Access information
On this page, you will find useful information regarding access at the Design Museum.
We want everyone's visit to be enjoyable and work continuously to make the museum more accessible and inclusive to the widest possible audience.
We welcome your feedback and suggestions. You can contact the team via access@designmuseum.org
If you need assistance booking exhibition tickets or how to book a parking space, please email bookings@designmuseum.org or telephone 020386 25900 (10:00 – 16:00, Monday to Friday).
We now offer online pre-booking for parking spaces and wheelchair reservation. Please scroll down to learn more.
This membership tier is for one adult named on the membership card, with a carer or companion. It encourages access for anyone with a disability who is presented with a barrier to visiting our museum. Access Membership costs £45 by card payment for a whole year of design.
Unfortunately we cannot admit pets to the museum, only assistance dogs.
We welcome suitably trained assistance dogs inside the museum. They must be under your control during your visit. Ideally they should remain on a lead and wear a relevant tabard or harness.
Where possible, dog owners should bring their Assistance Dogs UK (ADUK), Assistance Dogs International (ADI) or the International Guide Dog Federation (IGDF) identification book. Your dog should wear an appropriate tabard or harness, but this is not a requirement for entry.
If your assistance dog is not registered with ADI, ADUK or IGDF, we reserve the right to deny entry to your dog if it does not appear to have been appropriately trained.
If you plan to visit with an assistance animal other than an assistance dog, please get in touch to discuss your request with us to avoid disappointment on the day at bookings@designmuseum.org or by calling 020 3862 5900 and selecting option 3 for Accessibility.
The nearest dog toilet is located in Holland Park.
We have accessible Blue Badge parking spaces available near the Museum. This space is located a very short distance from the main entrance. It can accommodate two cars or one van/school minibus.
We recommend that you pre-book your space via link below. The accessible parking space can be booked up until midnight the day before. To book, you will need:
Please note:
Accessible parking is for Blue Badge holders only, and you will be required to display the badge in the car window during your stay
Parking is available strictly during your time inside the Design Museum. We kindly ask that once you leave the museum, you remove your vehicle
If no spaces are available, please check the nearby disabled parking spaces in the Borough of Kensington and Chelsea via their Find My Nearest webpage.
Please note that we can't guarantee a space for visitors who have not pre-booked a space via the link below. We're sorry for any inconvenience this may cause.
The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea provide local alternative disabled parking bays in the surrounding area.
Please note:
For drop-offs, it is recommended that wheelchair users stop after turning off Kensington High Street and onto Hollandgreen Place (next to Gail’s bakery).
We recommend that you pre-book your tickets for our paid exhibitions to avoid disappointment on the day. Some tickets are available to buy onsite, but these are limited and can sell out quite quickly.
Please note that tickets for our paid exhibitions are available at a concessionary rate for visitors with disabilities, and free entry is included for accompanying carers. You can pre-book exhibition tickets here
You don't need to book tickets to see our free displays.
For further assistance, please get in touch with the team via bookings@designmuseum.org
Our staff at the Ticket Desk (Ground floor) can help you purchase tickets onsite if needed.
When you visit, you can ask one of our Visitor Assistants for a printed large print guide for our exhibitions. Alternatively, you can download a digital guide in PDF format directly on your phone via the links below.
You can use the museum's free Wi-Fi during your visit by setting up a free account.
Delve into the fantastical world of Tim Burton in this major exhibition exploring his remarkable creations and key collaborations with designers.
Location: Floor G
Download a sensory map for The World of Tim Burton exhibition.
Upcoming events
Join us for a group tour of highlights of the exhibition Splash! A Century of Swimming and Style for D/deaf visitors who use British Sign Language and their companions, facilitated by Edward Richards.
Join us for an audio-described sensory tour of highlights of the exhibition 'Splash! A Century of Swimming and Style' for blind and visually impaired visitors and their companions.
What's on each floor?
All areas of the Design Museum are accessible by lift.
Entrance to the museum and its High Street shop are at street level. All exhibitions and shops are wheelchair accessible.
There are four lifts serving all floors of the building (-2, -1, G, M, 1 & 2).
Lift 1: Situated by the Security desk on the Ground Floor.
Lifts 2 & 3: Situated in the Atrium on the Ground Floor, next to the museum's Atrium shop.
Lift 4: Staff-only lift located on the Ground Floor.
For access to: Gallery 2 (step-free), the Bakala Auditorium (step-free).
Facilities available on this floor: lifts and accessible toilet (right-hand transfer).
For access to: Gallery 2 (via stairs), public reading area, lockers, and the Bakala Auditorium (via stairs).
Facilities available on this floor: lifts, male and female toilets, accessible toilet (left-hand transfer), and baby changing facilities.
Please note: Step-free access to Gallery 2 and the Bakala Auditorium is available via level -2. Please take the lift to level -2 or ask a member of staff for assistance.
For access to: Gallery 1 (level access), Atrium displays (free, temporary), general seating areas, the Design Cafe, and our Atrium shop.
Facilities available on this floor: lifts, accessible toilet (left-hand transfer), and baby changing facilities.
For access to: Mezzanine display (free, temporary) and a general seating area.
Facilities available on this floor: lifts.
For access to: Balcony display (free, temporary), Common Room (open to the public on weekends).
The following rooms are used for pre-booked activities and events and are not otherwise accessible to the public: Creative Workshop, Swarovski Learning Corridor, Ulm & Bauhaus Rooms, Design Studio and the Library & Archives.
For access to: Designer Maker User (free, permanent collection display), Crowdsourced wall, Climate Clock, Future Observatory free display, Helene & Johannes Huth Gallery (free, temporary exhibition).
The following rooms are used for pre-booked activities and events and are not otherwise accessible to the public: Researchers in Residence Studio, Chumsri & Luqman Lounge, and the Design Kitchen.
Facilities available on this floor: lifts, unisex toilets, and accessible toilet (right-hand transfer).
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