Accessibility Guide for The Hepworth Wakefield

Travel by public transport

You can get to The Hepworth Wakefield by bus and train.

The gallery is on the FreeCityBus route operated Monday – Friday between 10.08am & 3.08pm, and Saturday between 8.30am & 5pm. The service does not run on Sundays. The bus route includes Wakefield Westgate and Kirkgate train stations, Wakefield bus station, Ridings Shopping Centre, Trinity Walk and other city centre drop offs and is every 10 minutes. The Hepworth Wakefield bus stop is adjacent to the Wakefield Waterfront on A61 Barnsley Road and the gallery. All journeys on the bus are free of charge and each FreeCityBus is accessible and can carry one wheelchair at a time. Wakefield bus station is located on Union Street, Wakefield WF1 3AG. The nearest train station is Wakefield Kirkgate . The train station is 0.3 miles / 0.5 km from The Hepworth Wakefield.

The gallery is 0.3 miles from Wakefield Kirkgate train station (approximately 8 minutes walk)
and 1 mile from Westgate train station (approximately 20 minutes walk).

For train timetable information and tickets visit our travel partner Grand Central or National Rail and Northern Railway

Parking

We have a car park. There are accessible parking spaces. Parking is not free.

There is a drop-off point at the main entrance. The drop-off point has a dropped kerb.

From the car park to the entrance, there is level access. There is a permanent ramp.

The route is 200mm wide, or more.

Path to main entrance

From the street to the main entrance, there is level access.

Main entrance

The main entrance has level access.

Visual Impairment - General Information

We have contrast markings on all glass doors.

Some parts of the venue have low lighting.

Lift

We have 1 lift.

You can get a lift to all floors.

Ticket/ information desk

Welcome Desk

From the main entrance to the desk, there is level access. The desk has a low section.

Things to See and Do

We have a concessionary rate for disabled visitors.

We have a complimentary ticket policy for personal assistants.

We have display information in: large print.

Foyer

From the main entrance to this area, there is level access. Some display information is low, for wheelchair users. There are seats.

There is a hearing loop.

Videos have subtitles.

The Welcome Desk is a short distance from the main entrance and is medium height. Part of the desk is lower level for easy access to wheelchair users. There is an induction loop. Lighting levels are bright.

The main public toilets are on the ground floor to the right hand side of the Welcome Desk at the rear of the foyer. This area of public toilets includes standard toilets plus accessible facilities and a baby change area.

The gallery has a Changing Places toilet that is located within the gallery’s Clore Learning Studios on the ground floor, an area of the building used primarily by families and schools. The facility has a height adjustable adult sized changing bench, a tracking hoist system and adequate space in the changing area for the person with additional needs and up to two carers.

Public toilet

There is a public toilet for disabled visitors.

From the main entrance to the public toilet, there is level access.

Gallery Spaces

From the main entrance to this area, there is level access. There is a lift.

There are ten interlinked gallery spaces on the first floor; all gallery spaces have level access and double doors. There is an accessible toilet in Gallery 6.

Artworks have wall mounted labels next to each work in 16 point text along with introductory text panels in each gallery space in 58 point text size.

Gallery spaces have sculptures displayed on large low level and high level plinths. Extra care should be taken when manoeuvring around these.

Gallery 4 presents objects, photographs and tools from Hepworth’s studio in glass cabinets with drawers at 70cm high. Large print versions of the text panels are available.

Café

From the main entrance to this area, there is level access.

The café is located on the ground floor and has level access from the foyer or via its own entrance from the café terrace at the end of the pedestrian bridge. From the foyer, the café can be accessed through double glass doors that are locked open. From the outside, the café can be accessed by a single width automatic door. There is room for a wheelchair user to manoeuvre around the café and furniture is not fixed. There is an induction loop in the café. Due to cornoavirus restrictions, the cafe is not currently serving food and drink. Visitors are welcome to use the cafe seating area to consume their own food and drink, or use the area to eat street food which can be purchased from vendors located in the Hepworth Wakefield Garden.

Shop

From the main entrance to this area, there is level access.

The shop is located to the left of the main entrance and has level access. The doors are locked open. There is room for a wheelchair user to manoeuvre. Some merchandise may be out of reach for wheelchair users but staff members are on hand to help.

Accessibility equipment

We provide wheelchairs. Wheelchairs are free.

We have a hearing loop in Welcome Desk, Café and in our Auditorium.

Large print guides 

For a list of more items, please go to https://hepworthwakefield.org/your-visit/access/.

Emergency evacuation procedures

We have emergency evacuation procedures for disabled visitors.

Refuge point in gallery 3 and gallery 6 fire exits. Evac chairs available in gallery 3 and gallery 6 fire exits. 

Customer care support

All staff have disability awareness training.

We have information in audio and large print.

Visitor information in audio format is available on our website - https://hepworthwakefield.org/your-visit/access/ 

We have other services for people with accessibility requirements.

The gallery has a Changing Places toilet that is located within the gallery’s Clore Learning Studios on the ground floor, an area of the building used primarily by families and schools. The facility has a height adjustable adult sized changing bench, a tracking hoist system and adequate space in the changing area for the person with additional needs and up to two carers.

There are three accessible toilets throughout the building, one on the ground floor, one in Gallery 6 and another in the Learning Studios.  All accessible toilets have a functional emergency alarm, coat hooks and wall mounted rails.