Museums Galleries and Heritage Sites
On this page you will find out about the work we have done at Museums, Galleries and Heritage Sites to provide access to their venues, displays and exhibitions for blind and partially sighted people
Every effort has been made to ensure that these details are correct; however, please contact the venue direct to find out more about their services for blind and partially sighted people.
The Bank of England Museum
The British Museum
The Geffrye Museum
Historic Royal Palaces
The Hunterian Museum
The Imperial War Museum
The Lightbox
The Mary Rose Trust
The Museum of London
The Museum of London Docklands
National Maritime Museum
The Natural History Museum
Norfolk Museums and Archaeology Service
Rosslyn Chapel
Pennoyer Centre
The Science Museum
The Scottish National Portrait Gallery
Tate
Wellcome Collection
A number of front of house staff at The Bank of England Museum have received VocalEyes training and are now able to provide descriptive tours of the Museum for blind and partially sighted visitors.
A warm welcome awaits visitors at the Bank of England Museum. Presentations, exhibits, interactive displays and special events reveal the Bank’s history from its foundation in 1694 to its modern role in keeping inflation low, issuing banknotes and working to keep the financial system stable. One of the main exhibits, a mock-up of a hot air balloon, helps visitors to understand about setting interest rates.
The Museum houses the world’s finest collection of Bank of England banknotes alongside items from the Bank’s collections books, documents, silver, prints, paintings, banknotes, coins and photographs. There is a display of gold, including Roman and modern gold bars. Visitors can also handle a real gold bar.
For more information about audio described tours and other events for blind and partially sighted people at The Bank of England please ring the Education and Museum Group on 020 7601 3985, email education@bankofengland.co.uk or visit The Bank of England Museum website.
Bank of England, Threadneedle Street, London, EC2R 8AH, Open Monday - Friday 10am - 5pm Admission: Free
Tel: 020 7601 5545
The website project - a joint innovation set up by VocalEyes and the British Museum is still up and live. You can explore the audio description of 20 objects from the British Museum Online collection.
Please visit The British Museum website to listen to the audio described objects.
The British Museum, Great Russell Street, London, WC1B 3DG
Open daily 10am - 5.30pm
Admission: Free
Tel: 020 7323 8299
www.thebritishmuseum.ac.uk
A number of education staff at The Geffrye Museum have received VocalEyes training and provide a programme of descriptive tours, object handling sessions and craft workshops.
The Geffrye Museum explores the home over the past 400 years, with the focus on the living rooms of the urban middle classes in England, particularly in London. It aims to show how such homes have been used and furnished over this period, reflecting changes in society and patterns of behaviour as well as style, fashion and taste.
Tours with a free recorded Audio Guide are available at any time and as well as sound effects, period quotes and music they also incorporate a number of objects to touch within the galleries.
For more information please contact the Assistant Education Officer, Rachael Crofts, rcrofts@geffrye-museum.org.uk
The Geffrye Museum, Kingsland Road, London, E2 8EA
Open Tuesday - Saturday 10am - 5pm
Sundays & Bank Holiday Mondays 12 - 5pm
Closed Mondays (unless Bank Holiday), Good Friday, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year's Day
Admission: Free
Tel: 020 7739 9893
www.geffrye-museum.org.uk
AUDIO DESCRIPTION AT HISTORIC ROYAL PALACES
Historic Royal Palaces is responsible for the conservation and presentation of the Tower of London, Hampton Court Palace, Kensington Palace, the Banqueting House and Kew Palace.
Historic Royal Palaces extends their welcome to blind and partially sighted people through VocalEyes trained Personal Room Describers.
Staff will be delighted to guide blind and partially sighted visitors around Hampton Court, Kew Palace, Kensington Palace and the White Tower and Jewel House at the Tower of London (there is no additional charge - this is included in normal admission tickets).
To find out more about availability of room describers and booking please telephone - 0844 482 7777
www.hrp.org.uk
THE HUNTERIAN MUSEUM: SCALPELS, SKULLS AND A GIANT SQUID - A COLLECTION OF CURIOSITIES UNCOVERED
The Hunterian Museum at the Royal College of Surgeons has worked with VocalEyes to produce an audio described tour of its free, public collection.
