Accessibility at Quentin Blake Centre for Illustration
Get in touch
Please let us know if you have any questions in advance of your visit or if you need help while you are at the Centre. Our staff are trained to support all our visitors.
If you have any questions or suggestions, please get in touch:
- Phone: +44 (0)20 8150 7100
- Email: access@qbcentre.org.uk
Planning your visit
- The Centre has two entrances, at Myddelton Passage and Amwell Street. Please consider which is most suitable for your needs when planning your visit.
- Amwell Street is on an uphill slope when heading North towards the Amwell Street entrance.
- The Amwell Street Gates are closed to pedestrians until 27 June – The Myddelton Passage entrance and accessible parking will still be available.
Taxis or private hire vehicles should be directed to the Myddelton Passage Entrance with the postcode EC1R 1AG. The distance between the drop-off point and the Welcome Desk is approximately 500m.
Visitors using pre-booked accessible parking should come to the Amwell Street Gate with the postcode EC1R 1XU. The furthest distance between accessible parking and the Welcome Desk is 500m.
The closest station is Angel, which is approx. 7 minutes away. Angel Station does not have step-free access.
The closest stations with step-free access to the Centre are:
- King’s Cross St Pancras: approx. 25 minutes on foot or 10-15 minutes by taxi
- Farringdon station: approx. 20 minutes on foot or 5-10 minutes by taxi
Our nearest bus stops are:
- Hardwick Street (19, 38, 341): approx. 6 minutes walk
- Pentonville Road/Chapel Market (30, 73, 205, 214, 476): approx. 10 minutes walk
For more information please visit TfL’s webpage on accessibility.(opens in new window)
You can find more information on how to get to the Centre here.
We ask that cyclists dismount as they pass through the site. Bikes cannot be brought into the building.
Outdoor bike racks are available near Myddelton Gate and Amwell Gate. Please bring your own bike lock. We store a small number of bike locks that can be borrowed on request, but we cannot guarantee availability.
There are three accessible parking spaces, accessible via the Amwell Street Gate. Please email access@qbcentre.org.uk at least one day in advance to reserve a space and arrange access or telephone +44 (0)20 8150 7100. We will email you to confirm your space.
The Centre is in the London Borough of Islington. Blue Badge parking information is available from Islington Council’s website.(opens in new window) Please note that the Centre is located within the Congestion Zone.
What to expect when you visit
A visual story to help you prepare for your visit will be added to this webpage before we open. If you would like to be notified when this is available, please email access@qbcentre.org.uk.
We welcome guide dogs, hearing dogs and assistance dogs within the Galleries and Library.
All other animals are very welcome to visit the outdoor spaces, cafe and shop. We ask that all animals are always:
- Kept on a lead.
- Kept in your care and control.
All bathrooms at the Centre are gender-neutral, including:
- Four standard toilets
- One ambulant toilet
- One accessible toilet, suitable for wheelchair users
- One Changing Places Toilet
Facilities are also available for visitors who need continence support during their visit - please speak to a member of staff if you need assistance.
Discover all Changing Places available in the area here(opens in new window).
Baby feeding is welcome across the Centre but we ask that you do not bring food into the galleries and Library. If you need a quiet place to feed your child, please ask at the Welcome Desk for access to the Quiet Space.
Baby changing facilities are available in the standard toilets and the wheelchair accessible toilet.
There is space to park your buggy near the bike racks with a limited number of bicycle locks available from the Welcome Desk. Bags may be left in the lockers.
Getting around the Centre
Step-free access is available throughout the building with a lift available in the Engine House.
Sometimes visitors need to queue while waiting for an event or for gallery access. If you have access needs that make queueing difficult, please speak to a member of staff.
- Seating with arms is available in all gallery spaces
- Soft seating with arms is available in the library
- Portable step stools are available in the galleries and the library
- Outdoor seating is available
Wheelchairs and mobility scooters are welcome throughout the Centre. Please ask us if you need to use a charging point.
We have two manual wheelchairs available to borrow. Please email access@qbcentre.org.uk or call 078409 68277 to reserve in advance or ask at the Welcome Desk for availability.
- A small number of lockers are available next to the toilets.
- Please note that bags larger than a typical backpack (45x30x20cm) are not permitted in the Coal Stores Gallery, Engine House galleries, or Library for safety reasons. Backpacks must be worn on the front in exhibition spaces.
- There is a water dispenser in the café.
- Food and drink are available to purchase in the café. You are also welcome to eat your own food in the café space.
Exhibition interpretation
In the galleries and Library, you can find:
- Magnifying sheets
- Large print guides
- Plain English guides
- Tactile reproductions of key works on display
Audio description tours will be available on our website before opening.
Please note that gallery lighting is kept low (50 lux) to protect the works on paper in our collection.
Induction loop equipment is available at the Welcome Desk and Café counter.
In the galleries, you can find:
- BSL interpretation (available digitally via our website to access on your own device, or you can borrow a device in the gallery)
- Subtitles and transcripts for all video content
In the galleries and Library, you can find:
- Tactile versions of some objects
- Sensory toys and weighted blankets available in the Library
All video content is tested to ensure it does not contain photosensitive epilepsy triggers.
Please note that galleries are kept at 18-22 degrees Celsius and lighting is kept low (50 lux) - both are necessary to protect the artworks on display.
A Quiet Space can be found next to the Creative Studio.
More detailed accessibility information, including a sensory map, will be available in advance of our opening. If you would like to receive this information, please email access@qbcentre.org.uk.
Relaxed Openings will be available to book in advance of our opening and advertised on our What’s On page. These sessions are designed to create a low-pressure environment for visitors who benefit from reduced crowds, adjusted sensory conditions, or additional time.
If you would like to be notified when Relaxed Openings are available to book, please sign up to our newsletter.
Each exhibition will carry content guidance where relevant.
Guidance may be given where content includes depictions or descriptions of nudity, sex, violence, discrimination, drug use, dangerous behaviour, self-harm, injury, health conditions, and/or swearing or discriminatory language.
Please contact us if you need any further information at access@qbcentre.org.uk.