Overview

The R.A.F. Museum has an impressive display of aircraft from 1914 to the present day. The planes are the original vehicles and are enormous, they are not scaled down models, and are really spectacular. The museum is on a large site and there are 6 large hangers (buildings) to explore. The site is very accessible, step free and there are plenty of accessible toilets including a Changing Places toilet. It's welcoming and family friendly. Plenty to see during your day out.

Transport & Parking

I went by public transport. Looking at the museum's website I found the advice on their "How to Reach Us" page provided a lot of information about travelling by tube and train, but there was no information step free routes to the museum. I found out later that this information is on their website. If you look at the "accessibility" page and scroll down their is a section entitled "Information for wheelchair users" and from there is a link to "guide for wheelchair users" and this explains that the nearest step free tube is Hendon central and from there which bus to take. This guide has lots of useful information about access which is useful for any person with a mobility impairment or for people visiting with pushchairs. I travelled by Thameslink, as I am avoiding using the underground since covid. At King's Cross the lift was out of order. I exited at Mill Hill Broadway thinking it was like West Hampstead, (my mistake) only to find when I arrived I had to walk down and through a tunnel. Then there were a few more steps up to the exit and then steps down, which bring you out into a covered area with bus stops. from here I got the 303 (an accessible single decker bus) to the museum. The bus stops directly outside the pedestrian entrance, and is just across the opposite side of the road for the return journey.

Access

Disabled access is very impressive. The site is step free. However, it is very large. There is the option when you arrive at Hanger 1 of borrowing a manual wheelchair or a mobility scooter. The pedestrian entrance was adjacent to the bus stop. The gate was open and there was a level broad, firm path to Hanger 1 where all visitors start from. On the left was a plane and an information panel. However there was no signage or map to tell you which part of the museum you had arrived at. There was a problem with lack of signage or maps throughout the museum. On the website I had found a map which was dated June 2018 and the Changing Places toilet was not marked on it. The entrance and exit to Hanger 1 had automatic doors. There was a counter for a bag search and another counter where I was asked if I had pre-booked my visit. This hanger as well as housing part of the museum has a cafe space which is open at weekends, and there were plenty of freestanding tables and chairs. The shop is also located here. When I arrived I wanted to make for the Hendon Kitchen cafe and to visit Hanger 2 which has the First World War planes. I was directed to walk through the museum and shop and out into a path which would take me there. The museum grounds are large and on the flat. Everything was very accessible, nice broad paths both inside the galleries and outside. However, I would appreciate some benches with back support and arms along the outside paths due to the distance and spread out nature of the site, with its 6 hangers, and also some more seating inside the Hangers. The Hendon Kitchen cafe has push button doors. It is self service with a long counter. There are free standing tables and chairs both inside and out. As a clinically vulnerable person I really appreciated the size of the outside dining space. I spent most of my time in Hanger 2. The entrance door was open when I arrived. The lift in Hanger 2 was out of order, so I was unable to go upstairs. However, generally across the museum most exhibits are on the ground floor. There are also 2 quite rooms. I saw the one in Hanger 1, see picture. The room is small and consisted on 1 chair and a few bean bags. The door is not locked and it is available for anyone who needs a quiet space during their visit.

Toilets

Each of the Hangers has an accessible toilet. When I arrived in Hanger 1 I found 2 adjacent accessible toilets. In Hanger 2 there is a very spacious Changing Places toilet. The Changing Places toilet requires a RADAR key, which you can pick up at Hanger 1 or staff also have RADAR keys. The other accessible toilets are not locked. I visited the Changing Places toilet and 3 of the accessible toilets and I found all the toilets extremely clean and tidy. They had plenty of grab rails and emergency cord. Although one of the toilets was quite cramped due to there being 3 large bins in the room, which would make it difficult for wheelchair users to manoeuvre.

Staff

Staff were welcoming and friendly as well as being very helpful. In the cafe a member of staff offered to carry my tray outside for me. In Hanger 2 the member of staff I spoke to was extremely knowledgeable about the history when I asked a couple of questions. Part of my visit was to attend the museum's Access Advisory Group meeting, which I have recently joined. The staff involved were very friendly, engaging and supportive. Some of the meeting was to discuss future exhibitions from an access perspective and I found the staff very receptive to the group's feedback and suggestions.

Anything else you wish to tell us?

The museum is fascinating and has a lots of interesting things to see in its collection. It is free to visit, very accessible and is very family friendly. Also the museum has recently been accredited as a Dementia Friendly Venue. The site is large so you many want to visit a couple of the Hangers and return another day to complete it. They also have special exhibitions, so it's a nice place to return to. I would definitely recommend a visit and I am looking forward to going back.

Photos