The guide is designed to help blind and partially sighted visitors find out more about the museum, its collections and history.
The tour, which features the actor John Sessions, explores the curious collection of the eighteenth century surgeon and anatomist John Hunter. An assortment of preserved specimens in pots, dried preparations, skeletons and teeth from over 500 species types, including human, his collection forms the stunning centrepiece of the museum.
The audio described tour is informative, entertaining and produced to VocalEyes’ high standards. The tour is available from the museum reception desk for £3.50 or is free to download to your MP3 player from the museum’s website www.hunterianmuseum.org
For further information please contact Jane Hughes, Head of Learning and Access on 020 7869 6561 or email jhughes@rcseng.ac.uk
The Hunterian Museum, Royal College of Surgeons, 35-43 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, WC2A 3PE
THE IMPERIAL WAR MUSEUM: LORD ASHCROFT GALLERY, EXTRAORDINARY HEROES EXHIBITION
The Imperial War Museum worked with VocalEyes to produce an audio described guide of the Lord Ashcroft Gallery for blind and partially sighted visitors which is available from the information desk at the front of the Museum.
The Victoria Cross (VC) recognises extreme bravery carried out under direct enemy fire. The George Cross (GC) recognises extreme bravery carried out away from battle, both in war and peace. Visitors to the Lord Ashcroft Gallery's Extraordinary Heroes exhibition will discover the personal stories behind each medal.
The new gallery, paid for by a £5 million donation from Lord Ashcroft, KCMG, contains the world's largest collection of VCs, a collection established by Lord Ashcroft in 1986. The awards are displayed alongside the VCs and GCs already held by the Museum. The medals in the gallery range from the Crimean war to the recent conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The Lord Ashcroft Gallery aims to intrigue, inspire and amaze by re-telling forgotten stories of bravery that show, when faced with extreme situations, some people can do extraordinary things.
"I can't really see where there is courage except where there is fear. It's the conquering of fear" - Leonard Cheshire, VC
Imperial War Museum London, Lambeth Road, London,SE1 6HZ
Tel: 020 7416 5000
Open daily 10.00am - 6.00pm, last admission 5.45pm (closed 24, 25 and 26 December)
www.iwm.org.uk
A number of front of house staff at The Lightbox have received VocalEyes audio description training and they welcome blind and partially sighted visitors to regular audio described tours, touch tours and workshops of their exhibitions and collections.
Please telephone The Lightbox to find out more about their services for blind and partially sighted people as touch tours may be available by appointment.
The Lightbox, Chobham Road, Woking, Surrey, GU21 4AA
Open Tuesday to Saturday 10.30am - 5.00pm, Sunday 11.00am - 5.00pm
Admission: Free
Tel: 01483 737 800
www.thelightbox.org.uk
A number of front of house staff at the Mary Rose Trust have received VocalEyes audio description training and are happy to provide descriptive tours of the museum and exhibits for blind and partially sighted visitors.
Within the museum there are a number of items and artefacts that are available to be handled and touched, some original and some that are replicas of items that are too fragile to be touched. These include navigation equipment, carpenters tools, surgeon's tools and equipment, gunners equipment, clothing, wood, rope, arrows and a piece of original timber from the ship.
Also available from staff at reception are tactile plans of the museum and a tactile painting of the Mary Rose.
The Community Engagement, Outreach and Access Officer, Trevor Sapey, can support guided sensory tours by appointment.
The Mary Rose Trust, College Road, HM Naval Base, Portsmouth, PO1 3LX
Open daily from 10am to 5pm (November to March) but tickets are not on sale after 4pm
Closed Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day
For further details and admission fees please contact The Mary Rose Trust direct on 0239 275 0521 or visit The Mary Rose Trust website and/or the Portsmouth Historic website.
A number of front of house staff at the Museum of London have received VocalEyes training and are happy to provide descriptive tours of the galleries. These tours will also incorporate objects available to touch within the galleries.
Museum of London also has a large print pack that contains information on a selection of objects from each of their galleries.
