Getting here

We are on the 2nd floor so if you have buggies you will need to use the lifts to get to us.

At present there is no step free access from street level to the Ground Floor of the Old Town Hall whilst we wait for Richmond Council to repair the lift at the Disabled Entrance. This means you will need to climb 6 steps from street level to the ground floor of the Old Town Hall. There is then a lift from the ground floor to the 2nd floor.

We apologise for the inconvenience while we wait for the Council to carry out these repairs. The Museum is unable to do anything about this, as we an independent charity and are tenants in the Old Town Hall. If this means you are unable to visit the Museum, you can make a complaint to the Council here: https://richmond.gov.uk/make_a_complaint 

We have created a Visual Story and Sensory Map to help our visitors find us, as well as helping our Neurodivergent visitors know what to expect when they visit. You can download them by clicking on the icons below. There are two routes, depending on if you would rather avoid using the stairs, or if you would rather avoid using the lift.

Toilets in the Old Town Hall

– There are 2 public toilets in the Old Town Hall
– One is by the Disabled Entrance on Whittaker Avenue. This is the Accessible Toilet.
– The other toilet is on the 1st floor, by the stairs up to the Museum.
– Richmond Council is responsible for the maintenance of these toilets, as they own the Old Town Hall. The Museum is an independent charity that rents the museum space from them. If you find the toilet in an unacceptable condition, you can make a complaint to the Council here: https://richmond.gov.uk/make_a_complaint 

Baby Changing in the Old Town Hall

– On the door to the Accessible toilet it says there are baby changing facilities.
– There are no baby changing in this toilet, even though it says so on the door.
– In the Museum, we have a Little Visitor Toilet kit which you can use in the toilet on the 1st Floor, as we understand that the Baby Changing facilities are far from ideal.
– We have a changing mat and supply of wipes you can use in the Museum’s work room. We do not have any nappy bins, so please take the soiled nappy home with you – thank you!
– We also have stools for toddlers to use in the public toilet, as well as ear defenders and kitchen roll for those who get overwhelmed by noisy hand driers.

Things to do when you are here

There are lots of hands on activities to try:
– Help us rebuild Richmond Palace using our Lego table
– Find out how heavy a medieval chain mail hood was
– Dress up like a Victorian child
– Explore our book corner and discover more about the past
– Have a go at some FREE crafts on our Get Crafty table that change every month
– Explore the Museum with Lizzie and Harry, and discover new stories about Richmond with our FREE trails that change every month

So you can explore in comfort, we can store scooters, coats and bags in our cupboard by the Museum’s shop. Buggies can be taken around the Museum, but you can also leave them outside if you wish (if you do so, it is at your own risk and they mustn’t block any doors or corridors).

During the school holidays,  you can take part in one our our family workshops and activities! Spend some quality time together learning about the history of Richmond and getting creative. Click here to find out more and book

Happy to help

Please don’t eat or drink in the galleries – unless it is a much needed biscuit or glug of water! This helps us to keep the Museum free of pests which might damage the collection.

We are a Re-Fill Station!
Just ask at Reception and we will refill your water bottle for you.

We are Breastfeeding Friendly!
We are part of the The Breastfeeding Network’s Breastfeeding Friendly Scheme. There are chairs around the Museum which you are more than welcome to use and if you need anything like a glass of water, please let us know.

You are also more than welcome to use our FREE WiFi to share your visit on social media! You will find the login details at Reception.
Please remember to tag the Museum in your posts:
Facebook.com/museumofrichmond
Twitter: @museumrichmond
Instagram: @museumofrichmond

Making a day of it

We don’t have a cafe or lunch space at the Museum, but there are lots of places to eat nearby in Richmond.

Bring a picnic with you and watch the hustle and bustle of the Riverside, or head to Richmond Green so you can have a can run around and play.

Follow this link for Trip Advisor’s suggestions for family friendly places to eat, or you can try the Visit Richmond website. You could also ask our volunteer at Reception for their recommendations or directions to your family’s favourite places to eat.

Visit West London Wonders to discover 10 more family friendly museums, historic houses and galleries to explore in West London.