Overview

The Imperial War Museum London tells the stories of every day people's experiences of war and conflict. There are permanent galleries as well as temporary exhibitions. It's an important collection, powerful, thought provoking and sometimes deeply upsetting subject matter. We went to see the Refugees Forced to Flee exhibition which is due to close 13/06/2021. In 2020, a changing places toilet was opened in the museum and my review is focusing on that and general covid precautions. Overall the museum has very good access. I regret to say I was deeply disappointed and upset with some aspects of their disabled access when I visited and I have submitted a complaint, which I will put a copy of in Additional Information section. Also we did not feel covid confident.

Transport & Parking

The Imperial War Museum London is near to Lambeth North, Elephant and Castle and Waterloo Tube Stations, none of which are step free. The nearest train station is Waterloo which does have step free access. There are a few buses that stop close by to the museum. We travelled on the bus number 59 from Euston Station. We exited at Kennington Road/ Imperial War Museum stop. From there we entered Geraldine Mary Harmsworth Park, see photo, in whose grounds the museum is located.

Access

Before I visited, I wanted to contact IWM to double check that with covid precautions you were still offering fold up stools. On their Accessibly at IWM London webpage their contact link took me to their contact media sales page. This was confusing but as I had been directed to the page, I completed the form. I got a reply a couple of days later with the access information I’d requested. It would be helpful and less confusing if the accessibility paged linked to a customer service contact page. The museum has step free access to all floors. The main front entrance has steps, sorry I can't comment on them as we didn't see or use them. The West entrance is the step free entrance, If you are standing at the front of the museum make for the right hand side of the museum and the step free entrance is just after the cafe terrace. We arrived from the Kennington Road side, which brought us directly on to the West entrance side. We followed the path round, see photos. When you come to the drive way, it is drop down kerb and tactile paving. However, if you continue along the pavement there is no drop down kerb to exit by the museum. If you go on the road instead there are some speed bumps to navigate but it will bring you directly to the West step free entrance. On arriving at the West entrance the door was open and there was a security guard. There were some wheelchairs for hire here. We went along a bright orange painted corridor with hand rails both side. This corridor led to the main gallery on level 0. You come out directly opposite the entrance to the First World War gallery. The information desk is also there. From this level there is step free access by lift to all floors. There is seating on Levels 0, 2, 3, and 5. The seating I saw during my visit were bench styled seating with no back support. Fold up stools are available from the information desk at Level 0. We came specifically to see the Refugees Forced to Flee exhibition. In the second room I could see that there was no social distancing in the third room. I left I did not feel covid confident. I did not feel safe. I think like there is time admission into the main museum, there should also be timed admission into the individual galleries, to ensure numbers can be regulated. After that we decided to not to visit any more of the galleries. We were very surprised to find that there was only indoor seating in the café and the outdoor terrace was closed, especially given the importance of good ventilation, we would have hoped to have seen this open. As there was no outdoor seating we left.

Toilets

There are several accessible toilet and in 2020, the museum installed a changing places toilet. There are wheelchair symbols for the accessible toilets but there is no signage for the changing places toilet apart from on its door. The changing places toilet is next to the men's toilet on level 0. A radar key is needed to open the door. On the day I visited the staff did not know where the radar key was. There is an accessible toilet, sink, bench, hoist, free standing screen, grab rails. The emergency cord hangs loose but does not reach the floor. There instructions for the hoist were on a laminated card sitting on top of one of the bins. It would be more helpful if this was on a wall in large print. THERE WAS NO SOAP OR EVEN A SOAP DISPENSER. This made me feel very upset. We are in the middle of a pandemic and there has been so much emphasis on hands, face, space. It appears not to apply for disabled visitors at the IWM. On exiting the changing places door didn’t lock behind me. I had to use my key to secure it. The IWM London’s press statement when the changing places toilet was opened it quotes Laura Crean, Assistant Director, Strategy and Governance, said: “We are delighted to be opening a brand new Changing Places toilet at IWM London. This new facility will ensure that we have adequate, clean and safe facilities for all of IWM London’s visitors and will therefore substantially improve the visitor experience to our museum. IWM is committed to removing and reducing barriers to make IWM open to everyone, whether those barriers are cultural, social, attitudinal, physical or educational. Installing a Changing Places toilet at IWM London is one step forward to reducing those barriers.” Having a changing places toilet is not enough in itself. On the day I visited unless a disabled person had their own radar key they would not have been able to get in and use the facility. There is no point having a changing places toilet, if staff don't have access to a radar key and disabled people are prevented from gaining admission. It then just becomes lip service, a box ticket, but without any genuine commitment to ensuring our dignity, independence or safety. Organisations need to advertise their changing places toilets, they are a real asset, it will bring in more visitors, clear signage will make it easier for disabled people to locate it, staff need accessibility training and be able to locate radar key(s) promptly so disabled people can quickly assess toileting facilities safely that meet their access needs. Going to the effort of installing a changing places toilet, and no one thinking of including a soap dispenser, shows a lack of thought, and now given the hands, face, space messages of covid is negligent. I’ve checked the changing place’s website map and the IWM London’s toilet does not feature on the map, which raises the question whether or not it has been registered and details submitted.

