We offer a variety of guides, events and resources designed to help support visitors with diverse access needs.
Below you’ll find all the information you need about visiting the National Maritime Museum.
If you have questions:
- During your visit, ask a member of museum staff at the National Maritime Museum entrance desk
- Before your visit, email RMGEnquiries@rmg.co.uk with your queries
On this page
Please find information for the following below:
Blind and partially sighted visitors
Audio guide
A free audio tour of the National Maritime Museum is available by on the Smartify app. Download the app before you arrive, and don't forget to bring your headphones.
The audio guide contains 42 chapters, including information about museum items including Nelson's coat, marine chronometers, ship models, galleries, paintings and more.
Large print guides
Large print guides are available in some galleries.
Tactile exhibits
There are tactile exhibits in the following galleries: Ahoy!; All Hands; Nelson, Navy, Nation; Ocean Court; Pacific Encounters; Sea Things; the Ship Simulator; and the Traders Gallery.
d/Deaf and hard of hearing visitors
British Sign Language (BSL)
Look out for regular in-person BSL Tours of the National Maritime Museum.
There is also a free BSL tour of the National Maritime Museum available on the Smartify app. Download the app before you arrive.
The Smartify BSL Tour contains 42 chapters, including information about museum items such as Nelson's coat, marine chronometers, ship models, galleries, paintings and more.
Captions
All audio-visual displays at the National Maritime Museum feature captions.
Hearing loops
A fixed induction loop is located at both ticket desks in the Museum.
Neurodivergent visitors
Autism awareness
A number of our staff are trained in autism awareness.
Ear defenders
Ear defenders are available on request from the National Maritime Museum ticket desk.
Sensory backpacks
A limited number of sensory backpacks containing a wind-up torch, fabric, binoculars, a magnifying glass and more are available from both ticket desks. To borrow one, simply give your name and contact number to the staff member in exchange for the bag. There are ideas for exploring the Museum’s galleries with the kit inside the bag.
Please return the backpack at the end of your visit; you will be rewarded with a sticker.
Sensory spaces
You can request a sensory map of the National Maritime Museum when you arrive to help you navigate the different areas of the Museum.
| Brighter areas | Darker areas | Things to touch | |
| Level 0 | Parkside Café and Terrace | Photography Gallery | Ahoy! Children's Gallery |
| Voyagers | Learning Space | ||
| Level 1 | Ocean Map | Pacific Encounters | Ocean Map |
| Atlantic Worlds | Sea Things | ||
| Level 2 | My Greenwich | Forgotten Fighters | All Hands and Small Hands Galleries |
| Tudor and Stuart Seafarers | Ship Simulator |
| Busier, louder areas | Calmer, quieter areas | Strong smells | |
| Level 0 | Ahoy! Children's Gallery | Voyagers | Parkside Café and Terrace |
| Parkside Café and Terrace | Seminar Room | ||
| Level 1 | Ocean Map | Pacific Encounters | Ocean Map Café |
| Traders Gallery | Atlantic Worlds | Parkside Shake Bar | |
| Sea Things | Baltic Glass | ||
| Level 2 | All Hands | Forgotten Fighters | None on this level |
| Ship Simulator | Polar Worlds | ||
| Nelson, Navy, Nation | My Greenwich |
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 020 858 4422.
Please note:
- wheelchairs cannot be taken outside the National Maritime Museum
- National Maritime Museum staff cannot provide assistance around the site for wheelchair users
Before you visit
Book tickets in advance
The tickets booking office is open 9am-5pm, Monday to Sunday. Call +44 (0)20 8312 6608 or email bookings@rmg.co.uk.
Royal Museums Greenwich offers free admission to carers accompanying disabled visitors. This includes admission to special exhibitions. These tickets can be booked online with any paid ticket. Please contact the Bookings Team on +44 (0)208 312 6608 or email bookings@rmg.co.uk if you have any queries.
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 the National Maritime Museum
- National Maritime Museum staff cannot provide assistance around the site for wheelchair users
Accessible parking
There are five accessible parking bays in the National Maritime Museum Park Row car park. Pre-book a space by contacting the Bookings and Customer Service team on +44 (0)20 8312 6608 or emailing bookings@rmg.co.uk.
