and throughout the reception, gift shop, coffee shop, and galleries. This will hopefully help visitors remove any anxiety over the unknown and show what you can expect in the museum and how to find facilities that you may need. Download it here Everyday Visual Story DOCX 6.8 MB

Families
There is plenty of room for buggies, but at busy times we request that buggies are stored on the courtyard terrace. There are baby changing facilities within the accessible toilet, and high chairs available in the Café. Find out more about visiting with a family.

Meeting Father Christmas

We have created a visual story of what children can expect when visiting the museum to meet Father Christmas. You can download it here Visual Story for a Visit to Meet Father Christmas PDF 1.2 MB