Gallery accessibility

We have a range of facilities to help you make the most out of your visit. We’ll do everything we can to make sure your experience of The Courtauld is enjoyable, comfortable, and memorable. If you have any questions prior to your visit, please do contact the Visitor Experience team on galleryinfo@courtauld.ac.uk who will be happy to be help.

We are proud to be working with AccessAble who have created a full access guide for The Courtauld gallery. We hope this helps you plan your visit and we look forward to seeing you soon.

Getting to the Gallery

The nearest tube/train station to The Courtauld with step free access is Charing Cross Station. Visit StepFreeLondon for more information on other step free tube and train stations nearby. In addition to this, the nearest Changing Places facilities are located in Victoria Embankment Gardens, just down from Charing Cross Station.

The Strand Aldwych project has been completed to pedestrianise the area outside of Somerset House to ensure accessibility and safety for the 14 million people who visit each year. The area has been fully flattened to ensure safe wheelchair access, as well as wider footways, new crossings and more green spaces.

If you’re travelling by taxi and need access as close as possible to The Courtauld you may enter via Surrey Street and take a left towards The Courtauld. Or follow Aldwych around and enter via The Strand via the east. The bollards will lower once the vehicle reaches them in which you can drive up to The Courtauld.

See map below.

Surrey St – Google Maps

The entrance to Somerset House, where The Courtauld Gallery is housed, is step free with ramp access. As you enter the Somerset House through the arches, The Courtauld Gallery entrance is located on the right, where access through the gallery entrance is also step free.

Our closest Disabled Badge parking spaces;

Wellington Street WC2E 7BB (159.85 METERS). For visiting via the Strand Entrance or New Wing Entrance.
Temple Place WC2R 2PH (266.53 METERS). For visiting the Embankment Entrance.

For more Disabled Badge parking nearby please visit

https://www.westminster.gov.uk/parking/disabled-parking/where-you-can-park-disabled-badge

For more information about how to get to Somerset House, please visit somersethouse.org.uk/accessibility

Getting around the Gallery

There are 5 steps from the Entrance Hall to the main lift, which goes to all other floors in the gallery. There is a small platform lift nearby in the Ticket Hall for those who cannot use the steps.

There is the gallery lift which is accessible to wheelchair users and it provides access to all levels, including all galleries, as well as locker facilities, toilets and The Courtauld Shop which are all located on the lower ground floor.

The lift also provides access to the unisex accessible toilet, located on the lower ground floor. The toilet has a functional emergency alarm, coat hook and wall-mounted rails.

If our lift is out of service, we will add a message to our website to inform visitors.  Should this be the case, please note we have alternative lift provision. This does not serve level 1 and therefore the Medieval gallery and The Gilbert and Ildiko Butler Drawings Gallery are not accessible if the main gallery lift is out of service. If you have access needs, when you book your ticket, you will be asked if you would like to receive an e-mail informing you of any accessibility issues on the day of your visit.

For step free access to the Art Café, visitors can enter via The Courtauld Institute reception doors, which is located next to the entrance to the Art Café. A member of The Courtauld team will be able to guide you to the Art Café via a separate access door.

For visitors who may require additional mobility assistance, The Courtauld Gallery has three wheelchairs available to borrow for the duration of your visit (subject to availability). We have one Walker walking aid with seat/wheels onsite (subject to availability).

You don’t need to book these in advance — simply speak to a member of staff at the Ticket Desk upon arrival.

Folding portable stools are available to visitors. Fixed seating is also available around the Gallery and in the foyer of The Courtauld building.

Additional assistance

We have a number of lightweight hand-held magnifying glasses available to borrow for the duration of your visit, if required. Please speak to a member of staff at the Ticket Desk and hand back when leaving the Gallery.

Large prints for any of our temporary exhibitions are available on request from our Ticket Desk. Please speak to a member of staff and please hand then back when finished.

Working guide and assistance animals are welcome at the gallery. They should be appropriately trained, supervised and kept with you at all times, ideally on a leash. Where possible, dog owners should bring their Assistance Dogs UK (ADUK) 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 to discuss your request with us.

Hearing Loops are installed at our ticket office, shop and Art Café.

We have four sets of adjustable ear defenders at our Ticket Desk, available to borrow for the duration of your visit. Please do ask a member of staff for support.

Toilets

We have one accessible toilet which is located on the Lower Ground Floor.