National Portrait Gallery | Visitor Information

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General Access Information
	Arriving Access to the Gallery for wheelchair users is via the Orange Street ramp entrance and the Gift shop entrance, on St Martin's Place. The Heinz Archive and Library entrance is at the National Portrait Gallery's administrative offices located on Orange Street opposite the ramp.		Lifts The Gift shop lift is located inside the gift shop entrance, to the left of the main entrance on St Martin's Place. It provides access to the Gift shop, Bookshop Gallery and Portrait Café. Inside the St Martin's Place entrance a lift provides access to most areas of the Ondaatje Wing including the Ondaatje Wing Theatre and ground floor. The lifts near the Orange Street entrance provide access to the first and second floor galleries and The Portrait Restaurant. A separate lift is also available from the ground floor providing access to the IT Gallery only.
	Wheelchairs Manual wheelchairs can be provided for visitors with mobility difficulties. To book a wheelchair in advance of your visit contact 020 7306 0055 ext 116.
	Toilets There are four unisex toilets, which are accessible to wheelchair users: Ground floor Orange Street entrance. Lower ground floor adjacent to the Ondaatje Wing Theatre. Basement Bookshop Gallery, via the Gift shop Top floor adjacent to Portrait Restaurant, via Orange Street lifts.		A public telephone is located next to the toilets on the ground floor adjacent to the the Orange Street entrance.
			A rest area is available as a baby changing facility adjacent to the Ondaatje Wing Theatre.
Emergency evacuation. If you have particular needs in the event of emergency evacuation, please inform the Information Desk on arrival.
Getting to the National Portrait Gallery - Access information for people with disabilities
By underground The nearest underground stations to the Gallery are: Charing Cross 230 metres, Leicester Square 195 metres, and Embankment 490 metres. Please note these stations do not have a lift.
By bus Contact TRIPSCOPE for transport advice on 08457 585641.
By rail Charing Cross station 320 metres from the St Martin's Place entrance.
By car, taxi or Dial-a-Ride Set down and pick up at the ramp entrance in Orange Street, which is reached via Haymarket. The ramp provides direct access to the Contemporary Collection and to temporary exhibitions held in the Wolfson and Porter Galleries. There are no car parking facilities at the Gallery. Five public parking spaces for orange/blue badge holders are located in St Martin's Street opposite the National Gallery's Sainsbury Wing. A public car park is located on the corner of Whitcomb Street and Orange Street. The car park is approximately 195 metres from the Orange Street entrance to the Gallery. To discuss parking arrangements please contact the car park staff directly on 02078395858. Please note there are height restrictions for tall vehicles.
Access in the Gallery
	Large print versions of captions for a large number of the portraits are available at the Information Desk. Large print captions are also available for the temporary exhibitions. Please ask at the Information Desk.		Guided tours are available for partially sighted visitors. Maximum group size 10. For further information please contact the Education Department on 020 7312 2483.
	Magnifying glasses are available from the Information Desk in the main hall.		Visualising portraits Picture descriptions and workshops for partially sighted and blind visitors. Please contact the Education Department for details.
	Descriptive folders with tactile images are available throughout the Gallery and from the Information Desk in the main hall.		Sound Guides are available from the Sound Guide desk free of charge. They contain recordings about portraits in the Gallery's collections, including a selection of portraits with descriptive recordings.
	Neck loops are available for hard of hearing visitors to access the Sound Guide. These are available free of charge at the Information Desk.		Induction loops operate in the Ondaatje Wing Theatre, the Information Desk and main hall. Portable induction loops for hearing impaired visitors are situated at all information desks; Heinz Archive and Library, Orange Street reception, cloakroom, Portrait Café, shops and IT Gallery.
	Guide, hearing and assistance dogs are permitted in all areas of the Gallery.		British Sign Language interpreted talks Tours for adults are available each month. Please see our website or events leaflet for more details.
	Sign language A number of Front of House staff are trained to use basic sign language. Please ask at the Information Desk, as they are not always in the Gallery.
Further Information
The Ondaatje Wing Theatre can accommodate five manual wheelchairs or up to three electric wheelchairs. Please contact the Education Department in advance on 020 7312 2483 if you would like to reserve a space for a talk or event.		The Portrait Café is located on the basement floor. Open during Gallery hours. Closes 30 minutes before the Gallery. The Portrait Restaurant is located on the third floor. Open during Gallery hours. Closes one hour before the Gallery except on Thursday and Friday when it closes at 10pm, last orders 8.30pm. Booking advisable 0207 312 2490
The IT Gallery is located on the ground floor mezzanine. The Woodward Portrait Explorer allows visitors to explore over 40,500 portraits in the Gallery's Primary, Photographic and Archive Collections simply by using one of our ten touch screens. All images can be explored in detail using the magnification facility.		Gift shops are located on the ground floor at the St Martin's Street entrance and at the Orange Street entrance. The Bookshop is located in the basement. All are open during Gallery hours.

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National Portrait Gallery, St Martin's Place, London WC2H 0HE. Tel: 020 7306 0055