Accessibility Guide

Our staff at Melton Carnegie Museum welcome all visitors. We have received Welcome Host training, so we can help you make the most of your visit.

This guide is written to provide information about getting to and visiting the museum, and if we have missed anything then please get in touch before your visit. If you have any questions about accessing the museum or have any special requirements you would like to discuss, please contact us.

You can download a copy of this guide below.

There is step-free access to the museum via a ramp at the side of the museum on Rosebery Avenue. When you reach this entrance, there is an intercom system to speak with a member of staff, who will open the door.

A hearing loop is installed at the reception desk of the museum, and the fire alarm has flashing lights.

There is one glass door at the main entrance to Melton Carnegie Museum and large windows do not have high-contrast markings. Some areas of Melton Carnegie Museum have low-lighting and windows downstairs are covered by blinds.

Melton Carnegie Museum can be busier during half-term holidays for Leicestershire and neighbouring counties, and over the Summer holidays. Activities take place both downstairs and in the Community Room on the first floor.

You can get to Melton Carnegie Museum by bus and train.
The nearest bus stop is on Windsor Street in the centre of Melton Mowbray. The bus stop is 0.2 miles / 0.3 km from Melton Carnegie Museum.
The nearest train station is Melton Mowbray. The train station is 0.5 miles / 0.8 km from Melton Carnegie Museum.
Melton Mowbray train station is at the bottom of Burton Street by the Melton Borough Council Offices. Buses stop at Windsor Street and most foot paths in Melton Mowbray have dropped kerbs.

Taxis are available from ranks at the train station, Wilton Road, Sherrard Street (opposite Windsor Street) and High Street.

There are short-stay parking bays directly outside the museum, and pavements are accessible via a dropped kerb. Cars and taxis can drop people off here.

The closest car park is on Mill Street (LE13 1AY) and you can find more information about car parks on the Melton Borough Council website.

The surface from the car park to the entrance of the museum is a mix of paved and tarmac surfaces.

The main entrance to Melton Carnegie Museum is up several stone steps. For step-free access, we recommend visitors use the entrance on Rosebery Avenue. The path is wide outside the front entrance and is narrower turning onto Rosebery Avenue.

At the main entrance there are double glass doors which open both ways. The entrance on Rosebery Avenue is a single door wide enough for a wheelchair.

The main displays and galleries at Melton Carnegie Museum are all on one floor with level access. Galleries have varying amounts of space but all have enough to accommodate visitors who use a wheelchair.

There is one platform lift on the ground floor which accesses the first floor, the only other floor in the museum. It has a lino floor. The lift is large enough for a visitor using a wheelchair and there are audio notices for each floor. When using the lift, visitors must keep the button held down until the lift stops moving. Staff are available to help if it is needed.

The ground floor is furnished with carpet throughout and lit with spotlights. The lighting levels are low on the ground floor. The Anne Hughes gallery, opposite the reception desk, is brighter than the rest of the ground floor.

Continuous sound of a market is played in the Shops and Trades gallery, and the Fox Hunting gallery and the Rural gallery have button-activated sounds.

Between the Rural gallery and the Fox Hunting gallery is a red phone box, which automatically rings when you are nearby. There is also an interactive floor, which plays music and sound continuously.

At the back of the museum is a door leading to the yard and the lift and stairs to the first floor. This area is furnished with carpet and is brighter.

The yard door is open during the summer, and visitors are welcome to enjoy the planting. Sometimes there are special activities held out here.

The second floor is furnished with carpet in corridors. Rooms upstairs include the Community Room, which has a laminate floor covering, and toilets including an accessible toilet.

Lighting is provided by strip lighting and is a normal level. The landing and community rooms also have windows which let in natural light.

There are no automatic sounds on this floor.

There are accessible toilets for visitors on the ground and first floors of the museum, with level access on both floors. In addition to this, there are Changing Places facilities on the ground floor. A radar key is not needed to access the toilets.

All toilets have hand driers, which can be noisy.

On the ground floor there are four toilets each in a separate room. The toilets are accessed from a lobby which is accessed from the reception area.

There is an accessible toilet with sink, hand dryer and sanitary disposal bin. There are also coat hooks at two heights, a mirror, and a nappy changing unit and nappy disposal bin.

There is a changing place toilet with hoist and bed, sanitary disposal unit, sink, hand dryer, coat hooks and mirror.

There is a further separate cubicle with a toilet, sanitary disposal unit, sink and hand dryer.

There is another separate cubicle with toilet, sink and hand dryer.

On the first floor opposite the meeting room there are three further toilets each in separate rooms:

• An accessible toilet with sink, hand dryer, sanitary disposal unit, nappy disposal unit and baby change.
• A single cubicle with toilet, sink and hand dryer.
• A single cubicle with toilet, sink, hand dryer and sanitary disposal unit.

The shop is next to the reception desk and accessible from the main and Rosebery Avenue entrances. The route through the shop is at least 1m wide and the flooring within the shop is carpet. Our staff are available to assist customers who require merchanise from high shelves.

We have emergency evacuation procedures for all visitors. In the case of an evacuation, all visitors inside Melton Carnegie Museum will be led to safety by a member of staff or by a member of the Fire and Rescue Service. There is also a refuge point on the first floor.