Barbican Art Gallery — Attraction in London

Visited the Barbican for the first time since becoming a power Wheelchair user. Got there at 11 am on a Wednesday. It was a fantastic experience. I was able to book a blue badge space at the same time as booking my ticket for the Alice Neel exhibition. Ramped access from the car park to the main building. Accessible loo the first on the left as you enter the building. Loo and internal reception area both with good turning space. The lifts are tight. I found it better to reverse out, but maybe with practice,I could turn round. Double doors that are not automated are very heavy, so you will need to enlist help to get through them.

The exhibition is on two floors with a lift up a ramp serving the upper floor. All staff were friendly and helpful. Even when I attempted to rearrange the display (it was a tight corner!), they were all smiles and efficient help. Must say apart from one chap who had a bee in his bonnet about wheelchair users, everyone I met visitor wise was super friendly and helpful.

Big thanks to the woman on reception who went and got my get out of car park free card.

If you are in any doubt about access, don't be it's brilliant. As for the exhibition, Alice Neel was wonderful. You will feel like you have been in the presence of every single person she painted. It's an extraordinary experience. The exhibition is really well curated. Go, go, go !!!!

Update April 2025 Noah Davis.

Automatic door working at front entrance. Friendly greeting from gallery staff member on the door and advice about location of the lift and the exhibition starting point. I asked if the disabled toilet was open as there was a yellow cone there. He immediately went to check and it was. Automatic doors to the disabled toilet were working and the toilet was spotless. The gallery staff member assisted with opening the double doors.

In the gallery a member of staff started to advise my companion about the use of the lift and I advised her it was important to speak to me directly. She was super polite and helpful.

I was able to shop independently as the shop had been laid out with enough room for a powerchair to pass.

On the way out the gallery staff member on the door noticed and ran to assist my companion opening the doubledoors.

Absolutely fantastic exhibition. I could read and access all exhibits.

Thank you Barbican! All your efforts on improving accessibility...

The gallery is situated on Level 3 (it took me a while to find, and floor 2 with the library and restaurant was completely dead / closed). There’s a cloakroom to put bags and coats, toilets, and a small shop.

I have previously visited for the Post-War Modernism art exhibition (£18, booked online) in June 2022. It was a surprisingly large exhibition across two floors, with 48 works of art ranging from paintings and sculpture, to photography.

More recently I attended the Alice Neel ‘hot off the griddle’ exhibition which was thoroughly excellent, very informative into her life, and superbly creative. It was very moving and very interesting....

Art gallery situated at level 2: within the Barbican centre and laid out over 2 floors. Note that you can enter the gallery from Frobisher Crescent rather than descending to the lakeside entrances and having to come back up again. The gallery hosts themed exhibitions. This is paid entry unless you are a Barbican member. Most of the exhibitions are worth catching although they can be a little esoteric and eclectic. As at March 2022 the exhibition is Postwar Modern - New Art in Britain 1945 to 1963. Many of the pieces deal with the destruction caused by the war and subsequent reconstruction. All photos are from...