Science Museum

The Science Museum is home to award-winning exhibitions, iconic objects and stories of incredible scientific achievement. The Museum’s interactive galleries bring science to life, where you can see lightning strike before your eyes, play with forces on giant slides or travel through space under a canopy of stars.

You can explore the free galleries of the Science Museum, by walking beneath real rockets in Exploring Space; visiting the largest medical galleries in the world in Medicine: The Wellcome Galleries; diving into the role of mathematics in our lives in Mathematics: The Winton Gallery; or discovering some of the most iconic items that have shaped our society in Making the Modern World, from the Apollo 10 capsule module to Crick and Watson’s DNA model. 

Budding scientists can be amazed by live science shows and enjoy demonstrations led by a talented team of Explainers in Wonderlab, while teenagers can discover an interactive world of STEM careers in Technicians: The David Sainsbury Gallery. 

Plus, you can immerse yourself in the hands-on gaming experience Power Up, watch a 3D documentary on a screen taller than four double-decker buses in IMAX: The Ronson Theatre, visit the museum after-hours during adults-only Lates, or spend the night at the museum for Astronights, enchanting children sleepovers.

ACCESSIBILITY

Getting around the museum

Lifts

The majority of lifts in the museum are wheelchair accessible, have audio announcements and Braille labelling on the buttons. Please refer to the museum map or ask a member of staff for locations.

Changing places toilet

Changing Places Toilet is equipped with hoist, changing bench and centrally located toilet between the Energy Hall and Exploring Space gallery. The toilet is accessible with a RADAR key. If you have forgotten your key please ask a member of staff for access.

Accessible toilets

Accessible toilets are available on all levels of the museum and on all levels of the Wellcome Wing. Please refer to the museum map or ask a member of staff for locations.

Accessible baby changing facilities

Accessible baby changing facilities are available in the following areas:

Level -1: access via Lift D

Level 0, next to the Exploring Space gallery. 

Level 2, between Mathematics: The Winton Gallery and Information Age

We offer male and female toilets throughout the museum, in addition to all-gender toilets, which are available in the following areas:

Level 3, behind the Wonderlab ticket desk 

Level 1, next to the Exploring Medicine Gallery

Borrow a wheelchair or folding stool

A limited number of wheelchairs are available.

You can book a manual wheelchair in advance by calling 033 0058 0058. You can also borrow a wheelchair or folding stool on the day by asking a member of staff at the Information Desk.

Guide and assistant animals

Working guide and assistance animals are welcome at the museum. 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.

Acccessible resources

Hearing Loops

Hearing loops are fitted at all ticket and information desks. They can also be found in the Hans Rausing Lecture Theatre on Level 0 and in the show space of Wonderlab on Level 3. 

Hearing loops are incorporated into most audio exhibits. Please note hearing loops are not working in the Information Age Story Boxes. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.

British Sign Language, Subtitles and Transcripts

British Sign Language (BSL) interpretation is incorporated into selected films. It is also a primary communication method within the Exchange network zone of the Information Age gallery.

Many gallery-based films have subtitles, and some in Information Age and Medicine: The Wellcome Galleries have transcripts available digitally. You can download these where you see links.

Large Print Books

Large print books are available across a number of galleries and temporary exhibitions.

You can pick up a large print book in Information Age, Mathematics: The Winton Gallery, Medicine: The Wellcome Galleries and Science City 1550–1800: The Linbury Gallery.

You can also download from our website ahead of a visit or in galleries where you see the download information. The Science Museum offers free WiFi if you wish to download the texts during your visit.

Tactile Maps

A Tactile Map of the Museum is available at the Information Desk in Energy Hall, level 0. Tactile Maps are also available for Information Age and Medicine Galleries.

Audio Eyes App

For Medicine: The Wellcome Galleries and Information Age, audio description can be accessed through the Audio Eyes app, free to download for iOS. It provides audio-only descriptions for key objects and tactile displays and enables you to roam freely through the gallery.

AudioEyes handsets are currently unavailable.

HOW TO REACH

You can get to the Science Museum by Tube, bus, bike and car.

Tube – The South Kensington station, running on the District, Circle and Piccadilly lines, is approximately a five-minute walk from the Museum. Gloucester Road Station running on the District, Circle and Piccadilly lines, is within 14 minutes’ walk from the Museum. Please note that there is very limited step-free access across these stations. The nearest step free station is Earl’s Court station, which is within a 25-minute walk from the museum.

Buses – The South Kensington Underground Station serving bus routes 14, 49, 70, 74, 345, 360, 414, 430 and C1, which are all close to the Science Museum.
Bus routes 9, 10, 52, 452 and 70 stop outside the Royal Albert Hall on Kensington Gore.

Bike – Santander Cycle docking stations are available on Exhibition Road, just outside the V&A South Kensington and the National History Museum (next door to the Science Museum), and on Thurloe Place near South Kensington Tube station.

Car and parking – There is pay and display car parking near the Museum on Prince Consort Road and Queen’s Gate. Please note that visitor parking is not available on Exhibition Road and local parking sites are also very limited. There are a few accessible parking spaces available on Exhibition Road. Blue badge holders can park in these spaces for four hours between 8.30am and 6.30pm. Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea have more information about parking near the museum.

ADMISSION

Entry to the museum is free, but pre-booking is required.

Charges apply for Wonderlab, Power Up, movies at IMAX: The Ronson Theatre and some special exhibitions and events. Family discounts and concessions are also available.

All visitors are required to pre-book a free ticket to the Science Museum for their visit. You can book these tickets online. If you’re unable to book via the website, you can do so by calling the Science Museum Contact Centre on 033 0058 0058 or emailing them at info@ScienceMuseumGroup.ac.uk.