Accessibility

The Hunterian Museum main hall

Everyone is welcome

We welcome everyone to enjoy these collections whether visiting in person or online.

Planning a Visit

The Hunterian is part of the University of Glasgow. Our Museums, Art Gallery and the Mackintosh House are located on the Gilmorehill campus, 3km west of Glasgow city centre. 

AccessAble Guides

To help plan your visit, view AccessAble Guides listed below for the Hunterian Museum, Hunterian Art Gallery, Mackintosh House and Hunterian Zoology Museum.

Please note these links will take you to the AccessAble website, whose content is independent of The Hunterian. Due to audits and updates by AccessAble the links may occasionally be inactive.

Toilets

The Hunterian Museum has all genders accessible toilet with baby change facilities.

The Hunterian Art Gallery has wider cubicles in the Ladies and Gents toilets but with limited manoeuvering space which may not suit all wheelchairs. It has baby change facilities in the Ladies but not currently in the Gents.

The nearest Changing Places Toilets are in the James McCune Smith Building on University Avenue (approx 5 minutes from Art Gallery, 10 minutes from Museum)

Parking

Visitors who hold a blue badge can park on campus at no cost but must apply for a blue badge visitor permit. Please contact the Car Parking team for information in advance of your visit.

Ramps and Lifts

All levels of the Museum are accessible by lift. Within the Museum main hall there are stairs to a mezzanine level. This level is also reachable via a lift, though staff assistance is required to operate this lift.

In the Hunterian Art Gallery, access is by ramp to the ground floor and then by lift to the basement and first floor Gallery 2.

Because of the nature of the Mackintosh House, access for wheelchair users, or people with mobility impairments, is currently limited to the Mackintosh House Introduction Gallery, orientation room, hall and dining room. 

The Mackintosh House is over four levels with 62 steps. The floors can only be accessed by stairs.

There is short film about the Mackintosh House and virtual tour of the Mackintosh House available in our Mackintosh House Introduction Gallery.

There are three steps to enter the main room of the Hunterian Zoology Museum with a ramp available. There are three steps to enter the Graham Kerr Building where the Zoology Museums is located, with a chairlift available.  

We are able to lend wheelchairs. There is no charge but booking is required. Please email Hunterian-Reception@glasgow.ac.uk or telephone 0141 330 4221.

Assistance Animals

Guide and assistance animals, including assistance dogs in training, are welcome at our venues. We ask that they are identified by wearing a jacket, harness or brightly coloured collar and lead during your visit.

Water bowls are available at the Museum and the Art Gallery.

Portable Folding Stools

Portable folding stools are available in the Hunterian Museum and Hunterian Art Gallery. Please ask our Visitor Experience staff if you need any help. 

Cafe facilities

The Museum and Art Gallery do not have a cafe within their respective buildings. 

The University has a number of cafe facilities on campus which can be used by our visitors Mondays to Fridays.

Byres Road and Ashton Lane are a 5 minute walk away and offer a range of cafes and restaurants.

Drinking Water 

There is a water fountain in the Art Gallery which visitors can use to top up their own bottles.

Additional Accessibility Aids

While visiting our venues, a range of resources are available:

Pre-visit Visual Storybook

'What to Expect at The Hunterian' is our pre-visit storybook for neurodivergent visitors or anyone who may find a visual reference helpful in advance of visiting somewhere new.

What to expect at the Hunterian Museum

Large Print Resources

Large print resources are available to support your visit and, where indicated, can be downloaded to print or to view on your own device.

Sensory Resources

For young neurodivergent visitors there are sensory bags at the Hunterian Museum and sensory aprons at the Hunterian Art Gallery.

Each is available on request at our welcome desks and offers materials to help young visitors feel relaxed and have a visual plan for their visit.

Museum Sensory Bag contents:

  • Ear defenders; fidget toy; Storybooks (or reference book on request); 'What to expect at the Hunterian Museum' booklet; magnifying glass; 'I Want' sheet; PECS (Picture Exchange Communication System) cards using museum images, for visual planning.

Art Explorer Apron contents

  • fidget toy; 'I Want' sheet; notebook and pencil; colour-changing glasses
  • Ear defenders available on request

Adult sized ear defenders also available on request at each venue.

Events

See our 'What's On?' page for information on British Sign Language (BSL) tours at our venues.

Get in touch

For further information about our services, please contact us.