ICA | Visual Story Guide

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This Visual Story Guide uses pictures and accessible text to help you prepare for your visit to the ICA. Open the sections for more information about getting here, our spaces and what to expect during your visit.

If you have any questions, please contact our Access Team at access@ica.art.

Please note: This guide is for ICA programme events in the Lower Gallery, Cinemas, Stage and Bar. It does not apply to private hire events.

Before your visit

Useful information and getting here

Opening hours

Monday: Closed

Tuesday to Saturday: 12pm–11pm

Sunday: 12pm–10pm

Exhibition closes at 8pm.
Bar closes at 10pm.
Bookshop and Box Office close at 11pm.

Relaxed hours

Weekdays, 4–5pm

Wednesdays and Thursdays are usually the quietest times to visit the galleries, particularly between 4pm and 5pm.

If you need an empty gallery to visit comfortably and safely—for example, if you are neurodivergent or shielding—please contact access@ica.art.

Address

The Mall, London, SW1Y 5AH

View on maps

Road closures are common in central London. Please check before travelling.

Transport links

Closest Tube stations

Piccadilly Circus
520 steps

Charing Cross
590 steps

Closest bus stops

No bus route goes directly to The Mall.

T — Trafalgar Square: 222 steps
P — Haymarket / Charles II Street: 370 steps
C — Museum Street: 1,628 steps

Bicycle parking and Santander Cycles hire are located at the top of the Duke of York steps.

Taxi, car and drop-off

Parking: 12 Carlton House Terrace

Parking hours: Monday to Saturday, 8:30am–6:30pm.

Resident permit holders can pay by phone at 020 7125 9090 or text 07860 022 205, quoting location 6375.

There is no parking on The Mall. Car and taxi drop-offs may be possible, but The Mall is sometimes closed to traffic. This can change due to road closures, so please check the ICA website before travelling.

Wheelchair access

The Mall entrance is wheelchair accessible.

The Carlton House Terrace entrance has a ramp and lift. You must transfer from your wheelchair to a standard chair to use the lift. Motorised wheelchairs cannot be taken in the lift.

Lift dimensions
Width: 0.87m; depth: 0.81m.

Ground-floor entrance width: 0.57m.

First-floor entrance width: 0.59m.

If you use a motorised wheelchair, staff will need to assist you to transfer to a standard chair.

Folding stool: 15 × 43 × 70cm.

Fold-out wheelchair: 40 × 37 × 45cm.

Nearby landmarks

Select the map to expand it.

Main entrance and exit

The Mall, St James’s, London SW1Y 5AH

Nearby landmarks:

The Duke of York steps
The end of The Mall closest to Trafalgar Square

The Mall entrance

Step-free entrance
Automatic sliding doors
Access via Admiralty Arch
Assistance dogs are welcome
Only assistance animals are permitted

This is the ICA’s main public entrance and the entrance we recommend visitors use.

If you need to arrive via 12 Carlton House Terrace, this can be arranged with our receptionist.

If you are unsure whether you are at the right entrance, ask a Public Advisor at the main desk. They will be happy to help.

You can use the toilets without purchasing anything from the ICA.

To arrange access requirements in advance, email access@ica.art.

For help on the day, call 07921 860 302.

Alternative entrance

12 Carlton House Terrace, St James’s, London SW1Y 5AH

A temporary ramp is available for the six steps into the building.

This is the ICA’s private staff and hire entrance on Carlton House Terrace. You can use it if you cannot access the main entrance on The Mall.

We can arrange your arrival with our receptionist or Operations & Visitor Services Manager.

There is a small passenger lift. It cannot accommodate most large motorised wheelchairs. You will need to transfer from your wheelchair to a chair placed in the lift, while staff transport your wheelchair separately.

The lift is not in a public area. Staff can help with the transfer, but this entrance is not suitable for anyone who cannot transfer from their wheelchair or who uses a motorised wheelchair.

Lift dimensions: width 87cm; depth 81cm.

Ground-floor entrance width: 57cm.

First-floor entrance width: 59cm.

To arrange access requirements in advance, email access@ica.art.

If you are unsure whether you are at the right entrance, call 07921 860 302.

What is available for you

Age restrictions and concessions

Film certification

All films are ad-free and rated 18+ unless stated otherwise.

Each screening begins with 10 minutes of curated trailers. These trailers are also rated 18+.

Children may attend screenings when accompanied by an adult.

Ticket prices and concessions

Visitors with a National Disabled Identification Card are entitled to concessionary rates for exhibitions, cinema screenings and talks.

Please bring proof of concession when collecting your tickets.

Free tickets are available for companions or assistants where required.

Book by emailing access@ica.art or by calling 020 7930 3647 (Tuesday to Sunday, 1–6pm).

Free tickets are available for visitors who would otherwise find ticket prices a barrier. To request a complimentary ticket, email the Access Team at access@ica.art. Your enquiry will be handled discreetly.

You will receive a printed ticket when you buy one at the Information & Sales desk. If you book online and would also like a printed ticket, ask for one at the desk before your event.

