The National Gallery
Trafalgar Square, London · Last verified Oct 2026
Step-free at every entrance, with lifts throughout, two Changing Places toilets, hearing loops at the information desks and free general admission.
All entrances to the National Gallery have step-free access. Everyone, ticket holders and Members included, comes in through the Sainsbury Wing, and the lifts throughout the building are marked on the floorplan. General admission is free, some exhibitions are charged, and a free companion ticket can be booked with each access exhibition ticket.
Accessible toilets are spread across the building: on floors -1, 0 and 1 of the Sainsbury Wing, two in Annenberg Court on Floor 0, one in the Roden Centre for Creative Learning and one between Muriel's Cafe and Ochre restaurant. There are two Changing Places toilets, on Floor 0 of the Roden Centre and Floor 0 of the Sainsbury Wing, each with a hoist, screen and shower and opened with a radar key that staff can provide.
Seating is provided in the rooms with paintings on Level 2, near the Getty Entrance and in the cafés, and folding stools can be picked up around the Gallery. Hearing loops are fitted at all information desks. Large print label guides sit beneath the signage in the picture rooms, audio descriptions and British Sign Language descriptions are free online, and some talks have live speech-to-text transcription or audio description.
For the journey, the nearest step-free rail station is Charing Cross, about 200 metres away. The closest step-free Underground stations are Westminster and Tottenham Court Road.
What the measurements mean
The main entrance is step-free. Accessible parking is available on site or immediately adjacent.
There is an accessible toilet.
The nearest step-free station is Charing Cross, about 200 m away.
Sensory and communication support includes hearing loop, audio guide and captioning.
A companion or carer is admitted free. Assistance animals are welcome. Seating and rest points are available along the route. Booking ahead is advisable to secure accessible entry.
What to expect
- The Sainsbury Wing is the main entrance for all visitors and is step-free. If queuing is difficult, tell any member of staff.
- Manual wheelchairs and a rollator can be booked ahead by phone, and a few are kept at the Sainsbury Wing and Getty entrances for use on the day.
- One Blue Badge space on Orange Street, behind the Gallery, must be booked 48 hours ahead.
Getting there step-free
Full accessibility profile
Every attribute below is recorded against the same protocol, so figures are comparable between places. Values are marked Measured or Estimate, and the sources are listed above.Entrance & arrival
Elevators & lifts
Accessible restroom
Getting there
Sensory & communication
Policies & assistance
Practical tips
- Booking a free general admission ticket in advance is recommended and gives faster entry.
- Five more Blue Badge spaces are nearby on St Martin's Street. The Orange Street space is on the public street, so another badge holder may already be using it.
- Service, assistance and emotional support animals are welcome, and water bowls are kept at each entry desk.
- A visual story shows what to expect before you arrive.
Practical facilities
Compiled from the venue’s own published accessibility information, not measured by us. Confirm anything critical before you travel.
- Disabled admission
- Free for disabled visitors
- Companion free
- Proof required: none
General admission is free for all visitors. Some exhibitions are charged, and a free companion ticket can be booked with each access exhibition ticket.
- Accessible toilets
- Count not published
- Changing Places facility
- Floors -1, 0 and 1 of the Sainsbury Wing; two in Annenberg Court on Floor 0; one in the Roden Centre for Creative Learning on Floor 0; one on Floor 0 between Muriel's Cafe and Ochre restaurant.
Changing Places toilets are on Floor 0 of the Roden Centre for Creative Learning and Floor 0 of the Sainsbury Wing; a radar key is needed, available from staff.
- Assistance you can book
- No fixed notice period published
- Contact: +44 (0)20 7747 2885 (Monday to Sunday, 10 am to 5 pm)
Visitors with access requirements that make queueing difficult can speak to any member of staff.
- Arrival & parking
- Drop-off: Not published.
- Accessible parking: One designated space on Orange Street, booked 48 hours in advance by phone; five more spaces nearby in St Martin's Street.
All entrances have step-free access; the Sainsbury Wing is the main entrance.
Sources: The National Gallery: Access (retrieved October 2, 2026)
The National Gallery: common accessibility questions
Is the National Gallery in London wheelchair accessible?
Yes. All entrances are step-free, lifts serve the whole building, and accessible toilets are found near every entrance. Wheelchairs and a rollator can be reserved by phone or borrowed on the day while available.
Does the National Gallery have a Changing Places toilet?
It has two, on Floor 0 of the Sainsbury Wing and Floor 0 of the Roden Centre for Creative Learning. Each has a toilet, sink, hoist, screen and shower. A radar key is needed, and staff will lend one.
Which step-free station is closest to the National Gallery?
Charing Cross rail station is step-free and about 200 metres away. On the Underground, the nearest step-free stations are Westminster and Tottenham Court Road.