Step inside Museum of London for an unforgettable journey through London's turbulent past.
Please telephone the Museum to find out more about their services for blind and partially sighted people.
Museum of London, London Wall, London, EC2Y 5HN
Open daily 10am - 6pm
Admission: Free
Tel: 020 7001 9844
www.museumoflondon.org.uk
A number of front of house staff at the Museum in Docklands have received VocalEyes training and are happy to provide descriptive tours of the galleries. These tours will also incorporate objects available to touch within the galleries.
Museum of London Docklands has an audio guide for its permanent gallery: London, Sugar and Slavery, revealing the capital's involvement in the transatlantic slave trade. The guide provides information and description of key objects plus information on facilities, layout and directional information. This gallery also has Braille text panels incorporated throughout.
The Museum of London Docklands holds regularly monthly audio described tours.
For more information on their tours please call 020 7001 9844 or email: info.docklands@museumoflondon.org.uk
Museum in Docklands, West India Quay, London, E14 4AL
Open daily 10am - 6pm
Admission: Free
Tel: 020 7001 9844
www.museumindocklands.org.uk
VocalEyes worked with the National Maritime Museum to provide an audio introduction and orientation guide to their three main sites: The National Maritime Museum, The Queens House and The Royal Observatory which gives detailed instructions on how to get there and an overview of each site.
National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London, SE10 9NF
Open daily 10am - 5pm
Admission: Free
Tel: 020 8858 4422
www.nmm.ac.uk/visit/access/bsl-and-bps
THE NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM: TREASURES GALLERY
Natural History Museum: Treasures Gallery
The Natural History Museum in London has recently worked with VocalEyes to provide access to their new Treasures Gallery through an audio described introduction and descriptions of the 22 extraordinary objects that are now on show. Each of the 22 objects has been hand-picked by Museum scientists for the fascinating story that they have to tell. These include the 200-million-year-old nacreous ammonite that led William Smith to discover that the rocks beneath our feet are layered through time, the rare first edition of Charles Darwin's On the Origin of Species, the dinosaur teeth that led to the discovery that giant reptiles once walked on Earth, and the 147-million-year-old Archaeopteryx that helped show that birds evolved from dinosaurs.
Do visit the Natural History Museum - Treasures Gallery Access page to listen to and download the audio introduction and the 22 object descriptions for the Treasures Gallery.
Also available at the Natural History Museum - Images of Nature Gallery
This is a new permanent gallery showcasing the Natural History Museum's world-famous collection of natural history artworks along with a wealth of modern scientific imaging techniques. An audio described guide for blind and partially sighted visitors is also available for the Images of Nature Gallery.
Do visit the natural History Museum - Images of Nature Access page to listen to and download the audio described guide for the Images of Nature Gallery.
Please contact the Natural History Museum’s information desk on 020 7942 5011 for more information about both these galleries and other services for blind and partially sighted visitors.
Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London, SW7 5BD
Open daily from 10am - 5pm
Admission: Free
Tel: 020 7942 5000
www.nhm.ac.uk
NORFOLK MUSEUMS AND ARCHAEOLOGY SERVICE
Norfolk Museums and Archaeology Service has a team of frontline staff trained in audio description by VocalEyes.
Museum interpreters are happy to offer tours and talks for blind and partially sighted visitors to the Norwich Museums; Norwich Castle Museum and Art Gallery, Strangers Hall, The Bridewell, Royal Norfolk Regimental Museum and also offer access to collections at the Shirehall study centre.
To pre book a tour or to find out further information please call the booking line on 01603 493 636 or visit www.museums.norfolk.gov.uk.
This award-winning little historical gem, comprising a tiny 15th Century Guild chapel dedicated to St James the Lesser, patron saint of hatters, a Victorian school and a sympathetically designed modern village centre. Set in the heart of the village of Pulham St Mary, on the borders of Norfolk and Suffolk, it offers a fascinating journey through the history of the village and the surrounding area, from medieval times to the present day.
VocalEyes supported the creation of an audio described guide of the Centre, and local committed volunteers have received VocalEyes training to guide blind and partially sighted visitors through its intriguing history.