Good Night Out statement

Everyone is welcome and respected at the ICA.

There is no place for discrimination or harassment.

If you experience or witness anything that makes you uncomfortable, speak to a member of staff wearing an ICA lanyard. Staff are trained to support you.

Please treat staff and other visitors with kindness and respect.

More information is available at ica.art/safety.

Who you will meet

Public Advisors

Operations & Visitor Services Manager

All staff wear an ICA lanyard. Look for one if you need assistance.

You can usually find Public Advisors at:

Front Desk / Information & Sales
Foyer
Cinema 1 and Cinema 2
Bookshop
Lower Gallery
Bar / Cafe
Stage

Security

Security staff are present at large-capacity events, such as gigs in the Stage and exhibition openings.

Bag searches take place at these events.

Available support and equipment

At the front desk

Assistance
Earplugs
Ear defenders
Hearing induction loop
Large-print Exhibition Guide
Cinema blankets
Sensory Map
Exhibition Guide
Water
Hand sanitiser

In the building

Three fold-out wheelchairs
Hard-backed chairs to use in the gallery

Chair dimensions

Folding stool: 15 × 43 × 70cm.

Fold-out wheelchair: 40 × 37 × 45cm.

Fold-out wheelchairs

A: Push handle
B: Backrest
C: Rear wheel with handrim
D: Parking brake
E: Front fork
F: Leg rests
G: Foot rests
H: Frame
I: Seat
J: Arm rest

Quieter areas

The Snug

The Snug is available during your visit if you need a break.

It is open to visitors until 10pm. Enter from the Bar / Cafe area.

The Snug is not a private space, so you may need to share it with other visitors.

The room has low lighting, white walls and framed editions. No music is played, so it is quieter than other areas.

ICA programme events rarely use the Snug. If it is being used for an event or private hire, a notice will be displayed outside.

Useful spaces

Toilets

Facilities include mixed-gender toilets, a baby changer and an accessible toilet.

The toilets in the foyer and bar are for all genders and do not contain urinals. Separate male and female toilets are also available near the Upper Gallery.

Each ground-floor toilet area has four cubicles. The toilets nearest the main entrance also include an accessible toilet.

Each cubicle has a red, blue or green light. The accessible toilet has a standard white light.

The accessible toilet is marked with a wheelchair symbol.
The door slides open and closed using a handle.
Grab bars are beside the toilet.
The flush sensor is behind you.
The sink has space underneath for a wheelchair.
The taps have lifting handles.
The door has a twist lock.
Width: 7ft; depth: 5ft 4in.

Information & Sales

When you arrive, Public Advisors at the Information & Sales desk will greet you. They will take your name and give you a sticker or ticket for your event, or sell you a ticket.

Sensory maps and gallery guides, including large-print versions, are available here.

The Information & Sales desk and cinemas have induction loops for visitors using hearing aids. Some events may include BSL interpretation or other accessibility features.

Concourse

The Concourse is the corridor between the Foyer and the Bar. You do not need a ticket to enter. Artists’ Editions are displayed along the Concourse, and small benches are available for visitors to use.

Gallery ramp and entrance

You can enter the gallery by five steps with a handrail or by the ramp. You do not need to queue or show a ticket at the entrance. Exhibition Public Advisors will look for the sticker you received at the front desk.

You can collect a gallery stool from the main desk if you would like to sit during your visit.

Bookshop

The Bookshop is open during the ICA’s usual opening hours. Ask a Public Advisor if you need help.

It is on the ground floor in the main foyer and is wheelchair accessible.

Cafe

The Cafe is open during the ICA’s usual opening hours. You are welcome to sit at the small tables and stools or order food and drink.

The Foyer and Cafe have ground-level access from The Mall, including automatic sliding doors.

Walking areas are kept clear. Public Advisors and Cafe staff are available to help.

Our building and spaces

Directions through the building

Cinemas

Both cinemas have step-free access from the main Mall entrance and can be reached by ramp. The screens open 10 minutes before the advertised film time. Ten minutes of trailers play before the film begins.

If you need captions for a screening, email access@ica.art. We will try to arrange this, depending on availability. Captioned screenings are identified in the film listings on our website.

Seating is unassigned. If you need a specific seat, please reserve it in advance by emailing access@ica.art.

Use the cinema seating plan to see the accessible routes into Cinema 1 and Cinema 2.

Seat dimensions

Seat: 42cm wide × 45cm deep × 52cm high.

Armrest on each side: 27cm long × 7cm wide × 20cm high.

All seats have a hard back, a crushed-velvet feel and do not recline.

Cinema 1

A wheelchair space is available with a companion seat beside it. It is in front of the door, with easy access and a view of the screen from the middle of the room, on the right-hand side.

This is the view from the wheelchair space:

Cinema 1 has unassigned seating. See the seating plan:

Cinema 2

A removable seat can be taken out to create a wheelchair space in the front row, on the right-hand side of the screen. Please contact access@ica.art before the screening to arrange this.

