Western Australian Museum

Location: Perth Cultural Centre, James Street Mall, Perth

Summary:
This museum extends over several buildings and all public areas are accessible to people with physical disabilities.
The two restricted use platform lifts are locked for security reasons and assistance is required.
Printed information is written in an easy to read font with good colour contrast. Many display labels are printed in a large font.

Opening hours: Daily 9.30am to 5pm.

Cost: Free (except for some special exhibitions).

Telephone: 9427 2700

Web: www.museum.wa.gov.au

Closest accessible parking: All have lift access to the Cultural Centre precinct.
State Library Car Park (CPP) (7 bays)
Cultural Centre Car Park (CPP) (4 bays)
Citiplace Car Park (CPP) (5 bays)

Drop off bay: A Universal drop off bay is located on Francis Street opposite the library.

Closest public transport:
Blue CAT stop 7 on Beaufort Street
Perth Train Station

Accessible toilet: onsite

Retail on site: The Western Australian Museum Shop.

Food outlet on site: Old Gaol Cafe

Main Foyer Building
External access:
Main entrance: 11 steps and a ramp off the James Street Mall in the Cultural Centre pedestrian precint. The ramp is not well signed and is on the Beaufort Street side of the entrance. It is wide enough for all styles of wheelchairs, is a switchback style with a varying gradient, averaging 4.5° (1:13).

Rear entrance: A gentle slope from the Cultural Centre adjacent to the State Library, up to a central courtyard leading to the rear entrance of the Main Foyer building. Would allow access for all types of wheelchairs.

External entrance:
Main Entrance: A revolving door and a well signed alternative swing door that is 910mm wide, heavy to open, slow to close door with a D handle.

Rear Entrance: A 920mm wide manual door that swings both ways. It is heavy to open and slow to close.

Internal:
Houses the reception desk with direct access to the toilet, the Discovery Centre and lift to upper levels of Hackett Hall. On the other side of the foyer building there is a restricted use lift providing access to level 1 of the Jubilee Building. There is sufficient circulation space for wheelchairs of all sizes to move throughout the foyer area.

The floor is tiled.

Reception desk: Sitting and standing height.

Accessible toilet:
Located off the corridor leading from the Main Foyer building and the Discovery Centre
A unisex accessible toilet.
There is no directional signage.
Path of travel to the toilet is large enough for all medium to large styles of wheelchairs to move through.
The toilet swing door is 860mm wide, light to operate and fast to close with a lever handle and a small locking snib.
Pan height: 500mm
Basin height: 800mm with knee clearance.
There is a low light switch in the toilet.

Hackett Hall:
Entrance: Enter directly off the ground floor of the Main Foyer building and there is a lift to the upper two levels.

Internal: On ground level and level one there is sufficient space for all wheelchairs to move around. Level two provides a view over level 1 and some smaller displays. Circulation space is limited and smaller style wheelchairs only could approach these displays.

L ift:
The single entry lift with a car size of 1800mm x 2100mm is located in the corridor between the toilets and the Discovery Centre. Directional signage is provided. External controls are free of obstructions and positioned 1100mm high. Internal controls are 1000mm - 1150mm high and all controls illuminate when pressed. The lift has visual but no auditory announcements.

Accessible toilets: There are accessible toilets on both upper levels that are identical in layout to the toilet on the ground floor.

The Jubilee Building:
This building has two levels which when accessed have sufficient circulation space for all styles of wheelchairs to move around.

Internal:
Level 1 is accessed via steps or a vertical lifting platform off the Museum Main Foyer building.
Vertical Lifting Platform
Located inside the Main Foyer Building between the stairs and the entrance windows, the lift has no directional signage.
For security reasons the lift is kept locked and will be unlocked and operated by a staff member either internally or externally. The walk through platform is 900mm wide and 1190mm long with a half swing door 870mm wide at both levels. As this lift is in full view of the reception desk staff are on hand to assist.

Level 2: Via a walkway from level two of Hackett Hall. The walkway has ramps at both the Hackett Hall and Jubilee Building ends. The ramp on the Hackett Hall side is 3 metres long with a gradient of 5.2°(1:11) and the ramp on the Jubilee building side is 4 metres long with a gradient of 3.2°(1:18).
Lighting in the gallery of this level is low to assist in illuminating displays.

The Beaufort Street Building:
A separate building that can be accessed from the Jubilee building via stairs, into the foyer at each level. Access for those unable to utilise steps is via a lift that is located in the foyer of the Beaufort Street Building.

External Access: Across the café courtyard which provides access to the rear door of the Main Gallery foyer and houses the café, shop and Old Perth Gaol. As the courtyard is flat and wide there is access for all wheelchair styles.

External Entrance: Two manual swing double doors with a single leaf of 850mm space. Doors have D handles and are heavy to open.

Lift:
The single entry lift with a car size of (approx) 1400mm x 1400mm and door width of (approx) 900mm is located in the foyer of this building. External controls are free of obstructions and positioned 1050mm high. This new lift was not operational at the time of the assessment so no other details are available.
Internal Circulation: Access into galleries is through wide manual double doors off the foyer. As this building was closed at the time of the assessment, no other details area available.

Museum Shop:
Location: In the courtyard adjacent to the Old Gaol Café.
Opening hours:
Monday to Friday 10am to 4.45pm
Saturday and Sunday 11am to 4.45pm
External Access: Sufficient space for all styles of wheelchairs.
External Entrance: A 900mm wide manual swing door, held open.
Internal Circulation: Sufficient space for all styles of wheelchairs to move through the shop.
Counter: Sitting height.
Signage: Large font and easy to read.

Old Gaol Cafe:
Location: In the courtyard adjacent to the Museum shop.
External Access: Sufficient space for all styles of wheelchairs to approach on the Cultural Centre side of the shop and two steps to the entrance on the Beaufort Street side.
External Entrance: Double swing doors with each leaf 600mm. One leaf is locked and the operational leaf has a D handle, is light to operate and slow to close.
Internal Circulation: Sufficient space for all styles of wheelchairs to move through the shop.
Counter: Sitting height.
Blackboard menu: Easy to read, large print with good colour contrast.
Seating: Minimal seating inside with most alfresco. Tables are moveable with central pedestals and seating has arms. Shade is provided with umbrellas.

Old Gaol:
Location: In the courtyard between the Museum shop and Old Gaol Café.
External Access: Sufficient space for all styles of wheelchairs to approach the entrance
External Entrance: Double swing doors with each leaf 650mm.
Doors have D handles and are heavy to operate and quick to close.
Internal Circulation: Two levels with stairs only to the upper level. Ground level has some exhibitions that could be viewed by smaller to medium style wheelchair users only.

Signage: Signage is generally well located, in good colour contrast and easy to read throughout the Museum.

Printed information is in good colour contrast and easy to read in 12 point font.
Display labels and information generally below 1200mm high and larger than 12 point font.

Information prepared by: City of Perth January 2005

Care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of this information however no guarantee is given that the facility is fully accessible.

Please advise the City of Perth of any access changes since publication.

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