Access at the RA
Helping make the most of your visit
The Royal Academy welcomes disabled visitors, their families, friends and carers.
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All of our galleries have step-free access and we have a range of facilities for disabled visitors. We’ll do everything we can to make sure your experience of the RA is enjoyable, comfortable and memorable.
The health and safety of our visitors and staff is paramount. Visit our Covid-19 information page to find the most up-to-date information about safely visiting the RA. We will be following government advice on health and safety as a minimum, with additional measures and standards also in place.
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Blind and partially sighted visitors
We welcome guide dogs. For more information, please read our Assistance animals section.
Large-print exhibition guides are available for all our exhibitions. We provide large print guides in print and digital formats.
Where audio guides are available, there will always be audio-described content.
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Wheelchair users and mobility impaired visitors
There are two disabled parking spaces available for blue badge holders to reserve in the courtyard of Burlington House. To find Blue Badge Bays nearby, visit Westminster council’s disabled parking page.. We recommend booking parking two weeks in advance of your visit.
Manual wheelchairs and power assisted wheelchairs are available to borrow during your visit. Manual wheelchairs can be booked at short notice. We recommend booking a power assisted wheelchair at least a day before your visit, so that we can ensure they are charged.
To book a wheelchair or blue badge parking space, please contact our Ticketing team at +442073008090.
One rollator walker is available on-site to book in advance. On the day of your visit, please ask a member of staff on arrival for assistance.
There is step-free access throughout the RA and portable stools are available to borrow during your visit.
There are accessible toilets in Burlington House and Burlington Gardens. Our staff and volunteers receive regular training to ensure they’re confident welcoming disabled visitors.
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Deaf and hearing impaired visitors
We welcome hearing dogs. For more information, please read our Assistance animals section.
For exhibitions that are accompanied by an audio guide, transcripts are available upon request from the audio desk at the entrance of the exhibition. Audio guides are currently accessed on visitors’ mobile phone via a QR code.
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Neurodiverse visitors and those on the autistic spectrum
We provide sensory maps of our building and select temporary exhibitions to help plan for your visit.
You can download a sensory map of our building to prepare for your visit.
We offer relaxed openings for select exhibitions for visitors with autistic spectrum conditions, sensory processing difficulties, or neurodiversity. These openings allow those who benefit from a quieter environment to see the exhibition outside the hustle and bustle of regular opening hours.
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Assistance animals
Working guide and assistance animals are welcome at the RA. In order to protect the objects in our care and for everyone’s comfort and safety, your assistance animal should be appropriately trained, supervised and kept under your control throughout your visit, ideally remaining on a leash. No animals except assistance animals are permitted in our building.
Where possible, dog owners should bring their Assistance Dogs UK (ADUK), Assistance Dogs International (ADI) or the International Guide Dog Federation (IGDF) identification book and animals should wear the appropriate tabards or harness, but this is not a requirement for entry. If you plan to visit with an animal other than an assistance dog, please get in touch so we can discuss and support your request: tmss.team@royalacademy.org.uk or +442073008090
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Facilities
There are accessible toilets and baby changing facilities in Burlington House and Burlington Gardens. For more detailed information about our facilities, the online accessibility guide AccessAble provides extensive information and photographs for prospective visitors.
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Any questions?
Access Team
access@royalacademy.org.uk
020 7300 5732Community Partners Programme
communities@royalcademy.org.ukWe are able to respond to enquiries during our working hours, Monday-Friday, 9.30am-5.30pm.