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 Royal Observatory Greenwich.
If you have questions:
- During your visit, ask a member of museum staff at the Royal Observatory Greenwich
- 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 Royal Observatory Greenwich is available on the Smartify app. Download the app before you arrive, and don’t forget to bring your own headphones.
The audio guide contains 17 chapters, and includes details about Flamsteed House, the Octagon Room, Harrison’s clocks, the Meridian Courtyard and more.
d/Deaf and hard of hearing visitors
British Sign Language (BSL)
British Sign Language supported and subtitled film and touchscreens are available at selected points within the permanent galleries at the Observatory.
There is also a free BSL tour of the Royal Observatory Greenwich on the Smartify app. Download the app before you arrive.
The Smartify BSL-interpreted tour contains 17 chapters, and includes details about Flamsteed House, the Octagon Room, Harrison’s clocks, the Meridian Courtyard and more.
Hearing loops
Induction loops for hearing aids are fitted at all Royal Observatory Greenwich information desks.
Neurodivergent visitors
Autism awareness
A number of our staff are trained in autism awareness.
Ear defenders
Ear defenders are available on request from the ticket office on request.
Sensory Spaces
You can request a sensory map of the Royal Observatory when you arrive to help you navigate the different areas of the Museum.
| Brighter spaces | Darker spaces | Busier spaces | |
| Ground floor | Meridian line | Flamsteed House | Flamsteed House |
| Astronomers’ Garden | Time and Longitude | Time and Longitude | |
| Harrison Clocks | Harrison Clocks | ||
| Camera Obscura | Camera Obscura | ||
| Meridian Galleries | |||
| Meridian Line and the courtyard | |||
| Meridian shop | |||
| First floor | Octagon room | Time and society | Octagon room |
| Second floor | Great Equatorial Telescope and Dome | Great Equatorial Telescope and Dome |
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 8312 6608.
Please note:
- wheelchairs cannot be taken outside the Royal Observatory Greenwich
- Royal Observatory Greenwich staff cannot provide assistance around the site for wheelchair users
- trained staff can help you set up the wheelchair and explain its features
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 0208 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 020 8312 6608.
Please note:
- wheelchairs cannot be taken outside the Royal Observatory Greenwich
- Royal Observatory Greenwich staff cannot provide assistance around the site for wheelchair users
- Trained staff can help you set up the wheelchair and explain its features
Accessible parking
Use the car park in Greenwich Park (postcode: SE10 8QY; w3w: ///point.shock.onions) for parking near the Royal Observatory Greenwich. Parking here is free for up to 4 hours for blue badge holders.
The car park in Greenwich Park runs along Blackheath Avenue from the Blackheath Gates entrance down to the Royal Observatory. It's open seven days a week during park opening hours.
The car park is around 0.3miles (500m) from the Royal Observatory; this route avoids the steep hill walk. Parking is metered and managed by Royal Parks.
There is also car parking available at the Royal Museums Greenwich car park at the National Maritime Museum (postcode: SE10 9NG; w3w: ///twice.leaned.either.) Parking at the Maritime Museum does not avoid hills and is a 15- to 20-minute walk away from the Observatory.
There are six designated Blue Badge spaces in the Royal Museums Greenwich car park, which Blue Badge holders can use on any day of the week. The dimensions of these bays are 235cm x 490cm.
The Royal Museums Greenwich car park is only open to the public at weekends. Spaces cost £14. This can be paid online or at the booth in the car park. Limited pre-booked spaces are available: call 0208 858 4422 or email bookings@rmg.co.uk to book a space.
Assistance animals
Guide dogs, hearing dogs and other assistance dogs are welcome at the Royal Observatory Greenwich.
Please contact our bookings team in advance if you have any questions about assistance animals. Bring documentation with you where possible.
Getting around the Royal Observatory Greenwich
Entrance
The entrance to the Royal Observatory is through bottom of the Great Equatorial Building.
The Entrance Gate to Royal Observatory is 154 cm wide. The path to the ticketing office is made of concrete tiles.
Ticket office
The main ticket office for the Royal Observatory is accessible via a ramp which is 151cm wide. The ticket office entrance is 98cm wide with an automatic door. The concrete tile floor is level. The desks are 105cm high. The exit door is 74cm wide.
