Accessibility

Admission

Entrance to both museums are available at a concessionary rate for all visitors with disabilities and free entry is available for accompanying carers.

Entrances

Leighton House

There is one main entrance to the museum accessed via Holland Park Road. Entrance to the museum is level access and completely step free.

Sambourne House

There is one main entrance to the museum accessed via Stafford Terrace. This entrance has 7 steep steps down to the basement level reception. There is currently no step free, level access to Sambourne House.

Parking and drop off points for disabled visitors

Leighton House

There is one drop off / pick up parking bay for disabled visitors on Holland Park Road where there is a step free entrance to the museum. This blue badge parking bay provides up to 4 hours of free parking during controlled hours. There are no parking facilities directly on the museum grounds.

Sambourne House

There is no step free access to Sambourne House. The nearest Blue Badge parking space is on Phillimore Walk, the street behind Stafford Terrace. There is also a Blue Badge parking space on Argyll Road which is close to Kensington High St and runs perpendicular to Stafford Terrace.

Details of all Blue Badge parking spaces in the surrounding streets can be identify by visiting Disabled parking for visitors | Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (rbkc.gov.uk)

Facilities

View / Download Leighton House Map Floorplan

Leighton House

The Welcome Desk is located on the ground floor of the museum and staff will be on hand to answer any questions or provide access aids such as magnifying glasses or large print captions.

All areas of Leighton House are accessible by level access, by lift and by wheelchair. Wheelchair-accessible toilets are located on the lower ground floor of the museum.  If your wheelchair or mobility device is 80cm or wider, access to certain areas of the building may be limited. Please contact us if you have a larger mobility aid and we will help you plan your visit.

Benches, public seating and portable folding stools are available in the museum. A member of staff or one of our volunteers can provide directions to any public seating or provide one of the folding stools for use during a visit.

Accessible toilets and an accessible baby changing area are located on the lower ground floor. The nearest Changing Places Toilet is at Westfield London, Ariel Way, London, W12 7GF or Praed Street, Paddington, London W2 1HQ.

Do not hesitate to contact a member of staff if you require assistance during your visit, we will happy to help.

Sambourne House

The Welcome Desk is in the basement reception of the museum and staff will be on hand to answer any questions or provide access aids such as magnifying glasses or large print captions. The basement is reached by 7 narrow and steep steps from the pavement level. There is currently no step-free access to the entrance or inside the historic interiors. 

We regret to inform that public toilets at Sambourne House are currently out of order.

There are two gender neutral toilet cubicles in the lower basement, which are reached via an additional 4 steps from the reception. There are currently no baby change facilities available in the house.

Entrance to the historic interiors on the ground floor are reached by 10 steps from the basement level. There are 5 floors in total, all of which are reached via steps with handrail, some of which are in low lighting.

Portable folding stools are available in the museum. A member of staff or one of our volunteers can provide one of the folding stools for use during a visit.

Assistance animals

We welcome assistance animals at both Leighton House and Sambourne House. We consider an assistance animal to be one that enables someone to visit our museums, who would otherwise be unable to do so. No other animals are allowed in the museums at any time.

We ask that any assistance animals are kept on a leash and always under the control of their owners. Drinking bowls for thirsty animals are available from the Welcome Desk at both museums – just ask a member of staff.

Support for Blind and visually impaired visitors

Leighton House

Large print captions for all interpretation panels are available from the Welcome Desk on the ground floor. Magnifying panels are also available for use to assist with reading texts and captions, please ask any member of staff.

Some of our rooms and exhibition areas at Leighton House have lower lighting levels to help us preserve important artworks.

Sambourne House

Large print captions for all interpretation panels are available from the Welcome Desk in the basement reception. Magnifying panels are also available for use to assist with reading texts and captions.

Due to the historic nature of the museum, there is low level lighting throughout the historic interiors so please ask a member of staff for assistance during your visit.

Support for D/Deaf and hard of hearing visitors

All audio visual content at both houses is subtitled.

Sensory Access

If you prefer to visit Leighton House or Sambourne House during quieter times, we would recommend visiting weekdays from 10am to 11am when the experience at both museums may be more relaxed.