ACCESSIBILITY GUIDE Edinburgh Science Festival Access Guide 2020 Welcome
We want to make your visit to Edinburgh Science Festival a relaxed and enjoyable experience.
This guide will show you how to book your tickets, make you aware of any performances and events with additional access arrangements and provide a guide to Edinburgh Science Festival venues.
Further information about events listed in this guide can be found in the Edinburgh Science Festival brochure or online at www.sciencefestival.co.uk.
Contents
2 – Welcome
3 – How to Book
4 – Accessible Performance Listings
7 – Venue Access Guide
13 – Other Access Initiatives
2 How to Book Telephone 0131 226 0005
Online www.sciencefestival.co.uk
In person Edinburgh Festival Fringe Shop, 180 High Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1QS. 10.30am–5.30pm (Monday–Friday).
They have level access via a steep slope, dropped counter and a hearing loop.
Dependent on availability, you can also purchase tickets at the venue 30 minutes prior to the start time of your chosen event.
Discounts Unless otherwise stated, concessions are available to senior citizens and disabled persons, with a complimentary ticket available for assisting companions. These can be booked by phone or in person at the Box Office.
Children under 3 years old do not require a ticket for events, except if the event is specifically for children under 3 years old.
Contact Scotland If you are a BSL user Contact Scotland is a free interpretation service you can use for booking tickets. Log in to Contact Scotland here and you will be put through to an interpreter, who will then call our Box Office and help make the booking.
3 Accessible Performance Listings
Relaxed performances
Three events will be adapted for audience members wanting a more relaxed experience during their visit to the Festival. During these events, house lights are not fully dimmed, loud noises are avoided where possible and audiences are free to move around.
Two in a Barrel Pleasance Theatre 11am, Friday 17 April
The Whirlybird Pleasance Theatre 11am, Wednesday 15 April
One Little Windmill: Sensory Stories Pleasance, Pentland Room 2pm, Friday 17 April
British Sign Language (BSL)
The following events will have a BSL interpreter present. How to Argue with a Racist National Museum of Scotland, Auditorium 8pm, Sunday 5 April
4 Superfan presents: Like Animals Summerhall, Old Lab 7.30pm, Wednesday 15 April
Live Captioned Captioned performances are aimed at people who are deaf and hearing impaired. Captioning converts the spoken word into text, which is displayed on an electronic caption unit that is viewed by the audience.
What’s So Funny? Pleasance Theatre 6pm, Thursday 16 April
Life on the Reef with Callum Roberts Pleasance Theatre 6pm, Friday 17 April
Tired of Being Tired? Pleasance Theatre 2pm, Saturday 18 April
Liquids: Delightful and Dangerous Substances National Museum of Scotland, Auditorium 8pm, Sunday 19 April
5 Autism-Friendly sessions
To provide an accessible environment for children and people on the autistic spectrum and their families and carers, there are three different autism-friendly sessions at this year’s Festival.
