Venue Description

Located in the original workshop, the Museum celebrates the life and work of Gordon Russell and his Company over a period of sixty years in Broadway, Worcestershire. Its unique collection of furniture embraces a range of styles spanning this rich period of design: from the Arts and Crafts to '30s streamline Modernism; Utility Furniture to 1980s luxury post modernism. To complement this collection the Museum has an extensive archive of original drawings, notebooks, catalogues and correspondence, as well as access to the firm’s original reference library. Plane & Saw, the Museum's shop, features a wonderful collection of crafts, gifts and homeware, along with a well-stocked selection of arts and crafts and design-related books.

Accessibility

Gordon Russell Design Museum Accessibility Statement August 2020 This access statement does not contain personal opinions as to the Museum’s suitability for those with access needs, but aims to describe accurately the facilities and services that we offer all our guests/visitors. Located in the original workshop, the Museum celebrates the life and work of Gordon Russell and his Company over a period of sixty years in Broadway,Worcestershire. Its unique collection of furniture embraces a range of styles spanning this rich period of design: from the Arts and Crafts to ‘30s streamline Modernism; Utility Furniture to 1980s luxury postmodernism. To complement this collection the Museum has an extensive archive of original drawings, notebooks, catalogues and correspondence, as well as access to the firm’s original reference library. The Museum is located in Russell Square opposite the Co-Op supermarket. There is flat access to the Museum from the High Street. The Museum was opened in 2008 and is in a Grade II listed building, which used to be the drawing office and workshop of Gordon Russell Ltd. The displays are arranged over two floors, and there is a lift to the first floor. You should allow around an hour to look around the Museum. We have a Reception staffed by volunteers, who are also on hand to assist and provide further information regarding the works on display. There is a small shop in our reception area on the ground floor. The Museum is a registered charity (number 326446). We look forward to welcoming you. If you have any queries or require any assistance please telephone 01386 854695 or email info@gordonrusselldesignmuseum.org Pre-Arrival From 20 August 2020 our opening hours will be Thursday–Saturday from 11am–4pm via pre-booked tickets only. A group of up to six people can reserve an hour-long time slot for their visit via our ticketing website: https://gordon-russell-design-museum.arttickets.org.uk/gordon-russell- design-museum/2020-08-20-general-admission. For full details and maps of how to reach us please see the ‘plan your visit’ page on our website: www.gordonrusselldesignmuseum.org/visiting/. Journey planning websites such as Google Maps can also be used to plan your trip - our postcode is WR12 7AP. The nearest railway station is Honeybourne which is 8.3 miles from the Museum (an 18 minute journey by road). The station is fully accessible for wheelchair users and accessible taxis are available at the station or can be booked in advance. Broadway is covered by bus routes to and from Evesham, Stratford-upon- Avon and Cheltenham. For more information about these routes, please visit http://www.visit-broadway.co.uk/local-services/public-transport.php. Access from the High Street is level, either on paved walkways or tarmac roads. The Museum is accessible by bicycle and information about cycle routes can be found here: http://www.gps-routes.co.uk/routes/home.nsf/county- cycling/Worcestershire. Car Parking and Arrival There are blue badge holders’ spaces in the Budgens’ car park outside the Museum, and Budgens has said they are happy for Museum visitors who hold blue badges to use these. There are also two spaces in the Swan Inn car park and three spaces on the High Street, although the High Street spaces are limited to 60 minutes. There are three public car parks in Broadway, all of which have blue badge holders’ spaces, and further details, including charges, can be found here: http://www.visit-broadway.co.uk/local-services/car-parks.php The Museum entrance can be reached from Russell Square via a ramp or via four stone steps. The Museum entrance has a glass door which opens inwards. If opening the door is difficult there is a bell that can be rung on the right hand side of the door to call for assistance from reception.The door is 94cm wide. Main Entrance, Reception and Ticketing Area The museum reception and shop is immediately inside the front door. There is level access and the entry area is completely step free. There is no seating on the ground floor. The floor surface is wooden throughout the reception/shop. The area is evenly and well-lit with overhead lighting from angles LED lights. The reception desk is at a suitable height for wheelchairs and a hygiene screen has been installed at the desk to protect our staff and visitors. A pen and pad of