Accessible National Portrait Gallery London
Accessibility :
Step-Free Access at all Entrances,
Wheelchair Accessible Throughout,
Wheelchair Accessible Lifts between Floors,
Wheelchair Accessible Toilets,
Changing Places Toilet,
Wheelchair Accessible Cafe & Restaurant
More....
For details of other wheelchair accessible attractions, accessible events, and wheelchair-friendly eating and drinking options throughout the UK, see The Access Map
Accessible National Portrait Gallery in London
The general collection at the National Portrait Gallery in London is free to everyone.
There is a charge for some exhibitions though (but disabled guests are eligible for a reduced concessionary rate for special exhibitions at the National Portrait Gallery – and carers are admitted free-of-charge too).
All entrances to the National Portrait Gallery in London have step-free access; and all levels of the Gallery are connected by wheelchair accessible lifts.
A free floor guide/map is available from the main Information Desk on Level 0, showing the location of all accessible lifts and toilets (large-print maps, and tactile maps, are also available).
Accessible Parking at the National Portrait Gallery in London
The National Portrait Gallery has no parking facilities of its own.
The nearest enclosed public parking facility is 190 metres away, at Q-Park Leicester Square on the corner of Orange Street / Whitcomb Street. There are 3 accessible parking spaces here (however, parking here is NOT free for Blue Badge holders).
There are also a very limited number of on-street Blue Badge parking spaces on nearby streets.
Taxis can drop you near to the main entrance of the National Portrait Gallery on Ross Place/Charing Cross Road.
Getting to the National Portrait Gallery in London using Public Transport
Tube (Underground):
The nearest Tube stations which are completely step-free can be found at either Green Park (Piccadilly & Jubilee Lines) or Westminster (District, Circle & Jubilee Lines). The route from Green Park is a lot more level though (the route from Westminster tube station also involves an 800m trundle along Whitehall too though – and it is slightly uphill – but you can also take buses 12, 24, 88 or 453 from Westminster, or even a taxi along Whitehall instead if the distance is too far for you – all London taxis are equipped with a retractable wheelchair ramp).
Bus:
A number of different buses run past, or near, the National Portrait Gallery. And all buses in central London are wheelchair accessible – and are equipped with a retractable ramp (automatically controlled by the bus driver).
I definitely recommend that you use the official TfL Journey Planner to find the best route for yourself.
Taxi:
By far the easiest way to arrive at the National Portrait Gallery in a wheelchair, and by using public transport, is in one of London’s famous black cabs (taxis). It’s also the most expensive way to reach the National Portrait Gallery (but is so worth it in my opinion).
All London taxis are equipped with a retractable ramp.
My recommendation though:
Travel to the National Portrait Gallery on foot/by wheelchair!
The National Portrait Gallery is just one of the stops on the circular London West End DIY Walking Tour (it runs in a circuit between Buckingham Palace > Green Park > Piccadilly Circus > Leicester Square > National Portrait Gallery > Trafalgar Square (and the National Gallery) > Whitehall > Downing Street > Houses of Parliament (and Big Ben) > Westminster Abbey > St.James’s Park, and finally returning to Buckingham Palace again.
And, because it’s a circular route, you can start/finish at any point along the route – and still see everything.
You could dash around the whole circuit in under 2 hours, but I’d leave a whole day to cover this DIY walking route – as there are just so many places to visit/stop and look at.
Accessible Entrance to the National Portrait Gallery in London
All entrances to the National Portrait Gallery in London have step-free access.
Please note though, following refurbishment, the main entrance to the National Portrait Gallery in London is now at the front of the building on Ross Place (near the statue of Sir Henry Irving). The group entrance is on St.Martin’s Place though.
Accessible Toilets at the National Portrait Gallery in London
There are wheelchair accessible toilets throughout the National Portrait Gallery in London, including a Changing Places toilet (Floor -2). Make sure to pick up a free floor guide/map from the main Information Desk on Level 0, as this map shows the location of all accessible toilets (including the location of the Changing Places toilet).
Accessible Cafe/Restaurant at the National Portrait Gallery in London
The Audrey Green Café on Level -1 (the Audrey Green Café can also be accessed directly from the street on St Martin’s Place);
Larry’s Café Bar (Level -3). Larry’s also features live jazz on Wednesday and Saturday evenings;
And the rooftop Portrait Restaurant by Richard Corrigan (Level 4). The food and service here is sensational.
This accessibility information has been verified using various trusted information sources (disclaimer).
More....
For details of other accessible visitor attractions, accessible events, and accessible eating and drinking options, see The Access Map
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Thank you – and enjoy your accessible visit to London!
Header Image: The new main entrance of the National Portrait Gallery in London (by No Swan So Fine, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons).
