Accessibility

The dotted line on the map above shows step free access across the site. The distance from East Gate to West Gate is approximately 372 metres (1,220 feet). If you are visiting between 10am–5pm and would like assistance, please ask a member of our team.

If you require support during your visit, you’re welcome to bring a companion, carer or personal assistant at no extra cost. This applies to all ticketed areas and events across the Old Royal Naval College.

There’s no need to provide proof of disability, but if you have any questions or would like to arrange access in advance, feel free to get in touch with our team at boxoffice@ornc.org or call 020 8269 4799.

Lift access to the Painted Hall is currently unavailable due to a technical fault.

Step-free route: Use the dotted line on the visitor map to reach the front entrance.

Steps: Once inside, there are 15 steps to the Lower Hall, 6 steps to the Upper Hall.

Baby changing and toilets are located next to the King William Undercroft.

Lift capacity (when operational): One wheelchair user plus companion or four standing passengers.

The Visitor Centre is fully accessible with level access on the ground floor and a lift to the mezzanine. Baby changing and accessible toilets are available here. Open daily, 10am–5pm.
Access is included with a General Admission ticket or £3 Discover Greenwich ticket.

Wheelchair access to the Chapel is via a lift on College Way. Please email drobson@ornc.org in advance so we can make sure someone is available to assist.

Note: The lift is not in use during services or recitals.

A Stairmate is also available for access into the Chapel.

Mobility scooters cannot use the lift, but a manual wheelchair is available – please email us to reserve it.

Alternative route: If you can’t use the spiral staircase (19 steps), staff can direct you to a separate entrance with just two steps.

Fully level access throughout, with an accessible toilet available.

Visitor Centre: Main toilets with level access, an accessible toilet and baby changing. Open daily, 10am–5pm. Access with a General Admission or £3 Discover Greenwich ticket.


Painted Hall (King William Undercroft): There is currently no step-free access due to a broken lift. Baby changing available. Open daily, 10am–5pm.


The Old Brewery: Accessible toilet available.


Queen Mary Undercroft (below the Chapel): Open daily, 10am–4pm (may close during events). Access via 19-step spiral staircase. If needed, speak to staff for an alternative route with two steps.

Cutty Sark to Visitor Centre - 98m
Greenwich Pier to Visitor Centre - 79m
Visitor Centre to Painted Hall - 245m
Painted Hall to Chapel accessible entrance - 152m
Painted Hall to Chapel - 48m
East Gate entrance to Painted Hall - 190m
Visitor Centre to Admiral’s House - 207m
Admiral's house to Painted Hall - 118m
West Gate entrance to Painted Hall - 177m
Romney Road entrance to Painted Hall - 170m

Car parking for blue badge holders is available in the Park Row car park, opposite the East Gate entrance.

For taxi drop-offs, we suggest either Park Row (nearer the East Gate) or King William Walk (nearer the West Gate). The East Gate entrance is usually slightly quieter than the West Gate entrance.

Manual wheelchairs are available to hire from the Tourist Information Centre in the Visitor Centre open 10am–5pm. These are allocated on a first come, first served basis. There is a deposit of £50 which is refunded when the wheelchair is returned. For further information you can contact us by calling 020 830 55235 or emailing tic@visitgreenwich.org.uk.

We’re committed to being an accessible and welcoming site for all neurodiverse visitors, including those with autism and dementia.

Many members of our Visitor Services team have received autism and dementia awareness training, including through the Alzheimer’s Society’s Dementia Friends initiative. First aid trained staff are on site daily between 10am–5pm.

If you’d benefit from a guide during your visit or assistance getting to the site from Cutty Sark DLR station please call 020 8269 4799 or email access@ornc.org.

To help you prepare for your visit, we’ve created a visual guide that walks you through what to expect at the Old Royal Naval College. It includes photos and step-by-step information about key areas on site, from arriving at the entrance to exploring the Painted Hall, Chapel and Visitor Centre.

This guide is especially helpful for autistic visitors, anyone with anxiety, or those who simply like to know what to expect in advance.

Our busiest times are usually in summer months, around 12–4pm. As we have a lot of outside space, the weather often has an impact on how busy the site feels. Lots of people will enjoy picnics in the grounds on a sunny day so it can be busier later into the evening. We are generally quieter before 12pm.

Our quietest months are November–February. We recommend that you check our website before your visit to see if there are any special events or closures. This will have an impact on how many people are around the site.

Visitors can explore the Old Royal Naval College in British Sign Language (BSL) through our virtual tour, which includes BSL interpretation throughout. Our Painted Hall multimedia guide is also available in BSL and can be accessed on site.

An audio description of the Old Royal Naval College and its historic buildings is available on SoundCloud. This recording can help you get a sense of the site before or during your visit.

There are hearing loops installed in the Visitor Centre and the Chapel. You will see signage in places where a hearing loop is installed. If applicable to your hearing aid, please switch it to the ‘T’ position in these locations.

Audio described tours are available for blind and partially-sighted visitors. These tours are led by staff and volunteers who have been trained in audio description by Vocaleyes.

The hand dryers in our toilets are quite noisy. Ear defenders are available to borrow from the Visitor Centre, Painted Hall and Chapel. These can be used outside of the buildings but must be returned by 5pm. Please ask at our welcome desk.

Guide dogs, hearing dogs and assistance dogs are welcome in all areas of the Old Royal Naval College including the Visitor Centre, Chapel and Painted Hall.

The Visitor Centre and Chapel are both brightly lit. Light levels in the Painted Hall have to be kept lower for conservation reasons.

There are benches located across the site. Seating areas are available in the Painted Hall and the King William Undercroft below.

Please note that lift to access the Painted Hall is currently out of order due to a technical fault. There are 7 steps to access the King William Undercroft, 20 steps to access the Lower Vestibule of the Painted Hall, 16 steps to access the Main Vestibule the Painted Hall and a further 7 steps to access the Upper Hall. You can also view areas of the Painted Hall online via our virtual tour.

We are committed making our site as accessible as possible for all visitors. Maintaining and repairing lifts in our historic buildings can, however, be challenging due to the nature of the repairs and the limited availability of parts for such specialist infrastructure.

We recognise that this can have an enormous impact for some visitors, and we appreciate your patience and understanding. If a lift is out of order, our team is on hand to help and find solutions so you can still enjoy your visit.