paper can be provided at reception if needed. The Museum does not charge entry for carers. We welcome trained assistance dogs. A volunteer steward will be on hand to help explain the exhibits to visitors, although please note that due to the current government guidelines on social distancing our volunteers are not able to conduct personal tours of the museum at present. Touch-free hand sanitiser points have been installed inside the main entrance, beside the lift and at the entrance to the ground floor gallery, and frequently-touched surfaces will be cleaned regularly as part of our enhanced cleaning regime. Ground Floor Gallery The ground floor has level access through a glass door which is 99cm wide and there are stairs at each end of the building leading up to the first floor. The stairs have handrails but should not be climbed by visitors with mobility problems. A one-way system has been put into operation to ensure the Museum complies with Covid-19 safety guidance, but we understand that visitors with mobility issues will need to return to the shop area after viewing the ground floor gallery to use the lift. There is limited space for wheelchairs around the bottom of the stairs, but staff or volunteers will be happy to move objects from this area should visitors wish to look at them more closely. The Museum is looking at ways to improve this space and make it more accessible The ground floor gallery has a wooden floor. Furniture objects are on open display. To avoid possible transmission of coronavirus we regret that furniture on display is not able to be handled by visitors. All objects are captioned and information is displayed on panels on the walls. The gallery is lit with LED spotlights and uplighters. The staircase from the ground floor gallery to the first floor Music and sound are rarely used in the Museum except on a film playing on a wall-mounted screen and in occasional temporary exhibits. There are very few doors that are closed in the museum, except for those into our temporary exhibition galleries which are kept shut to control the environment. Staff or volunteer stewards can assist with opening these doors. There is a lift to the first floor from the shop area and the lift door is 86cm wide. A touch-free hand sanitiser dispenser has been installed adjacent to the lift. First Floor Gallery and Archive The first floor gallery can be accessed either via the stairs or the aforementioned lift. The door into the gallery is 99cm wide and the floor is carpeted throughout. There are a number of seats on the first floor. Furniture is on open display and there is a glass case displaying objects from the Archive. Information is displayed as photographs and captions, both freestanding on objects of furniture and mounted to the walls at varying heights. There is a television showing a film on a loop. The gallery is lit by LEDs and striplights. The Archive is located on the first floor. Furniture can be moved to accommodate those with particular access requirements. We regret that we are not currently taking appointments to undertake research in the archive, but if you have a research request you would like to discuss with us please e-mail info@gordonrusselldesignmuseum.org. Exiting the Museum A one-way system is is operation in the Museum at present and the exit is via a small lobby area adjacent to the Museum shop, through a door measuring 83cm wide. This leads past the entrance back onto the ramp down to pavement level. Public Toilets We do not have toilets available on site, but there are accessible toilets located close by in the short stay car park: https://www.visit- broadway.co.uk/local-services/broadway-high-street-car-park.php. Comments and suggestions If you have visited the Museum and you would like to make a comment or suggestion about how we can improve its accessibility, please let us know by contacting us via the details below. Contact Information Address: Gordon Russell Design Museum, 15 Russell Square, Broadway, Worcestershire WR12 7AP Telephone: 01386 854695 Email: info@gordonrusselldesignmuseum.org Website: www.gordonrusselldesignmuseum.org Grid Reference: SP095375 Hours of Operation: From 20 August 2020 our opening hours will be Thursday to Saturday, 11am-4pm by an hourly pre-booked ticket which admits up to six people. No other group will be admitted to the Museum at the same time. Tickets are available here: https://gordon-russell-design- museum.arttickets.org.uk/gordon-russell-design-museum/2020-08-20- general-admission The Museum closes for winter at 4pm on 19 December 2020, and re- opens on 4 February 2021.

Access Statement

Access Statement Link: https://www.gordonrusselldesignmuseum.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Access-Statement-August-2020.pdf

Awards List

Member of Cotswold Tourism

Toilets

Information about the toilets has not been added for this venue.

Staff

The Museum's Curator has led a tactile tour for partially sighted visitors in the past and we hope to train our volunteer guides in this soon, as the collection lends itself particularly well to being handled.