HOW TO GET HERE
BY TRAIN
Our closest overground stations are Vauxhall (15 min walk or 77 and 344 buses), Waterloo (20 min walk or 77 bus) and Victoria (30 min walk or C10 and 3 buses).
Our closest tube stations are Lambeth North (10 min walk) Vauxhall and Waterloo.
All stations have step free access but please check with TFL before travelling Transport accessibility – Transport for London
BY BUS
Bus numbers 3, 77, 344 and C10 all stop close to the museum.
BY BIKE
We have cycle racks available for those cycling to the Museum.
BY CAR
There is no parking at the Garden Museum, but paid parking is available nearby on Lambeth High Street and at the Novotel on Lambeth Road. Parking on Lambeth High Street is free on Sundays. Please note the Museum is within the Congestion Charge Zone.
ACCESSIBLE PARKING
We can arrange a parking permit for the Lambeth Palace forecourt (next to the museum entrance) with advance notice for those with access needs. Please let us know in advance of your visit if you need a parking permit by emailing info@gardenmuseum.org.uk.
What to expect
Wheelchair Access
The Garden Museum is accessible to wheelchair users with level access to the museum through the Garden Cafe.
Lift Access
The permanent collection on the first floor is accessible via our lift. We do recommend that if you need to use the lift, please contact us on 020 7401 8865 or email info@gardenmuseum.org.uk ahead of your visit to confirm it is in working order.
Assistance Animals
We welcome guide, hearing and assistance dogs in all areas of the Museum. These must be wearing their assistance dog coat or have the relevant paperwork. No other dogs or pets are allowed in the Museum and café.
Quiet Times
The quietest and least busy time to visit us is on a Monday morning. On Tuesday mornings during term-time we host a Tuesday Tots session in the Nave from 10.30am-11.30am. Occasionally the museum is closed for special events. Please check the website before travelling.
Our Spaces
- Our Cafe can be loud and overwhelming as it is a small space with an open kitchen. In the summer it is possible to sit outside in our courtyard garden. Please ask when booking if you require somewhere quiet
- Highchairs are available
- Our Exhibition spaces have changes in lighting from bright to much darker areas
- There are some sounds on our exhibits, including some that are triggered by movement
- Large print labels for temporary exhibitions are available from the front desk
- Our glass walls and widows all have decals to make them easier to see
- Our Nave area has more comfortable chairs suitable for breastfeeding
Toilets
Our toilets are accessible by wheelchair users on the ground floor. We have baby changing facilities in our accessible toilet.
Our nearest Changing Places Toilets are at Imperial War Museum and St Thomas’ Hospital.
Hearing Loop
We have a hearing loop in both our Clore and Nave spaces.
Visual Aids
Large print labels for our collections and temporary exhibitions are available on request from the front desk.
Some areas of the museum contain low lighting to protect the artwork.
Our glass walls and widows all have decals to make them easier to see.
Neurodiverse family sessions
During school holidays we have workshops for families with neurodiverse needs. During these sessions we keep the numbers low, to allow for a calmer and more spacious environment. Please check our What’s On page for more details.
Sensory guide
Starting at the entrance next to Lambeth Palace
Welcome to our museum which is housed in an old church. Here are some things you can expect when you visit:
- We have a gravel path – this sounds crunchy when walking and can feel uneven
- Surrounding area can be noisy: you can hear the traffic on the main roads and sometimes loud sirens or helicopters
- There are burial monuments on the floor (ledgers) which can potentially be a trip hazard if not seen
- You may see our gardeners and volunteers tending to the plants upon entrance to the main doors
- There are benches available outside the entrance if you need a rest
Entrance and main desk
- The smell changes as you walk into the main doors, it smells like an old church (stone like scent)
- There is uneven flooring near to the baptistry on your left, small step and uneven tiling
- There is a stain glass window (bright, cool lighting)
- There is a screen in the baptistry area giving a point of view of what it is like to go up the tower, low lighting, the screen may be overstimulating
- Tower door can slam/bang if there are high winds
- Bright lights at the front desk, can be overstimulating
- Lift can be loud when used
- All museum staff wear a green GARDEN MUSEUM lanyard, you can ask any of us if you need assistance
The Nave
- You will need to walk through the Nave (large space in the middle of the museum) to buy a ticket for any exhibitions at the museum shop
- The Nave has bright lights at certain focus points
- Blue floor lights along pillars in museum (brightness and colour can be altered)
- There are bug costumes for children to try on
- Jenga blocks can be loud if dropped on floor
- There are toys available
- Lots of chairs around museum, if you need another chair, please ask in the shop or the front desk
- Museum can echo if there are people talking
- There can be some noise from visitors upstairs in the Collection Gallery
The Ark Gallery
- There is a glass panel in the floor – look down and see steps below. It is safe to walk on the glass.
- Dim lighting in the Ark
- Ark video with headphones and subtitles
Temporary exhibition gallery
- This gallery changes for different exhibitions, it can look very different to the picture and the walls can be painted different colours depending on the exhibition, please ask a member of staff if you need any help or advice
- Dim lighting/ brighter on main pieces
- Quiet and cool temperatures
- The descriptive print on some pieces is small
Upstairs – collection gallery
- Entrance from stairs in the Nave
- Audio of the video’s upstairs are constantly on and do not have subtitles (they can seem loud in a quiet environment)
- The walls are full of artifacts/frames
- You will find soft seating and cool colours (green and blue) in the gnome area
- There is bright lighting in the cut flower trade exhibit
- Plant hunter interactive game is bright with no noise
- Finnis Scott Gallery – dim lighting, quiet, area for seating (hard furnishings), low stimulating art
- Design exhibition, sloped walkway, bright lights along the display wall
- You will be able to hear the noise of the projector
- The lights are bright by the shed area (stained glass windows/ exhibition lighting)
- In the shed there is a continuous video which may be overstimulating – no subtitles
- Tactile play opportunities with garden blocks
Downstairs – Shop
- Green lighting
- Soft seating area
- Smell of soap from the items for sale
Orangery, Clore Learning Space and Café
- Strong smell of food/coffee from the café
- Breeze if the doors are open
- Bright skylight by the Clore learning space
- Sound of sirens, talking, cutlery, coffee machine/blender, chairs scraping and toilet doors
- Mixture of dim and natural light in the café
- Outside Clore, bronze iridescent uneven squares on the walls
- Ledgers (stone monuments) on the floor
Courtyard Garden
- Our courtyard garden is a lovely green space in the centre of the museum
- Some of the floor is uneven and can be slippery when wet
- Noises from outside the museum, such as sirens and traffic can be heard
- Occasional noise from garden equipment such as leaf blowers
GOT AN ACCESSIBILITY QUESTION?
If you have any questions regarding access or if there is any way we can support your visit, please email us on info@gardenmuseum.org.uk or call 020 7401 8865.