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Getting Around Arbeia Roman Fort

By train

The nearest Metro and Bus Station is South Shields, ten minutes walk away from the museum.

Entrance

The approach to the main entrance is on a flat tarmac and concrete surface. There is a gentle slope up to the museum entrance and then a short steep ramp to the door. You will enter the museum through a set of double glass swing doors. Alternatively there is a path to the side door of the museum with a flatter ramp.

Getting around

There is level access around the museum, the reconstructed barracks and the Commanding Officer's house. Some parts of the reconstructions have uneven flagstone flooring. The surface of the ground out on the Fort site is generally uneven. The paths through the site are actually Roman road surfaces that are covered with gravel and stones and great care needs to be taken when exploring the Fort remains.

The reconstructed gateway is on three levels and can only be accessed by stairs. There is a photograph album showing what the inside looks like. It is available from the museum entrance.

Time Quest has steps to the interactive excavation platform but an accessible version is under development.

Seating

There is an upright chair with a back in the museum, bench seating and wooden chairs in the reconstructed buildings and wooden park benches and picnic tables, one with wheelchair access, on the site.

Public telephone

The museum office phone can be used in an emergency on request, or to order taxis for disabled visitors.

Borrowing a wheelchair

One wheelchair is available for use from the museum entrance.

Gallery plans

Standard, large print and Braille gallery plans are available from the Museum Assistants. They are based in an office in the gallery on the right as you enter the museum.

Pre-visit information

Pre-visit information packs are available to borrow for free for blind and partially sighted people to plan a visit. Please contact the museum. The packs include:

  • Large print museum leaflet.
  • Braille museum leaflet.
  • Large print detailed guide to the museum and its facilities.
  • Braille detailed guide to the museum and its facilities.
  • Audio CD detailed guide to the museum and its facilities.
  • Audio tape detailed guide to the museum and its facilities.
  • Large print maps of the museum floors.
  • Braille and tactile (touch) maps of the museum floors.

A large tactile model of Arbeia can also be found on the pathway outside of the museum lobby that leads onto the Fort site. This model is an orientation point for you to find your way around the site, including the sensory trail and audio points.

Dogs

We welcome assistance dogs. A bowl of water for dogs can be found outside the accessible toilets. Please ask the Museum Assistants in the museum shop if it needs to be filled. There are no specific 'spending' areas allocated at Arbeia for assistance dogs to use.

The displays

Large print guides to museum galleries are available at the museum entrance. There is a Braille guide to Time Quest. Time Quest is an interactive gallery with Roman pottery, bone and tile to excavate and feel.

Large print information sheets are available in the Commanding Officer's house and barracks.

The Commanding Officer's house has replica objects which can be handled.

The sensory tour includes a tactile model of the Fort, Roman Herb Garden, static audio points and opportunities to touch materials and smell what life was like in Roman times! There is Snifferama on the first floor of the gateway, where you can smell authentic Roman aromas. There is a smaller version of the Snifferama in the museum for those that are unable to reach this floor.

Some of the interesting objects on display in the museum have been recreated for handling use by blind and partially sighted visitors. These replica objects are identical copies of the originals in the display cases, and provide a new way of exploring the collections. They can be requested from the Museum Assistants in the office as you enter the museum on the right.

Audio points

The Arbeia audio points are designed for use by all visitors. They are in the form of "U turn" sound stores. When a handle is turned on the sound store, the guide is activated. Arbeia also has a portable audio guide that contains the same information if you prefer this to the "U turn" sound stores. These are also available from the Museum Assistants.

Museum and guided tours of the site

There are guided tours of the barracks and Commanding Officer's house from Easter to the end of September at 11am and 3pm. The tours last Forty five minutes. A text version is available from the guide.

Fire alarms

The fire alarms have voice evacuation sounders in the museum, shop and reconstructed buildings there are audible alarms and visual flashing lights in Time Quest. If you are likely to be unable to hear the alarms or will need assistance to exit the buildings in the event of a fire alarm please tell a member of staff.

Toilets

There are toilets outside the museum on site. The male toilets are close to the reconstructed gateway. The female toilets are close to the shop and Time Quest. The accessible toilet is close to the shop and Time Quest. There is no baby changing facility on site.

The shop

The shop has twin glass doors and there is a portable ramp if needed to access the shop. The shop has a hot drinks machine and also sells cold drinks and snacks.

If there is anything else that we can do to make your visit more enjoyable please contact us, we will be happy to assist you.