Access

Find access and facilities information for the Whitworth here, to help you plan your visit.

Our staff are here to ensure you enjoy your visit to the Whitworth’s collection and exhibitions. Access information about the gallery can be found below.

Inside the gallery

Once inside the gallery, there is step-free access to all areas. The flooring varies throughout. Assistance Dogs are welcome in the gallery.

The entrance to the Grand Hall, Mezzanine and both Lower Ground Floor spaces is by lift.

There is seating with arms throughout the gallery. The lighting levels can often be low due to the vulnerable nature of our collections.


There is large print information about exhibitions available in the galleries.

There are coin-operated lockers on the Lower Ground Floor.

Toilets

• Accessible toilets – there are accessible toilets in the Whitworth Shop on the Ground Floor, and in two places on the Lower Ground Floor
• Gender neutral toilets – there are gender neutral toilets in two places on the Lower Ground Floor. The toilets in the Whitworth Shop are split into male and female

Please see the Whitworth Map or ask a member of our Visitor Team for directions.

We do not currently have a Changing Places Toilet facility on site – however, fully equipped Changing Places Toilets are available at Manchester Museum (0.5 miles) and the Stopford Building (0.3miles) as part of The University of Manchester.

Opening times and locations for the nearest facilities can be found at changing-places.org/find.

Available for use

The following are available for public use at the gallery:

Wheelchairs Wheeled walkers Light, handheld portable stools Ear defenders

Please ask at either our Oxford Road or Parkside Reception.

Seasonal temperature variations

Please be aware that our gallery spaces may feel cooler in winter and warmer than the temperature outside in summer. This is because the gallery uses a conservation heating approach to regulate relative humidity. If temperature variations can cause you any issues, please be mindful of this when visiting the gallery during these seasons.

Assistive listening

Our Grand Hall, which hosts conferences, talks and workshops, is fitted with hearing loops.[para > bold] Quieter timesOur quieter hours at the gallery are normally after 3pm on Tuesday to Friday and from 10am-11am on a Sunday.

Disabled parking

Denmark Road is directly adjacent to the gallery and has step-free access to both our Parkside and Oxford Road entrances.

Parkside entrance:

• There are three disabled bays designated to the gallery that are directly beside our park entrance on Denmark Road
• A short, step-free path leads from our park gates to the Parkside entrance to the gallery

Oxford Road entrance:

• There are two additional disabled bays further along Denmark Road, towards Oxford Road
• From here, you can enter through our main gates and up the shallow gradient ramps to our automatic doors, which open inwards

There are additional spaces for car or coach drop off along Denmark Road, as well as double yellow line areas, which can be used by Blue Badge holders.

If you need any assistance when arriving, please contact our Visitor Team on 0161 275 7450 who will be happy to help.

Get in touch

Our internal Access Group meets regularly to review and improve our visitor offer. If you have any questions, or would like to share feedback about your experience at the gallery, please call us on 0161 275 7450 or email whitworth@manchester.ac.uk.

We’d love to hear from you.