VISITING THE SHOW

Helping our visitors to feel comfortable

 

Where everyone belongs

We are serious about ensuring everyone feels welcomed at the Museums + Heritage Show and are committed to assisting those who have specific requirements. We appreciate that large events can be an overwhelming experience for some people and we hope that this information can help you to plan and prepare for your visit.

At Museums + Heritage Show everyone belongs. We cultivate a culture of inclusion at all our event, where the very things that make each of us unique are celebrated. Our exhibitors, attendees, partners and event colleagues are people from a wide variety of backgrounds, who make our shows stronger and our collective experience richer.

We hope that the below information answers your questions but if have any specific requirements or concerns please do not hesitate to email event director, Anna Preedy 

The Venue

Partnering with a world-class venue such as Olympia means that it offers a broad range of services for those with mobility issues. 

More detailed information about Olympia and general visitor accessibility can be viewed on their website, here.

AccessAble also provide a useful summary of help and assistance on offer at Olympia.

Travelling to the Show

We strongly recommend that you travel to the event by public transport or taxi as parking is currently severely restricted due to the ongoing redevelopment works in and around Olympia.  However, if you need to bring your own vehicle please refer to the parking information provided here and note that pre-booking is essential.

For travel by public transport, we refer you to Olympia’s own guide on travelling to the Show.

Arriving at the Show

The Museums + Heritage Show takes place on the First Floor of Olympia West which has a ramp in the entrance foyer and lifts to the First Floor.

Olympia is undergoing a redevelopment programme which means that there are ongoing building works around the site as well as one-way traffic management systems in place. 

The redevelopment of Olympia is due to complete in 2025/2026 and will result in state-of-the-art facilities. In the meantime we and the venue are working hard to minimise the impact of the work.

A picture showing a road with traffic cones and hoardings on the approach to entrance of Olympia West.

The approach to Olympia West which is the brown building behind the Stop sign.

The entrance to the Show at Olympia West, currently obscured from the road by hoardings due to building work.

The Event

The Museums + Heritage Show takes place in one, large, exhibition hall which means that the ambient noise levels can be quite loud which may be a struggle for some people.

Due to the nature of the event unfortunately we are unable to provide a dedicated quiet space.

What does the Museums + Heritage Show look like?

You may find looking at our gallery of photos from last year’s event helpful. It will give a you a sense of what to expect when you visit this year’s event.

Catering

A temporary cafe will be in operation but we encourage our visitors to bring your own refreshments too, if you would like.  t will help avoid the need to queue at busy times and will save you some money! There is water fountain within the Show and you are welcome to fill your water bottle if you bring one with you.

Toilets

Located on the same level as the event, the toilet facilities include unisex toilets, and are clearly sign posted. They also marked on the floorplan which is included in your free guide.

Theatres and talks

This year, we are introducing earpiece for anyone wishing to attend the programme of talks.  You will be given your own earpiece and will simply plug into the transmitter on your seat. This solution should help improve sound quality for our audience by reducing the interference of background noise from the rest of the event. There will be clear instructions in each theatre as well as Museums + Heritage Show staff on-hand to assist.  

Please note that a few seats will be reserved at the front for anyone with special requirements and equipment compatible with hearing aids will also be available. Please speak to one of our theatre assistants who will be happy to help you.

All sessions are recorded and will be shared after the event with subtitles.

Seats at the front will be reserved for anyone with accessibility requirements. If you would like to discuss this further please email our event director, Anna Preedy [email protected] 

First aid

Qualified first aid staff are available at all events.

Assistance animals

The wellbeing and comfort of our visitors is incredibly important to us. Therefore personal support animals are welcome at the Museums + Heritage Show. 

Please be aware that welfare facilities for support animals are not available onsite and all owners will be fully responsible for the actions of their animal, which will need to be kept under control and on a lead or harness or in a pet carrier.

Manual wheelchair loan

Wheelchairs are available on loan for use at Olympia London, on receipt of a refundable security deposit. We recommend that wheelchairs are booked in advance by submitting an enquiry to Olympia here. Your wheelchair can then be made ready for you on arrival at the venue.