Accessible Britain

Use the Discovery Centre and its information desk as a starting point. There are Blue
Badge parking spaces outside this contemporary building; disabled drivers get one extra
hour free on top of the time they pay for. All-day free parking is available in the Festival
Field car park. Inside the centre there is a staffed information desk, interpretation panels,
a wheelchair accessible lift and a designated toilet on the ground floor. The main paths are
excellent: well surfaced and traffic free. The first section of the trail towards Burry Port
is level, but in the wider park, manual wheelchair users may need help with some steep
slopes. The compacted path on the far side of the man-made lake is uneven in places.
FOOD & DRINK aa Flanagan’s Coastline Café, on the first floor of the Discovery Centre, has
excellent beach views, especially from the balcony tables. The Millennium ice cream kiosk
has patio furniture. The Lighthouse Café at Burry Port Harbour serves delicious homemade
meals, and has a permanent ramped entrance and spacious designated toilet.
162 National Waterfront Museum, Swansea
Address: Oystermouth Road SA1 3RD Web: www.museumwales.ac.uk/en/swansea Telephone: 029
20573600 Hours: daily 10am–5pm Dates: closed 1 Jan & 24–26 Dec Entry: free
WALES
The National Waterfront Museum tells the proud story of industry and innovation in
Wales, through the changing lives of the people involved. Stressing the international
importance of Wales as “the world’s first industrial nation”, the museum links the past
to the present using fabulous interactive technology.
The museum building is impressive – a massive brick former warehouse on the
dockside, enhanced by a modern slate and glass wing. The exhibits are arranged into
fifteen categories, including energy, people, communities, land, coal and metals, and
each area has its own soundscape, evoking the theme. The connection between culture
and history is brought home by examining how lives and work have been linked to
Wales’s changing industrial heritage. If you plan to visit, be sure to check the website
for the packed events schedule, which includes activities such as hands-on workshops,
historical talks, science activities and many seasonal events.
The museum makes a big effort to be inclusive. There are five disabled bays on Burrows
Place, plus more disabled spaces in the car park by the adjacent leisure centre (sat nav SA1
3ST) – parking here is free on Sundays; otherwise, take your parking ticket into the museum
to receive a partial refund. Mobility scooters are welcome at the museum, however only
a limited number are permitted at any one time: call 029 20573600 in advance to check.
Most entrances and interconnecting doors are operated by large push buttons, and there are
plenty of places to sit, accessible toilets – including a Changing Place Room – baby changing
facilities and a children’s play area in the café. All areas and some displays have interactive
touch-screens, complete with audio description, and real-time BSL interpretation.
FOOD & DRINK aa You can picnic in the lunch room, or eat in the museum café, but if you
explore along the waterfront and in the city centre, you’ll find plenty more eating and
drinking options.
184