Assistance animals
Guide dogs, hearing dogs and other assistance dogs are welcome at the National Maritime Museum.
Please contact our bookings team in advance if you have any questions about assistance animals. Bring documentation with you where possible.
Getting around the National Maritime Museum
Lifts
The building has accessible lifts to every floor.
There are three lifts to reach the first and second floor; one lift to reach the Special Exhibition gallery in the Sammy Ofer Wing; and one lift to reach the Shake Bar.
Outside the Museum there is a platform lift to access the colonnades. Information about each lift is below:
The Caird lift
The Caird lift is in the corridor between the Sammy Ofer Wing and the Astronomy Photographer of the Year exhibition.
The Caird lift can be used to reach Level 1 for the Traders, Atlantic Worlds, Poles Apart and Ocen Map as well as the Caird Library; and Level 2 for Forgotten Fighters, All Hands, Small Hands and Nelson, Navy, Nation galleries.
The Caird lift door opening is 1m 22cm wide. The interior dimensions are 2m 65cm long, 1m 60cm wide. There is no mirror to aid reversing in a wheelchair. The buttons are tactile.
The Stanhope lift
The Stanhope lift is the nearest lift to the Romney Road entrance.
To find the lift, enter from the Romney Road Entrance, turn left once inside the building, then left again down the corridor.
The Stanhope lift serves Level 1 for the Ocean Map, Member’s Room and Poles Apart gallery; and Level 2 for The Bridge, Multi-Faith room and the Polar Worlds gallery. It is next to the Stanhope stairs.
The Stanhope lift door opening is 83cm wide. The interior dimensions are 1m 90cm long by 1m 40cm wide. There is no mirror to aid reversing in a wheelchair. The buttons are tactile.
The Lewin lift
The Lewin lift is located next to the Lewin staircase.
The Lewin lift serves Level 1 for the Sea Things gallery, Baltic Exchange Memorial Glass display, the Ocean Map, the Atlantic Worlds gallery; and Level 2 for Tudor and Stuart Seafarers and the Nelson, Navy, Nation galleries.
The lift is located through the archway in the south-east corner of Ocean Court on Level 0. The Lewin lift door opening is 83cm wide. The interior dimensions are 2m long by 1m 34cm wide. There is no mirror to aid reversing in a wheelchair. The buttons are tactile.
The Special Exhibition Gallery lift
The Special Exhibition Gallery lift is used to reach the Special Exhibition Gallery on Level -1 in the Sammy Ofer Wing.
The door opening is 1m 29cm wide. The interior dimensions are 2m 75cm by 1m 58cm. The buttons are tactile.
The Special Exhibition Gallery lift can be used in an evacuation with the aid of a trained staff member.
The Shake Bar lift
This lift is to reach the Shake Bar, which is located above the Sammy Ofer Wing.
The Shake Bar lift is located down the corridor next to the Parkside toilets. The door opening is 88cm wide. The interior dimensions are 1m 40cm long by 1m 8cm wide. The buttons are tactile. There is a mirror to aid reversing in a wheelchair.
Stairs
There are seven staircases in the museum. We have information about each below.
The Stanhope stairs
These stairs are nearest to the Romney Road Entrance. To find the stairs, enter the Romney Road Entrance and turn left once inside the building, then turn down the corridor on the left.
The Stanhope stairs can be used to reach Level 1 and 2 for the Ocean Map, the Member’s Room, Bridge gallery, Multi-Faith room and Polar Worlds gallery.
The Stanhope stairs have closed steps, which are 20cm high and 30cm deep. There are landing areas which can be used as rest areas. There are 44 steps in total.
The Lewin stairs
The stairs located in the south-east corner of Ocean Court on Level 0. They serve Level 1 for Sea Things, Baltic Exchange Memorial Glass display and Atlantic Worlds galleries; and Level 2 for Tudor and Stuart Seafarers and Nelson, Navy, Nation galleries.