The audio described guide is now available on handsets.
For more information visit the Pennoyer Centre website or contact the Centre Team on 01379 676 660 or email admin@pennoyers.org.uk and ask to go on their events mailing list.
Pennoyers Centre, Pennoyers School, Norwich Road, Pulham St Mary, Norfolk IP21 4QT
Open Monday - Saturday from 9.30am - 4.00pm, and other times by arrangement.
An audio described guide for the Rosslyn Chapel describes both the exterior and interior of this 15th Century Midlothian chapel, made even more famous by the popular book, the Da Vinci Code. The guide takes you on a tour of the chapel describing the architecture, and the amazing carvings and statues. The guide is available on a handset from the visitor centre.
Rosslyn Chapel, Roslin, Midlothian, EH25 9PU
Open Monday - Saturday 9.30am - 5pm, Sundays 12noon - 4.45pm (1 April - 30 September)
Tel: 0131 440 2159
www.rosslynchapel.org.uk
THE SCIENCE MUSEUM: WHO AM I? GALLERY - ONLINE AUDIO DESCRIPTIONS
VocalEyes worked with The Science Museum on the Who am I? website to produce online audio descriptions of 8 key objects from the gallery plus an overall introduction to the gallery and its themes.
The Science Museum’s new ‘Who am I?’ gallery invites you to explore the science of who you are through intriguing objects, provocative artworks and hands-on exhibits. Investigate some of the characteristics that make humans such a successful species, such as personality, intelligence and language.
Reflect on the big questions that new techniques in science are raising, and explore how your genetics and brain combine to create your unique identity.
Visit The Science Museum: Who am I? website to find out more and listen to the online audio overview and audio descriptions.
THE SCOTTISH NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY
The Scottish National Portrait Gallery has recently worked with VocalEyes to create a resource for blind and partially sighted people called ‘Talking Portraits’ - around 10 audio descriptions of key portraits of Scottish icons. The recordings will be made available to listen to or download from the Scottish National Portrait Gallery website and will also be available to access via the ’Faces and Places’ computer terminals in the Portrait Gallery itself.
The Scottish National Portrait Gallery, 1 Queen Street, Edinburgh, EH2 1JD
Open daily 10am - 5pm, Thursdays open till 7pm
Closed Christmas Day and Boxing Day
Admission: Free
Tel: 0131 624 6200
TATE BRITAIN & TATE MODERN
Staff have recently been trained by VocalEyes to give personal interactive described tours for blind and partially sighted people. These audio description tours are bookable at both Tate Britain and Tate Modern with a minimum of 48 hours notice. These can be booked through calling the main switchboard 020 7887 8888
Tate Britain, Millbank, London, SW1P 4RG
Open daily 10am - 5.30pm
Admission to the permanent displays is free
Tel: 020 7887 8888, selecting Option 2
www.tate.org.uk/britain
Tate Modern, Bankside, London, SE1 9TG
Open Sunday - Thursday, 10am - 6pm, Friday - Saturday, 10am – 10pm
Admission to the permanent displays is free
www.tate.org.uk/modern
Wellcome Collection: a free destination for the incurably curious
Wellcome Collection is a unique mix of galleries, and events, the world-famous Wellcome Library, a café, bookshop and conference centre. It brings to life Sir Henry Wellcome's vision of a place where people could learn more about the development of medicine through the ages and across cultures.
Members of Wellcome Collection's Visitor Services team have been trained in audio description techniques by VocalEyes. They are able to provide audio described gallery tours for both individuals and groups of blind and partially sighted people as well as regular audio description prior to their events such as ‘The Thing Is…’ series. Contact the Wellcome Collection for more information.
Wellcome Collection, 183 Euston Road, London, NW1 2BE
Tel: 020 7611 2222
Open Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday 10am - 6pm, Thursday 10am - 10pm, Sunday 11am - 6pm
Galleries closed on Mondays, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New year’s Eve and New Year’s Day (do chek the Wellcome Collection website for more information)
Admission: free
www.wellcomecollection.org
