Visit
We very much welcome blind and partially-sighted visitors and we have plenty to offer
The museum is on two floors and all floor surfaces are hard other than the shop and the children's activity zone which are carpeted.
All staircases have handrails both sides and tactile rubber mats at the top and bottom, a few inches away from the first step. Contrasting white nosings are fitted to all the steps. The main staircase to the first floor has an effective non-slip surface.
The doors operate either automatically or by push button. If the front door does not immediately open, please feel free to knock on the glass. The staff member may have left the door locked whilst at the lavatory, for example.
The wharf at the rear is an open wharf with only a very low wall to designate the edge of the canal. It is reccommended that if you are completely without sight you should not approach the water unaccompanied, in the interests of safety.
An entertaining, interesting audio tour of the museum is available. It is semi-automatic in operation. The visitor carries a small unit and wears headphones. As he or she walks around, the unit detects the visitor's location and plays the appropriate content. There is no additional charge. Sigted companions may download the script of the audio tour for visually-impaired persons.(PDF Format)
there are a significant number of exhibitions that you can touch and feel. For example, you can explore the cabin of the narrowboat Coronis by touch, and get a good idea of the sort of conditions in which people used to live afloat.
There are two audio exhibits:
A large-print edition of the mini-guide is available on request, free of charge.
Guide Dogs are welcome. Please do not bring pet animals. If your dog needs a drink please ask the staff to help.
King's Cross is one of Europe's busiest public transport interchanges so public transport could hardly be better. The staff at King's Cross Underground station are very experienced at assisting visually impaired people because it is also the station for the headquarters of the Royal National Institute of Blind People.
Describe Online Description of King's Cross Main Line Station
Describe Online description of King's Cross Underground Station
The main exit from the Underground station is in front of King's Cross station. As you come out, keep going in a straight line with the station to your left. You'll hear the traffic of the busy Euston Road on your right and maybe announcements from the station to the left. Note that there is a large newspaper kiosk on the wide pavement. If you come to it navigate to the left of it. After about 50 yards you come to a main road junction with traffic lights. There is a main road going to the left at 90 degrees. This is called York Way. Turn left here and follow York Way, walking with brick wall of the station on your left. Note that there is ongoing building repair work here and scaffolding in places. You will come to a bus stop very soon with a ticket machine against the wall. You can if you wish get a 91 or 17 bus from here but it is only one stop so we assume that you will walk. Keep going with the wall to the left and a busy road to your right. The traffic will pass in batches rather than continuously because of the traffic lights.
After about 100 yards the wall ends and you need to turn right and cross the road using the traffic-light controlled pedestrian crossing. It has audible signals and tactile paving. Cross to the traffic island in the middle and turn 45 degrees to the left, then cross another traffic lane following the audible signals. When you reach the far side turn 45 degrees to your right and continue, with the traffic on your right, a fence on your left. It is a one-way street, and traffic is going in the same direction as you. . There are two left turns off this road. The first is Crinnan Street after about 25 yards and you need to keep going, don't turn down it. After this is the bus stop for routes 17, 10, and 91 and buildings on your left.Continue
If you are coming by bus, the northbound 91, and 17 routes stop in Wharfdale Road and the automatic announcements inside the bus say "Wharfdale Road, London Canal Museum". The southbound route 10 also stops at the same stop.
From the bus stop continue walking in the same direction as the bus was travelling, i.e. turn right as you get off. (It is a one-way street)
Carry on for another 40 yards. Beware trees and street furniture on this section. The building on the left has various indentations and a big door that may be open. There is a drop-kerb for this entrance. Then comes a section with a low fence and parked cars in a lay-by. Then you come to another drop-kerb entrance and a building right against the pavement and you follow this until it finishes. Turn 90 degrees to the left, keeping close to the building and.You have now reached New Wharf Road and the museum is just 50 yards away. There is not much traffic in this road. There is a gated entrance and windows of flats right next to the street, with bars on them. When you reach the end of the building, pass an entrance and come to another brick wall of a building. Go on, then come to another entrance and the next building after that is the museum. The entrance is a few yards from the start of the building - notice the cobbled ground at our entrance..