The Lewin stairs have closed steps and are 18cm high and 30cm deep. There are 51 steps in total.
The Caird Library stairs
These stairs are located next to the Voyagers gallery in the Sammy Ofer Wing. They serve the Caird Library on Level 1.
The Caird Library stairs have closed steps and are 18cm high and 20cm deep. There are 23 steps in total.
The Link stairs
These stairs link the Library on Level 1 to the Atlantic Worlds, Traders and Nelson, Navy, Nation galleries. The door on the left as you come up the Library stairs leads to a small rest area with a bench. There are then three steps (18cm high and 26cm deep) to get the Atlantic Worlds and Traders galleries.
From Level 1, there is another set of stairs to get to Level 2 and the Nelson, Navy, Nation and Forgotten Fighters galleries. These stairs have closed steps and are 18cm high and 26cm deep. There are 21 steps in total.
Special Exhibition Gallery stairs
These stairs are for accessing the Special Exhibition Gallery on Level -1 only.
The stairs lead down from the Sammy Ofer Wing to the Special Exhibition foyer and gallery. The steps are 17cm high and 34cm deep, with closed steps. There are 36 steps in total.
The Shake Bar stairs
These are stairs to reach the Shake Bar only, which is located above the Sammy Ofer Wing.
The Shake Bar stairs are located next to the Parkside café. The stairs have closed steps, which are 17cm high and 32cm deep. There are 23 steps in total.
The Ocean Map stairs
There are two staircases leading directly to the Ocean Map from Level 0.
These are located on the east and west sides of the Ocean Map. The stairs can be used to reach the Ocean Map on Level 1 and the Ocean Map Café. The steps are 18cm high and 26cm deep, with closed steps. There are 23 steps in total.
Facilities at the NMM
Changing Places toilet
There’s a Changing Places toilet in the Sammy Ofer Wing. This toilet is reserved for people with PMLD and other physical disabilities, so is kept locked. Please contact a member of staff if you wish to use this facility. It is equipped with a Guldmann GH2255110SG Overhead hoist, a changing table, toilet and sink.
Toilets
Toilets, baby-changing facilities and an accessible toilet are located near the Romney Road entrance on Level 0.
There are also toilets, baby-changing facilities and an accessible toilet in the Sammy Ofer Wing on Level 0, by the Parkside entrance.
There are also toilets on Level 1 through the Baltic Exchange Memorial Glass Exhibit and in the Shake bar, as well as on Level 2 by the All Hands gallery.
There is one accessible toilet and one single user toilet in the Special Exhibitions Gallery foyer downstairs on Level –1 in the Sammy Ofer Wing.
Seating
There are portable stools freely available throughout the Museum on the wall racks in the galleries and other open spaces. There is also seating throughout the Museum.
Cafés
We have three cafés in the National Maritime Museum.
The Parkside Café is on Level 0 in the Sammy Ofer Wing, next to the Parkside entrance. It has indoor and outdoor seating.
The Parkside Shake Bar is on Level 1 in the Sammy Ofer Wing and has indoor seating and terrace seating, overlooking Greenwich Park.
The Ocean Court Café is on Level 1 inside Ocean Court, looking out over the Ocean Map.
All our cafés are wheelchair accessible and welcome Guide Dogs, Hearing Dogs and Assistance Dogs.
Lockers
There are lockers in the Special Exhibition gallery foyer. The lockers cost £1.
There’s a cloakroom in the Sammy Ofer Wing for larger items, with a cost of £2 per item. Please speak to the member of staff at the Parkside Information and Ticket desk to use the cloakroom.
Sensory map
Use our sensory map to identify sensory-friendly spaces in the Museum. You can pick up a free paper sensory map at the National Maritime Museum’s information desks.
Buggy parking
There’s free buggy parking in the Sammy Ofer Wing on Level 0 and in East Court in Ocean Court, Level 0. Items are left at visitors' own risk.
Awards and accreditation
The National Maritime Museum is a registered Safe Place; has autism awareness accreditation from NAS; and is a dementia friendly site.