Staff

I spoke to several members of staff during our visit. Each one was very helpful and approachable. However there were a couple of issues. The member of staff on the information desk at Level 0 couldn't tell me where the changing places toilet was. They told me that they didn't know what a changing places toilet was and when I asked if I needed a key to open it, they told me they didn't know. However, they were very helpful and phoned for information. They came back to me very quickly to explained that the Sunday staff didn’t know where the radar key was but if I needed extra space I could use the First Aid Room. When I went back to the member of staff after my visit to the changing places toilet to inform them that there was no soap in the toilet, they said that they would arrange for some to be put in the toilet. The member of staff was very helpful but there is an organisational issue here about staff having accessibility awareness training. It is totally unacceptable that staff did not know where the radar key was when I visited. Some disabled people who require an accessible or changing places toilet have bowel or bladder impairment, if staff are unable to provide a radar key this may lead to individuals soiling themselves, which is very distressing, or having to use toilet facilities that do not meet their needs and are possibly unsafe for us to use. I raised the lack of social distancing with staff, they listened to my concerns and they went to check. We did not go back into the galleries so I don't know what the outcome was.

Anything else you wish to tell us?

I had planned to visit the Curiosities of War gallery, as on their website there is a picture of the "Dayton Manumotive Invalid Chair", which I wanted to see. However, after the lack of social distancing in the first gallery we visited, we decided to cut our visit short. As a disabled person who uses a mobility aid, I feel that the exhibit is in the wrong location. Disabled people’s mobility aids are not an object of curiosity, like some Victorian freak show, they are something that enables us to get around safely. 1 in 5 people in the UK are disabled, we form the largest minority. So often our history has been hidden away or told by abled-bodied people. While it’s a very personal view about the location of the "Dayton Manumotive Invalid Chair", I would welcome the IWM engaging with its disabled staff, visitors and disabled people’s organisations to re-visit how and who narrates disability history across the sites of the IWM. COVID PRECAUTIONS There is timed entry admission to limit visitor numbers. However, in the one gallery we visited social distancing was not being maintained. I think the galleries should also have timed admissions to better manage the flow of visitors. The outside space of the cafe was closed. This should be open. We visited on a hot sunny day so there was not an issue about the weather making this space unsuitable to use. As someone who shielded for over a year I feel very upset that social distancing is not better managed at the IWM. The gallery which was over crowded and not maintaining social distancing was an internal room with poor ventilation. I have not shielded and tried to protect myself to then put myself in a situation where visitors and staff are potentially put at risk. I felt unsafe. Not only will I not be going back to the IWM London while we still have a pandemic, but I have now lost confidence to try to visit other museums or galleries. I will stick to a couple of places I feel safe in, as I don't want to risk another situation like the one I had today. COMPLAINT Here is the complaint that I have submitted to the IWM London I visited the IWM London on 06/06/20201. I want to make formal complaint about you disabled access. (1) Before I visited, using your Accessibly at IWM London webpage your contact link too me to your contact media sales page. It would be helpful if the link on the website could be changed to your customer services contact page to avoid confusion. (2) At your Information Desk on Level 0 staff were unaware of what and where your Changing Rooms toilet was. They phoned and I was informed the Sunday staff didn’t know where the radar key was but if I needed extra space I could use the First Aid Room. (3) There is no changing room signage apart from on the toilet door. Better signage would be appreciated. (4) No soap or soap dispenser in changing places toilet. This made me feel very upset. We are in the middle of a pandemic and there has been so much emphasis on hands, face, space. It appears not to apply for disabled visitors at the IWM. (5) No social distancing in third room of Refugees Forced to Flee exhibition so I left. (6) Outside terrace of your café closed, given importance of ventilation we were very surprised. (7) On website the Dayton Manumotive Invalid Chair is in the Curiosities of War gallery. Disabled people’s mobility aids are not an object of curiosity, like some Victorian freak show, they are something that enables us to get around safely. Possibly should be re-located. I'm Euan's Guide's London ambassador and will be writing a disabled access review. I look forward to hearing from you. regarding the complaint. Thank you. If you've got to the end of my very long review thank you for reading it. I've tried in the review to explain why I feel this way and tried to offer possible suggestions to improve the situation. When I get my reply to my complaint I will share it on Euan's Guide. I hope the changing places photos will be helpful. I am still feeling a mixture of upset/ tearfulness and anger about today's visits, several hours later. Today's visit has been memorable for all the wrong reasons.

Photos