Find Out More About The Art Fund Project Kids Aloud
In Summer 2024 over 20 museums and galleries ran events or drop-in timeslots especially for families to explore galleries when children could be as loud and energetic as they liked. Read more.
Thinking About Toilets
I feel uncomfortable occupying disability-access toilets when I don’t have a disability, but what if there is nowhere else to change a nappy? This became acutely relevant when we visited a busy museum recently. There was a queue for the easy access toilet and we were positioned near the front while two wheelchair users waited behind us. I thought their need might be greater than ours but more potently I felt their claim was more legitimate. Even though Lily’s nappy was beginning to leak (and I was close to leaking too). I felt an embarrassed need to explain myself and allow others to use the bathroom ahead of us. There were numerous obstacles which made the ladies and gents inaccessible to us and our fellow queuers. The ‘main’ toilets were a flight of stairs away with no lift to get us there and no changing tables if we did. The next problem was one of capacity. I couldn’t fit myself and Lily in her pram into a traditionally-sized cubicle. Faced with the dilemma to either leave the baby outside unattended or pee with the door open I had a choice between the undignified and the unsafe. An unexpected feature of having a baby is that I have begun to need public facilities which I had previously thought of as reserved for wheelchair users and people with physical disabilities. I am lucky in my physical health, but my physical and practical needs are different now. In this instance the need for a disabled access toilet (complete with changing table, no stairs and room for a pram) was quite urgent and the alternatives were pretty slim.
The Great North Museum Hancock
The Great North Museum in Newcastle upon Tyne provides free emergency nappies and sanitary products. What a fabulous way to support babies in museums. They also have a free children’s gallery with games, sensory spaces to explore and comfy beanbags. Ideal for babies and their parents.
A Special “Thank you” to The William Morris Gallery, Walthamstow
The first museum I have visited which offers free emergency supplies of nappies, wipes, sanitary products and even spare baby and toddler clothes! What a fabulous way to support younger visitors and their families! Thank you!
Spending a Penny
The Great British Public Toilet Map is the perfect resource for finding the nearest public toilet while you are out. You might need to go yourself, you might need to change a nappy, either way you can filter your search to look only for bathrooms with baby changing facilities, or disable access facilities. Directions are provided from your current location. A little piece of genius which is particularly helpful if you are traveling with babies or young children, if you are pregnant or if you have recently given birth.
London Underground – Travel with a pram
First of all I would recommend never travelling during rush hour, which in London means 7.30am – 9am and 4pm – 8pm. Travel by public transport at these times with a pram would be highly uncomfortable at best and near impossible at the busiest stations.
At all other times this is probably the quickest and cheapest way the get around. This excellent level access tube map shows all of the underground stations with step free access. There are a lot more step-free stations than I had expected and even if the one you want isn’t accessible there is usually at least one step-free station somewhere in easy walking distance.
I was pleasantly surprised to find how straightforward and accessible it was to take a boat on the Thames with Lily in her buggy. We travelled from Tower Bridge Pier to Westminster.
There are ramps from the street right up to and across the doorway of the clipper boats so no lifting was required. Once on board there was space at the front of the clipper for Lily in her pram. The Thames Clipper cost £7 if you pay with your Oyster Card or contactless credit or debit card. There was no charge for Lily. This was a nice little cultural visit, and there are step free tube stations at both Tower Hill and Westminster.
How do museums welcome and include babies?
Manchester Museums and The Museum of London are leading the way in making museums and cultural spaces inclusive towards babies and the under 5s. Here is an excellent report compiled by the Museum of London exploring how babies respond to a museum setting, why it is beneficial for very young children and how other museums could improve their offer.
Museums WANT to be visited by the communities they serve – and that includes very young children.
Baby Feeding at the Museum of London Docklands
Thank you for offering designated (and super comfy) seating for baby-feeding. Available for those breast or bottle feeding their babies in the Museum Cafe. I have never seen this in a museum setting before and it is a brilliant way to welcome young visitors and their parents. Well done!!
Babies in Museums 