Access Guide
Overview
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About
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- Hollytrees Museum is located in the grounds of Castle Park. This Georgian town house, dating from 1718, showcases three centuries of fascinating toys, costume, clocks and decorative arts.
- Facilities available in the venue include: exhibition and educational spaces, toilets, tourism information and gift shop.
- View information on opening times
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Parking and Public Transport
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- The venue does not have its own car park.
- There is on-street Blue Badge Bay parking, on-street standard parking and a public car park nearby.
- The nearest train station is Colchester Town.
- For the latest travel options and information you can plan your travel using Google Maps (opens new tab).
- View information on getting here (opens new tab) .
- There are 11 spaces for Blue Badge holders just outside the park gates on Museum Street (200m from the entrance), and further places slightly further away on the High Street.
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Getting In and Around
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- There is step-free level access at the most accessible entrance.
- There is step-free level access throughout, this may include the use of a lift.
- Access throughout may include manual doors, doors permanently held open and narrow walkways.
- The ground, upper ground, first, upper first and second floors can be accessed via a standard lift and stairs.
- The following facilities are available: a seat/chair, a hearing assistance system, a manual wheelchair and a water bowl for assistance dogs.
- Additional equipment which can be borrowed or hired includes: sheet magnifiers, twiddle muffs, sensory map and downloadable visual story.
- The venue can provide British Sign Language interpreters.
- Additional facilities/services include: Wi-Fi.
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Toilet and Changing Facilities
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- There is not a toilet with adaptations available.
- The gender inclusive step-free toilet facilities are located on the first and second floor, next to the lift.
Entrance
- This entrance is located inside Castle Park, to the right side.
- There is step-free access via a very easy slope at the entrance.
- There is a single automatic door at this entrance.
- The door opens by sliding.
- The width of the opening is 96cm.
- There is step-free level access as you enter.
- After the entrance, visitors will emerge into the information foyer and see the ticket desk in the room ahead.
Ticketing (Shop and Visitor Information)
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Ticket Office
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- The ticket office surveyed is located ahead after the main entrance.
- There is step-free level access to the ticket office.
- There is a single manual door which is permanently held open.
- The width of the opening is 77cm.
- There is step-free level access throughout the ticket office.
- There is room for a wheelchair user to manoeuvre (150cm x 150cm).
- The height of the counter is 85cm.
- There is a lowered section at the counter, at a suitable height for a wheelchair user.
- There is a clearly signed portable hearing assistance system.
Access To (Lift)
- Visitors with access needs, can use the venue lift to access all exhibition and education spaces. The lift vestibule door is remotely unlocked by colleagues in the ticket office.
- The journey time from the ticket desk is approximately 1 minute.
- The most accessible route has step-free level access and manual doors.
- There is a single manual door which opens towards you.
- The width of the opening is 83cm.
Lift
- The most accessible route to the lift has step-free level access and automatic doors.
- The ground and upper ground, first and upper first and second floors are accessed by this lift.
- All of the external lift controls are at a suitable height for a wheelchair user.
- The lift door opening width is 80cm.
- All of the internal lift controls are at a suitable height for a wheelchair user.
- Internally the lift has: a separate door to exit, a mirror to aid reversing, an audible announcer and a list of floor services/facilities.
Stairs
- The stairs surveyed are located in the middle of the venue.
- The ground, upper ground, first, upper first and second floors can be accessed by these stairs.
- There are 15 steps between floors which are clearly marked and have a handrail on the left going up.
Exhibition Space (The Garden Room - Upper Ground Floor)
- All exhibits are indoors.
- There is step-free level access throughout all areas.
- There is room for a wheelchair user to manoeuvre (150cm x 150cm).
- The following may be experienced here: sudden loud noises.
- There may be background noise.
- Display information includes: pictorial, information boards, touchscreens and interactive exhibits at a suitable height for a wheelchair user.
- There is not a hearing assistance system.
- Seating available in this area includes: chairs with armrests.
- The tour is self-guided.
Exhibition Space (Bernard Mason Clock Gallery - Upper Ground Floor)
- All exhibits are indoors.
- There is step-free level access throughout all areas.
- Access throughout may include manual doors, doors permanently held open and narrow walkways.
- There is room for a wheelchair user to manoeuvre (150cm x 150cm).
- The following may be experienced here: sudden loud noises.
- There may be background noise.
- Display information includes: information boards.
- There is not a hearing assistance system.
- Seating available in this area includes: chairs without armrests.
- The tour is self-guided.
Exhibition Space (Running The Home Gallery - First Floor)
- All exhibits are indoors.
- There is step-free level access throughout all areas.
- Access throughout may include manual doors.
- There is room for a wheelchair user to manoeuvre (150cm x 150cm).
- There may be background noise.
- Display information includes: tactile, audio guides, information boards and interactive exhibits at a suitable height for a wheelchair user.
- There is not a hearing assistance system.
- Seating available in this area includes: chairs with armrests.
- The tour is self-guided.
Exhibition Space (The Childhood Gallery - Upper First Floor)
- All exhibits are indoors.
- There is step-free level access throughout the majority of areas.
- The following areas have step-free access via ramps or slopes: the higher areas in this exhibition space.
- Access throughout may include manual doors and doors permanently held open.
- There is room for a wheelchair user to manoeuvre (150cm x 150cm).
- There is no (or very little) background noise.
- Display information includes: tactile, pictorial, information boards and interactive exhibits at a suitable height for a wheelchair user.
- There is not a hearing assistance system.
- Seating available in this area includes: chairs with armrests.
- The tour is self-guided.
Exhibition Space (The Portrait Gallery - Upper First Floor)
- All exhibits are indoors.
- There is step-free level access throughout the majority of areas.
- Access throughout may include doors permanently held open.
- There is room for a wheelchair user to manoeuvre (150cm x 150cm).
- There is no (or very little) background noise.
- Display information includes: pictorial and information boards.
- There is not a hearing assistance system.
- Seating available in this area includes: chairs with armrests and chairs without armrests.
- Furniture available in this area includes: coffee tables.
- The tour is self-guided.
Room (Education Room - Second Floor)
- The room is located on the second floor.
- The most accessible route to the room has step-free level access, a lift and manual doors.
- There is no signage on or near the door.
- There is step-free level access into the room.
- There is a single manual door which opens away from you.
- The width of the opening is 82cm.
- There is step-free level access throughout the room.
- There is room for a wheelchair user to manoeuvre (150cm x 150cm).
- There is space for an assistance dog to rest.
- Seating available in the room includes: chairs without armrests and stools.
- Furniture available in the room includes: tables.
- There is not a hearing assistance system.
- There is background noise in this area which varies depending on the function/event .
Standard Toilet Facilities (First Floor and Second Floor)
- The gender inclusive toilet facilities were surveyed.
- The toilets are located on both the first and second floor, outside the lift.
- The most accessible route has step-free level access, a lift and manual doors.
- There is step-free level access into the toilets.
- The door opens inwards.
- The width of the door opening is 67cm.
- There is a wash basin, a soap dispenser and a hand towel available.
- The wash basin has a push tap.