Accessibility at Cutty Sark

d/Deaf and hard of hearing visitors

British Sign Language (BSL) 

There are British Sign Language-supported and subtitled films and touchscreens at select points within Cutty Sark.

The Cutty Sark guide is available with British Sign Language on the Smartify app. Download the Smartify app before your visit.

Look out for regular in-person BSL Tours of Cutty Sark run by expert guides.

Captions

All audio-visual displays at Cutty Sark feature captions.

Hearing loops

Hearing loops are installed at both the admissions and retail desks. Unfortunately, it has not been possible to install a loop system inside Cutty Sark due to interference caused by the original wrought-iron structure.

Wheelchair users and physically disabled visitors

Borrow a wheelchair

A limited number of wheelchairs are available to pre-book for free before your visit. If you’d like to reserve a wheelchair, please call +44(0)20 858 4422.  

Please note:

• wheelchairs cannot be taken outside Cutty Sark
• Cutty Sark staff cannot provide assistance around the site for wheelchair users
• Only one wheelchair user can be on each deck of the ship at any one time, for safety reasons in the case of an emergency evacuation 

Visitors with dementia

Cutty Sark is a registered dementia-friendly site.  

Getting around Cutty Sark

When inside the ship, there’s a recommended route to follow. Start in the Lower Hold, the move up via stairs or the lift to the Tween Deck; and then finally up a second set of stairs or a lift to the Main Deck.

You will then cross a small bridge and take the lift or stairs down to level –1, or the Dry Berth to look under the ship’s hull.

• The Lower Hold is dimly lit and has some narrow sections. The narrowest section is 80cm wide.
• There are 12 steps from the Lower Hold to the Tween Deck, and the staircase is 80cm wide.
• There's another 12-step staircase between the Tween Deck and the Main Deck.
• The Anchor Deck and Liverpool House can only be accessed by a short, five-step staircase. 
• Finally, the staircase from the Main Deck back down to the Dry Berth contains multiple flights of stairs, with a total of 61 steps.  

Lifts

There’s a total of five lifts on site.  

The two platform lifts in the Dry Berth providing access from street level to -1, and the internal lift inside the ship are 145cm deep with a 90cm doorway and can carry a maximum of four people.

To operate these lifts, you need to push and hold the button for the desired floor for the duration of your journey.

The two lifts in the access tower link the Main Deck, street level, and level -1. These lifts are larger: 90cm rail to rail; and 215cm from the door to the back handrail. The lifts have a mirror opposite the door to help anyone reversing in a wheelchair.  

These lifts are operated by one push of a button. 

Toilets

The main toilets are next to the cafe in the Dry Berth at level –1, underneath the ship. There are accessible cubicles in both the men’s and the women’s toilets. There’s also a larger accessible toilet here too.

There’s a second accessible toilet at the top of the access tower, across the bridge from the Main Deck.

Facilities at Cutty Sark

Lockers are available at Cutty Sark, costing £1. Buggy parking is available in the Dry Dock.

There’s a café in the Dry Berth below Cutty Sark, serving sandwiches, freshly made cakes, tea, coffee, snacks and more. Order at the counter.