Pale Blue Dot National Museum of Scotland, Grand Gallery 9am-10am, Tuesday 7 and Thursday 9 April
Found and Woven Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Patrick Geddes Room 2pm, Thursday 16 April
Science Pop-Ups Edinburgh Zoo 10am-11am, Friday 17 April
6 Venue Access Guide City Art Centre 2 Market Street, EH1 1DE
Getting there
Bus: 100 (Waverley Bridge), 27, 41, 23 (The Mound) Taxi: Drop-off outside and taxi rank outside Waverley Station Tram: Tram stop at Princes Street Train: 200m from Edinburgh Waverley station
Venue Accessibility
• Level access • One accessible toilet at ground floor • Hearing loop - enquire at front desk • Elevator to all floors
Further information
Full venue access guide here
7 Pleasance 60 Pleasance, EH8 9TJ
Getting there
Bus: 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 14, 29, 30,31, 33, 35, 37, 47, 49, 300 Taxi: Drop-off outside Train: 800m from Edinburgh Waverley station
Venue Accessibility
• PAMILOO on Sat 11, Sun 12, Wed 15 & Fri 17 April • Accessible toilet • Level-access box-office at ground level • Lift access to Theatre (lift dimensions 150cm x 105cm) • Hearing Loop in Theatre
Further Information
Further access information here
8 National Museum of Scotland Chambers Street, EH1 1JF
Getting there
Bus: 2, 31, 41, 45, 7 Taxi: Drop-off outside Train: 800m from Edinburgh Waverley station
Venue Accessibility
• Changing Places toilet on ground level • Accessible toilets on all floors • All exhibitions and galleries accessible via lifts and ramps • Hearing loop in Auditorium and information desk
Further Information
Futher access information here
9 Dynamic Earth Holyrood Road, EH8 8AS
Getting there
Bus: 35, 6, Edinburgh City sightseeing bus tour Taxi: Drop-off outside, taxi rank on Holyrood Road Train: 1.6km from Edinburgh Waverley station
Venue Accessibility
• Fully wheelchair accessible • On-site car park • Accessible toilets • Accessibility toolkit for own exhibits
Further Information
Further access information here
10 Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh Inverleith Row, EH3 5LR
Getting there
Bus: 25, 42, 24, 8, 23, 27 Taxi: Drop-off outside Train: 2km from Edinburgh Waverley station
Venue Accessibility
• Accessible toilets in visitor centre, restaurants and in Garden • Mobility scooters and wheelchairs available • Seating at regular intervals throughout Garden • Pen, paper and magnifying glass at Visitor Welcome desk
Further information
Full venue access guide here
11 Edinburgh Zoo 134 Corstorphine Road, EH12 6TS
Getting there
Bus: 12, 26, 31 Taxi: Drop-off outside Train: 3.3km from Edinburgh Haymarket station
Venue Accessibility
• Free admission for carers • Disabled parking • Accessible toilets • Mobility vehicle and wheelchair access available
Further Information
Full venue access guide here
12 Summerhall 1 Summerhall, EH9, 1PL
Getting there
Bus: 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 29, 30, 31, 33, 37, 47, 49, 300 Taxi: Drop-off outside Train: 1.5km from Edinburgh Waverley station
Venue Accessibility
• Lift (124cmx188cm) • Listed building and not all spaces fully accessible • Accessible toilets • Dropped counter at Box Office
Further Information
Full venue access guide here Other Accessibility Initiatives
Sensory Backpacks
We partner with the Edinburgh Festival Fringe to offer sensory backpacks.
The backpacks are created to help provide a more enjoyable experience for people who may have sensory processing conditions, autism, or anyone wanting extra support.
The backpacks will be available from the Box Offices at the below venues: • City Art Centre • Pleasance • National Museum of Scotland
The backpacks can be borrowed and ideally returned to a Box Office above.
The backpacks have two sizes, a smaller one for children and a large one for adults. They each contain ear defenders, water bottle, social story, stress toy and fidget spinner.
14 Toilets
There are various Changing Places toilets around Edinburgh, including one at the National Museum of Scotland.
PAMILOO is a mobile Changing Places toilet, for people who require a larger area to go to the bathroom, for example, people in wheelchairs or those needing a hoist. In 2020, this will be available in the Pleasance Courtyard:
• Saturday 11 April • Sunday 12 April • Wednesday 15 April • Friday 17 April
Chairs for people queuing
At the Pleasance, chairs are available for people who have mobility issues or cannot stand for long periods of time. They are located in the Box Office.
The cobbles in the Pleasance Courtyard will be covered for more stable access.
15 EdSciFest social story
A social story is a visual easy-to-read document specifically to help with expectations of events and mental preparation and understanding.
There is a social story for the Festival available on the access webpage of the Edinburgh Science site.
Assistance Dogs
Assistance dogs are welcome in all Science Festival venues.
Access webpage sciencefestival.co.uk/accessibility
If you would like a print version of this guide, please get in touch with [email protected].
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