Overview

The Gallery of Modern Art (GoMA) is known far and wide, perhaps even more so for the installation outside. Just before the GoMA, you'll find a statue depicting the first Duke of Wellington, Arthur Wellesley upon his trusty steed, Copenhagen. The statue had maintained watch over Queen Street since 1844, largely undisturbed other than by gulls and pigeons until the early 80s when a traffic cone was placed upon his head, by a mythical intoxicated Glaswegian. This application of this unorthodox headgear is now recognised as Modern Art in its own right, considered a prime example of Glaswegian humour and the rebellious nature of the Scottish spirit. Duke or not, nobody gets away from the banter. It's for this reason that Banksy hosted his Cut and Run exhibition in Glasgow, as he considers it his favourite piece of art in the UK - Oh, and there's a museum next to it. The GoMa has four floors, with two accessible toilets, which require a RADAR key, and a lift to each floor.

Transport & Parking

The GoMA is bordered by several bus routes and is a short walk from both Buchanan Street Subway Station, Glasgow Central Railway Station, and Glasgow Queen Street Railway Station. The closest on-street parking is on Queen Street, accessed via Argyll Street, where there are many accessible parking spaces, although they tend to fill up quickly.

Access

The museum is fairly accessible, with ramped access at the front, automatic doors, level access throughout, and lifts to all floors. That said, there is a single lift, used by everyone, which can mean a bit of a delay on busier days. The buttons on the inside have an unusual design, which means you have to insert your finger into the panel to press the buttons. The lift buttons do not have Braille markings. I saw an induction loop at the reception desk at the entrance and in the gift shop, though I didn't see any elsewhere. I started from the top floor, where you'll find Gallery Four, as that just made sense. The gallery has a varied collection of items, with plenty of room for most mobility devices. This area has plenty of seats and wooden flooring throughout. Gallery Three hosted a celebration of a Scottish artist, Scott Mills, who also has collections in New York and London. One exhibit called Instruments stood out. There was a large console with mixing tables, large wires, lights, and loads of ambient noise. Interesting to encounter, but maybe a little much for those who find noise overwhelming. There's also a small sensory space for small children. This area had wooden flooring. On the Mezzanine level, the floor is carpeted, and there is a small drawing area. Gallery Two is a celebration of colour with portraits and paintings. There's a small community area, which featured a Zine – a small magazine – put together by people who had immigrated to the UK and spoke of how racism has affected their lives. Gallery One, which is on the first floor as you enter, featured an installation from artist John Akomfrah titled Mimesis: African Soldier to honour the Africans who fought, served, and died during the First World War. This was a large space with three screens, seats, and beanbags in a dark room. There were subtitles, but I didn't see a hearing loop. The basement floor holds a café and a library with 22 public-use computers, and both large-print and audio books. There are no Braille books, but these can be ordered for collection.

Toilets

This is the part I wasn’t looking forward to writing, as the museum is a great place to visit, but the accessibility of the accessible toilets is lacking. There are two accessible toilets, one on the top floor and another on the basement level. Top floor accessible toilet: The room is quite small, with limited space that makes it challenging to manoeuvre. The toilet has designated left-side transfer space, but this area is blocked by a wall-mounted baby change table, which is currently out of order. The toilet is white with grab rails on both sides and does not contrast with the rest of the room. The flush is located on the left when seated. There’s a small, low sink with a lever-style tap. The red emergency cord had an Euan’s Guide card on it, but it was tucked up high behind the baby change table, making it difficult to access while seated. Additionally, the cord’s placement, when it does hang freely, obstructs the transfer space, creating further accessibility challenges. There is also a wall-mounted hand dryer, a sanitary bin for nappies, and free period products. The door opens outward and has grab rails on both the inside and outside, though there are no tactile Braille markings for visually impaired users. The accessible toilet is conveniently located directly across from the lift. Basement-level accessible toilet: As with the upper toilet, the door opens outward and there is room for a left-side transfer. However, once again, there’s a nappy bin in the space, rendering it impossible to use. The room is large enough to accommodate a powerchair, but not large enough to turn around, and it’s unclear how someone would manage a safe transfer given the current setup. There’s a standard toilet with grab rails on both sides, which contrasts with the walls. The sink has a lever-style tap and contrasting grab rails on both sides. The emergency cord had a Euan’s Guide card on it, but the cord was wrapped around the card enough times to cut into it, in addition to being tied to a grab rail. The fact that both toilets are like this suggests they aren’t being checked enough, or worse, these issues aren’t even being noticed. I love the GoMA, but these are essential facilities, and not having them maintained presents a real danger for those using the toilets. The emergency cords are only worthwhile when they can actually be used.

Staff

The staff were pleasant and happy to provide assistance where needed.

Photos