This is the view from the wheelchair space:

Cinema 2 has unassigned seating. See the seating plan:

Lower Gallery

Please do not touch the artworks. Use the icons in this Visual Story Guide and the Sensory Map for further information.

You need a ticket to visit the exhibition. You can buy one at the Information & Sales desk or online.

At the desk, you will receive a sticker or ticket that allows you to enter the gallery. Every day from 12pm to 1pm, the exhibition is pay what you can.

Food and drink are not permitted in the gallery.

The wheelchair-accessible route is through the Concourse and up the ramp into the exhibition. Exhibition Public Advisors can help you.

There are also five steps with a handrail into the Lower Gallery.

The gallery is lit by overhead strip lights. Light levels may vary depending on the weather, time of day and exhibition.

A smaller gallery room is on the left-hand side of the Lower Gallery. A small ramp leads into this room.

See the exhibition Sensory Map for more information, along with the Sensory Map & Script and Sensory Audio.

Live performances and Stage

Live performances and gigs usually take place in the Stage. It can be very dark, busy and hot. If you need a more comfortable space, contact us in advance or speak to a staff member at the event.

Some events may include strobe lighting, haze effects, low light levels or loud audio. Relevant information will be included on each event page.

You are welcome to come and go during ICA performances. You do not have to remain in your seat or space if you feel uncomfortable.

The Stage has step-free access from the Mall entrance and lift. The Stage lift is operated by hand controls, with up and down buttons. It has a maximum weight of 300kg, no sides and a vertical pole to hold. It operates quietly and will not disrupt the performance. Public Advisors can also assist.

Raised accessible platform

The raised platform at the back of the Stage can accommodate either two wheelchairs and two companion seats, or three theatre seats and three companion seats.

There are five steps down into the performance space.

You can enter and exit through the Stage’s main door. Fire exits are used only in an emergency.

This is the view from the accessible platform:

We welcome questions and will try to help with specific requirements.

Email access@ica.art or call 020 7930 3647.

Bar and Cafe

Cafe

Opening hours: 12pm–11pm.

The Cafe is in the Foyer and is open daily from 12pm to 11pm. You can order food and drink and sit at the small tables and stools.

There is ground-level access from The Mall through automatic sliding doors.

If you would prefer not to sit here, or the Cafe is too busy, there is more seating in the Bar.

Bar

Opening hours:

Tuesday to Thursday: 5pm–11pm
Friday to Sunday: 3pm–11pm

Lower Bar

The Bar and Cafe have two levels. The Lower Bar is on the ground floor. The Upper Bar is reached by a staircase with 10 vertical steps and handrails on both sides.

Table service is available for visitors who cannot use the stairs. Please speak to a member of the Bar staff.

You are welcome to use these spaces to relax, eat, drink or work. They can become busier in the evening when live events are on and are usually quieter during the day.

Music is played in these spaces. Food and drink from outside are not permitted.

Upper Bar

The Upper Bar is sometimes booked for book launches, private hires and patrons’ dinners. At these times, it is not open to the public. Please use the Lower Bar or Snug instead, if available.

Fire exits and alarms

Mall entrance / exit

Cafe

Cinema

Lower Gallery

Stage exit 1 — steps

Stage exit 2 — ramp

If you hear the following loud noises during your visit, it is a fire alarm.

First, you will hear a siren alternating between two pitches.

Then you will hear a voice say:

“Ladies and Gentlemen, may I have your attention please. Due to circumstances beyond our control, it has become necessary to evacuate the building. Please leave the building immediately, by the nearest exit. Do not use the lifts.”

This sequence will repeat until the alarm is turned off.

Listen to staff and leave the building by following the fire exit signs.

After your visit

Using our website

Our website has a Night Mode.

Go to ica.art and select “Got it” to continue to the settings that let you adjust the website to suit you.

Try the sun/moon icon at the top left to change the display, or select the “A” to adjust the font settings.

You can also change the text size on most websites using the font-size controls in your web browser.

What you can do after your visit

You are welcome to stay in the exhibition or return after taking a break in the Cafe or Bookshop. To re-enter the Lower Gallery, show your sticker to the staff member at the entrance.

Nearby places to visit

St James’s Park
Landmarks around Westminster

Food options nearby

You can buy food and drink from the ICA Bar during its opening hours. Nearby options include:

Whole Foods
Sandwich Express
Wrights of London
Tesco
Pret

Other galleries nearby

Sadie Coles HQ
The Royal Academy
Mall Galleries
White Cube Mason’s Yard
National Gallery

Feedback

We hope you found this Visual Story Guide useful. We regularly review it as our building and programme change.

There is always more information we can add. We welcome suggestions that could help make this guide as useful and accessible as possible.

To suggest changes to the Visual Story Guide, email access@ica.art.

We also monitor feedback shared with the Information & Sales team. If you would like to tell a Public Advisor something, they can pass it on.

For general feedback about our programme and operations, email feedback@ica.art.

For access requirements and enquiries, email access@ica.art.

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