Overview

The Barbican Conservatory is part of the large entertainment complex. It has tropical plants and a fish pond. The plants and the brutalist architecture makes it an unique and accessible space. There is seating dotted about, so it makes it a very welcoming place to come and relax. This review is for the temporary art installation by Ranjani Shettar in the Barbican Conservatory. The exhibition is only on until Sunday 28 January 2024. However, most of the access information about the Conservatory will continue to be relevant once the art installation has closed.

Transport & Parking

The nearest tube is Barbican but it is not step free. Nearest step free tube station is Farringdon. Several buses pass close by on Aldersgate Street. From there it is a 5 - 10 minute level walk to the main entrance on Silk Street.

Access

The main entrance is on Silk Street, which has automatic doors. From there it is step free access via lifts. Please be aware as you walk round that a few of the plants are are hanging down quite low, see photo. The conservatory is on 2 levels. For the current exhibition the main entrance is at the Conservatory Terrace on level 3. There are internal stairs with handrails connecting the 2 levels. Step free access is available by exiting the conservatory, taking the lift down to level 3. However, the doors at level 3 are closed. Therefore, you need to ask a member of staff to open the door on level 3 for you if you require step free access. It would be helpful if the Barbican publicised this more so disabled people know that there is step free access to both floors of the conservatory, and how that is arranged. CONSERVATORY TERRACE (LEVEL 4) The double doors were open and a member of staff was checking tickets. From this level you can look down from viewing platforms and terrace into the main conservatory floor. The views are impressive. Just by the entrance there is a wide terrace with free standing sofas and chairs, with back support and arm rests, which provides a lovely place to sit and rest. In some places there are corridors connecting connecting different parts of the conservatory. At various points there are staircases, with handrails on both sides, leading down to the main conservatory floor. At the furthest point is a room with a selection of cacti. It would have been helpful if there had been a couple of chairs there as by then it felt a long way back to the seating area. CONSERVATORY (LEVEL 3) There is a step free entrance which is signposted. It is through an automatic double door which leads outside, down a gentle slope, which has a single, central handrail. There is a further sign at the bottom of the slope so you know you are at the right place. However, the door is closed. It is a manual fire exit door, so can only be opened from inside. There is no bell or any way of letting someone know that you want entry. I was lucky as I had been accompanied by a member of staff from Level 4 but otherwise I would have had to retrace my steps and sought assistance. Once inside there is a large area with seating, some free standing chairs, with back support and arm rests, and a wall bench, with just back support. On this level there are a few different paths most are step free. However, in a couple of places there are some steps up to small viewing platforms, as well as stairs up to the Conservatory Terrace level. On exiting I did not see a member of staff, so I let myself out of the fire door exit and closed the door behind me.

Toilets

On this visit I did not use the toilets. There are accessible toilets and also located within the Barbican's Beech Street Cinema complex is a changing places toilet.

Staff

Staff were amazing. When I arrived at the conservatory, the member of staff told me to come back to her if I wanted to use the step free access to the conservatory area on level 3. When I was ready to go there, another member of staff was on. They quickly arranged cover, as they were checking the tickets at the entrance, and escorted me down to level 3 and let me in. Both members of staff were so friendly, helpful, engaging and dealt with my access request immediately. Excellent service, thank you both so much.

Anything else you wish to tell us?

The Barbican Conservatory makes wonderful, relaxing day out. It's a mini Kew Gardens, with a central London location. Highly recommend it and well worth checking out their art gallery, concert hall, cinema and restaurants when you plan your visit.

Photos