Courtyard
The cobblestone courtyard is uneven in areas. This can be difficult for those using a wheelchair. The courtyard only needs to be crossed if you want to see the view from the fence line.
Flamsteed House
Please note buggies are not allowed in Flamsteed House due to its narrow galleries. There is an external Buggy Park.
There is limited seating available in the Time and Longitude and Time and Greenwich galleries inside Flamsteed house.
Four concrete steps lead to the entrance of Flamsteed House. The minimum depths of the steps are 34cm. The doorway is 88cm wide. The space between the railing on the stairs of Flamsteed House is 126cm.
There is wooden flooring throughout Flamsteed House, except for the last gallery in Time and Greenwich which has vinyl flooring.
The light levels vary throughout the house due to some more sensitive works of art.
The doorways in the apartments vary in widths between 74cm and 94cm.
Octagon Room; Time and Longitude gallery; Time and Greenwich gallery
The staircase up to the Octagon Room has 17 steps and requires a change in direction while climbing. The door to the Octagon Room is 80cm wide. The Octagon Room is well lit, with lots of natural lighting coming through the windows.
The staircase down from the Octagon Room to the Time and Longitude gallery consists of three flights of stairs with a total of 17 steps.
There are three flights of carpeted stairs with a total of 20 steps leading to the Time and Greenwich gallery.
The exit from Time and Greenwich is also the exit of Flamsteed House with stairs leading to the Astronomers Garden area. The staircase has 15 steps and requires a change in direction. There is a lift available.
Camera Obscura
There is a small step of 8cm down to the Balcony area and a step up of 18cm into the Camera Obscura. The light levels inside are very low to enable to see the image.
Meridian Observatory, Meridian Shop and Great Equatorial Telescope Dome
Leading from the courtyard is a path with a ramp and stairs to the Meridian Observatory Entrance. The entrance is 104cm wide.
The Meridian Gallery has a wooden floor, and lots of natural lighting. The darker area here is the Time and Society gallery which has more sensitive items on display.
The width of the doorways varies in the Meridian Gallery between 80cm and 121cm.
You leave the Meridian Gallery through the Meridian Shop. The glass door is often propped open and is 90cm wide. The floor in the Meridian Shop is stone tiles.
The stairs to the Time and Society gallery are 113cm wide and contain of two flights with 19 stairs.
On top of the spiral staircase, there are two doors leading out to the Great Equatorial Telescope balcony. The width of the doors varies between 60cm and 63cm.
The iron staircase exiting from the Great Equatorial Telescope has a pattern with small holes. There are two flights of stairs with a total of 37 steps leading down to the exit. The stairs are wedge shape to create the spiral with their thinnest point are 4.5cm and largest 36cm.
There is a small, steep ramp (14cm in height) exiting through the gate which is 84cm wide.
Lifts at the Royal Observatory
The access lift on the side of Flamsteed House offers level access to Time and Longitude Gallery and Time and Greenwich galleries. The Octagon Room is not accessible via the lift.
The lift doors are 100cm wide. Inside the lift is 100cm wide and 139cm deep.
Access to the lift is available from the Astronomers Gardens immediately after admission.
Take the lift to the upper floor for entrance to Flamsteed House and the Longitude Gallery. A bell is available under the Flamsteed house sign, and a member of staff will let you in momentarily.
Take the lift to the lower level to gain access to time and Greenwich.
Facilities
Toilets
There is an accessible toilet located in the Astronomers Garden. You’ll find it on your right-hand side when leaving the ticket office. The cubicle contains an emergency alarm-pull cord should you need assistance.
The door is 79cm wide, the toilet seat 47cm heigh and the sink 80cm.
Other toilets are located underneath the courtyard. There are two set of stone stairs leading down with 13 steps each. A further four steps lead down to the entrance of the men’s and women’s toilets.
There are three cubicles and four urinals in the men’s toilets and five cubicles in the women’s toilets. Baby-changing facilities are available in both areas.
Seating
Please note buggies are not allowed in Flamsteed House due to its narrow galleries, but there is an external Buggy Park provided.
There is limited seating available in Time and Longitude and Time and Greenwich galleries.
Picnic benches and tables are available in the Astronomers Garden.
