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Access Information for South Shields Museum & Art Gallery

Parking

The museum lies on the pedestrianised section of Ocean Road. There is nearby local free street parking. The nearest pay and display car park is off Anderson Street, on top of the Majestic Bingo Hall adjoining the Denmark Centre. A lift goes down from the car park to the ground floor of the Denmark Centre. There is level street access into Fowler Street, turn right and right again into Ocean Road and towards the museum.

The nearest drop-off point by taxi, dial-a-ride, car or coach is Mile End Road, then five minutes walk to the museum.

By Train or Bus

The nearest Metro station is in King Street and the nearest bus station is in Keppel Street in South Shields. Both are five minutes walk from the museum.

Entrance

There is one level access entrance to the museum on Ocean Road. One set of automatic doors lead to the front desk and shop area. To access the museum from the shop area, there are stairs or a chairlift. If a motorised wheelchair is bigger than the chairlift there is an external side ramp leading to the original front door of the museum, which can be opened on request.

Getting Around

There are lifts and stairs providing access to the ground and first floors. The lift has voice announcer and tactile buttons. All floors have level access.

Seating

There is a selection of seating throughout the museum.

Public telephone

There is a public telephone box outside the museum. The museum phone can be used in an emergency or to book taxis for disabled people. A minicom is available for use on request.

Gallery Plans

Large print and tactile with Braille text floor plans of the museum are available on request.

Dogs

We welcome assistance dogs. The front desk can provide a bowl of water.

Induction Loops

There is a counter loop at the shop, an induction loop in the special exhibition gallery, meeting room, learning room and audio points in 'Tales of South Tyneside' gallery.

The displays

Large print guides are available for 'Tales of South Tyneside', 'Art Adventure' and 'Land River and Sea' galleries.

In 'Tales of South Tyneside' gallery there are audio points describing the kitchen in 10 William Black Street (the childhood home of Catherine Cookson) and the Jarrow March. Audio oral history points describe personal experiences of employment, leisure, and wartime and a text, taken from Catherine Cookson's novel 'Our Kate', describes her childhood memories of visiting the pawnbroker's shop. Text versions are displayed next to the audio points. Braille labels are at each audio point. There are Braille versions of the 'This is your Life' books which outline the life of Catherine Cookson and of her unpublished, short story, 'Stinton Got his Man'.

There are various interactives in all galleries and tactile objects too. These include a pressed glass bowl, badger and fox, tiled map, ship's figure head and an old fairground Muffin the Mule children's ride but please note that it no longer can be activated.

Audio description guides for blind and partially sighted visitors are in progress for 'Tales of South Tyneside' and 'Art Adventure galleries'. There is an audio visual with subtitles in 'Land River and Sea' and an audio visual with subtitles and BSL in 'Tales of South Tyneside'.

Fire alarms

The fire alarms give an audible bell and visual flashing light warning. The lifts cannot be used in the event of a fire. There are evac-chairs to assist disabled people to exit the building and safe fire refuge points to await evacuation. These are clearly signposted. If you are likely to need assistance to exit the building in the event of a fire alarm please tell a member of staff.

Toilets

There are accessible toilets on the ground floor to the left of the main staircase and on the first floor on the right hand side as you leave the lift heading towards the special exhibition gallery. Alternatively you can turn right at the top of the main staircase following the corridor down to 'Art Adventure' and right again opposite the door on your left which leads into the special exhibition gallery. There are male and female toilets on the first floor just by the lift. Both accessible toilets have baby changing facilities.

Refreshments

Unfortunately there are no refreshment facilities at the museum. However there are several alternatives nearby in Ocean Road or King Street. Please ask for details.

If you would like further information about how to get to the Museum and what it has we do have pre-visit information available in large print, Braille, audio cassette and audio CD formats. Please contact the Museum for further information.

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