Access Information
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You can download access information for South Shields Museum & Art Gallery as a Word document here.
Entrance Charges
It is free admission for everyone.
Car Parking
The museum lies on the pedestrianised section of Ocean Road. It does not have its own dedicated car park but 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 which adjoins the Denmark Centre. There is stepped access from the car park straight down onto Ocean Road (and the Museum is then directly on your left). However, there is a lift which travels from the car park down to the ground floor of the Denmark Centre from which there is level street access into Fowler Street. Leaving the Denmark Centre turn right and right again into Ocean Road; the museum is on the right hand side.
Public Transport Access Routes and Drop Off Points
The nearest Metro station is South Shields in King Street and the nearest bus station is in Keppel Street. Both are five minutes walk from the museum
The nearest drop-off point by taxi, dial-a-ride, car or coach is Mile End Road, and then only a five minutes walk to the museum.
Building Entrance
There is level access entrance to the museum on Ocean Road. One set of automatic doors leads 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 by asking a member of staff in the Museum shop.
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 so that visitors can rest if they so wish.
Public Telephone
The museum phone can be used in an emergency or to book taxis for disabled visitors.
Gallery Plans
Large print and tactile with Braille text floor plans of the museum are available. Please ask in the museum shop and / or make contact with the museum for further information (see below).
Assistance 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.
Talking audio Guides and Listening Points
There are listening points in the 'Tales of South Tyneside' and ‘Changing Faces’ galleries.
Audio description guides for blind and partially sighted visitors are available for 'Tales of South Tyneside' and 'Art Adventure’ on request
Displays, Exhibitions and Attractions
Large print guides are available for 'Tales of South Tyneside', 'Art Adventure' and 'Changing Faces' 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.
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' are available on request. Please ask a member of staff.
There is an audio visual showing Catherine Cookson talking about aspects of her life and a series of observations made in 2000 from different people talking about their organisations and experiences in South Tyneside. All films are subtitled and BSL sign supported.
In ‘Changing Faces’, there is one audio point which recites ‘Hookey Walker’s, Farewell to South Shields’, a poem written by one-time editor of the South Shields Gazette and published in 1852 which is supported by a text version, and three audiovisual presentations (welcome to the gallery, an account of a dramatic lifeboat rescue, and a re-enactment of the investigation made by the Royal Commission into the use of child labour). All of them are supported by subtitles and a BSL signer.
Audio description guides for blind and partially sighted visitors are available for 'Tales of South Tyneside' and 'Art Adventure’ on request
Films and Interactive Displays
There are various interactives in all the galleries and tactile objects too ranging from a pressed glass bowl in ‘Changing Faces’, to an old fairground children's ride, Muffin the Mule, which is available to sit on in ‘Tales of South Tyneside’ but which can no longer be activated.
Special Exhibitions, Events and Learning Family Activities
Throughout the year, the museum holds a wide variety of changing exhibitions, events and activities. For further information please contact the museum (see below).
For more organised workshops and classes, please get in touch with a member of the learning team at the museum (see below).
Guided Tours for Groups
The museum does not usually provide guided tours but if your group would like to have one please contact the museum (see below). Three weeks notice should be given.
Accessible Toilets/Baby Changing areas
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 follow the corridor down to 'Art Adventure' and turn right again opposite the door on your left (which leads into the special exhibition gallery). Both accessible toilets have baby changing facilities.
There are also male and female toilets on the first floor by the lift.
Shops and Cafés
On entry into the Museum you will find the museum’s shop and tourist information desk. Here you can find out more about the area and its attractions as well as purchase a souvenir of your visit from a wide selection of gifts and souvenirs.
Hot and cold drinks, cakes and sandwiches are served in the café, The Victorian Pantry, which is situated off the ‘Changing Faces’ gallery.
Pre-visit Information
If you would like to know more 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 available to borrow. Please contact the Museum.
If you would like leaflets, venue guides, or other written information produced in other formats, please let us know and we will make the necessary arrangements .
If there is anything that we can do to make your visit more enjoyable please contact us, we will be happy to assist you.
Wheelchair Hire
A manual wheelchair is available on request from the main reception/shop. There is no charge/deposit for this service.
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 on your arrival.
Staff Training
All staff attend a programme of core training which includes customer care, diversity and disability awareness. They are here to help visitors enjoy the time they spend in our venues
If there is anything that we can do to make your visit more enjoyable please contact us, we will be happy to assist you.
Contact Us
* South Shields Museum & Art Gallery
Ocean Road
South Shields
NE33 2JA
' Telephone: (0191) 456 8740
Textphone 18001 0191 456 8740
7 Fax: (0191) 456 78750
Email: info@southshieldsmuseum.org.uk
Website: www.southshieldsmuseum.org.uk
Access Statement
Although we make every attempt to make the venue as accessible as possible, aspects of the building and the nature of the exhibitions we show sometimes make it difficult to make everything fully accessible.
Here are some examples:
i) The Museum building is Grade 2 listed. Although the building has seen several changes of use over the years, the main structure of the building and some of the original fixtures and fittings (ie doors) are protected which means it cannot be altered without the permission of English Heritage whose role it is to try whenever possible to preserve buildings in their original form.
For example flat street level entrance into the Museum could only be achieved through the building of the extension (which opened in 2001) rather than altering the stepped entrance to the original building which we were not allowed to do.
ii) Many of our exhibits need to be protected from damage caused either accidentally by visitors or indeed by the environments in which they are displayed.
While many of our exhibits are displayed in cases we do try to put items on open display where the object is not at risk. However this is not always possible.
Where items are on open display it is important that the ambient relative humidity and temperature of the gallery is maintained and at a constant level. This means that doors leading into and out of a gallery will need to be closed. Sometimes a push button is available which will open the door when pushed but when not a member of staff will be on hand to open the door for you.
There are other occasions when items on open display need to be protected and cannot be touched. In this instance you may find that there are some low slung barriers which will indicate how close you can get to something. Again if you require further assistance, please ask a member of staff but remember you will not be allowed to touch it.
Light levels in exhibitions of paintings and of costume and textiles need to be low. High lux levels will cause paintings and fabrics to fade over a period of time. If you need assistance, please ask a member of staff. At South Shields Museum, we can increase lighting levels in the special exhibition gallery but this will only be on request.