Accessible Britain

LONDON
the main collection are displayed in these rooms, including paintings by Sebastiano Ricci,
and William Kent’s ceiling mural of Jupiter’s blessing of the marriage between Cupid and
Psyche. The Reynolds Room is where Darwin presented the draft version of On the Origin
of Species. Elsewhere, the Sackler Wing galleries display temporary exhibitions of works
by renowned artists, both contemporary and historical.
Call at least a week ahead to book one of the two disabled parking spaces
outside. The middle entrance into the house is ramped, with handrails (the other
two have revolving doors). Inside, the ticket desk and cloakroom are both low.
The area housing the temporary collections is particularly easy to navigate in a
wheelchair, but doesn’t have much seating (though portable stools are available).
The Fine Rooms have heavy doors, but stewards are available to assist. The library
is accessible to wheelchair users via a new lift, though it’s not a public lift so visitors
need to call ahead to arrange access. Services include wheelchair hire; large-print
and Braille gallery plans and a tactile gallery map; audio-described tours; BSL and
lip-speaking tours; a thermoform album of images; touch tours; and audio guides
with detailed descriptions of selected works. There is a supervised lift to all floors.
For each exhibition, the access department organises a workshop for patrons with
learning disabilities.
FOOD & DRINK aa The restaurant and café are well laid out for disabled visitors, but they’re
pricey – so if you have to splash out anyway, you may as well pop over the road to
Fortnum & Mason’s (020 7734 8040, www.fortnumandmason.com) for a splendid
cream tea, served from 3pm.
014 Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens
Address: Hyde Park, The Park Office, Rangers Lodge W2 2UH; Kensington Gardens Office, The Magazine
Storeyard, Magazine Gate, Kensington Gardens W2 2UH Web: www.royalparks.org.uk Tel: Royal Parks
0300 0612000; Liberty Drives 07767 498096 Hours: Hyde Park daily 5am–midnight; Kensington Gardens
daily 6am–dusk: Liberty Drives May–Oct Tue–Fri 10am–5pm Dates: no closures Entry: free
Known as the “lungs of London”, Hyde Park and its neighbour, Kensington Gardens,
are the best places in the city centre to escape the crowds and breathe in some fresh
air. Once the private gardens of kings and queens, nowadays these green oases can be
enjoyed by everyone; and with such a range of visitor attractions, from modern art
exhibitions to adventure playgrounds, there’s lots more to them than perfect lawns and
duck ponds.
With 760 acres to cover, wheelchair users will appreciate the wide, smooth paths
and the half-hourly electric buggy service, run in the summer by Liberty Drives, which
takes in the main attractions and is free to anyone with limited mobility. From the
hubbub at Speakers’ Corner (come on a Sunday to hear the a diversity of views and
opinions), a tree-lined avenue takes you south towards the poignant, peaceful 7 July
Memorial. Turn west by the Queen Elizabeth Gates and head to the park’s watery
centrepiece, the Serpentine. In summer the Solar Shuttle can ferry you silently across
the water (access is via a ramp, with assistance from the crew) or you can continue
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