National Galleries Scotland: National, Hawthornden Lecture Theatre, Edinburgh

The Mound, EH2 2EL

National Gallery of Scotland

Hawthornden Lecture Theatre

The Mound, EH2 2EL

What 3 Words location: ///beard.dice.tables

Getting Here

By Bus and Tram

Several Lothian Bus routes service routes to the venue.

The nearest Tram stop is Princes Street, 160 metres from the venue.

Download the Lothian Buses/ Edinburgh Trams and Borders Buses app on App Store or Google Play to plan your journey, buy tickets and keep up to date with the latest service alerts.

By Train

The National Gallery of Scotland is located just next to Waverley Station. There is an accessible lift that takes you from the station itself, to street level on Princes Street.

Refer to National Rail for timetables and tickets.

By Bike

This National Gallery of Scotland is just off the National Cycle Network route 1. There are several bike parking locations nearby:

Two sets facing the East Princes Street Gardens side of The Royal Scottish Academy (the neighbouring building to The National Gallery)
Outside Marks & Spencer on Princes Street

Refer to Edinburgh City Council’s cycling and walking guide for more information about the routes and a detailed map of the cycle parking locations.

By Car

There is a drop-off point just off The Mound, next to the National Gallery of Scotland building (What 3 Words location: //vocal.water.navy).

There is limited onsite parking available to book for visitors who are blue badge holders. Due to the gravel car parking surface this space is not suitable for all. Please note:

Parking slots must be booked in advance
Time slots are available in the morning (10:00 – 13:00), in the afternoon (14:00 – 17:00) and during after-hours events (17:30 – 20:00). Visitors may arrive at any point during their booked slot, but must leave by the end time
Suitable for vehicles up to and including mini buses
Blue badge required
Gallery staff will facilitate the drop off and collection of the visitor at the drop-off point just off The Mound and direct their driver to the allocated space (What 3 Words location: //vocal.water.navy).

If a booking space is not available, the nearest multi-storey car park is Edinburgh Waverley Station (Long Stay).

New Street | EH8 8BH | ///ritual.farm.speaks

488 spaces, 16 disabled spaces

Refer to Edinburgh City Council’s parking guide for more information and on-street parking locations and accessible parking bays.

Venue Accessibility

Physical Access to the National Gallery

The National Gallery of Scotland’s main entrance is situated in East Princes Street Gardens. From the paved area of The Mound precinct, it is accessed via a step-free, gentle winding pathway measuring approximately 200 metres, or via a flight of 29 steps.

There are two smaller, ramped entrances on the mound precinct itself. The accessible rear entrance of the Academy building has a lift that can take you directly down to Level 1 information point and facilities. The Mound entrance leads directly into the National Gallery building on Level 3.

Physical Access in the Hawthornden Lecture Theatre

From the main entrance of the National Gallery of Scotland, there is level access to the Hawthornden Lecture Theatre and toilet facilities.

The Lecture Theatre is located on Level 1, which is ground level from East Princes Street Gardens.

There are 4 wheelchair spaces, 2 on either side of the main seating block. Once you enter the Lecture Theatre, the wheelchair spaces are located on the designated spaces next to rows B and C, close to the screen. Please note the rows are not physically numbered. For visualisation, refer to this document for a photo of the designated wheelchair spaces in the venue.

There are two gentle slopes either side of the Hawthornden Lecture Theatre, which can be used to access the rows of seats. Rows are not physically numbered.

Audio

Induction loops are available.

Toilets

There is a wheelchair accessible toilet on Level 1, the same level that the Hawthornden Lecture Theatre is located on.

There is a partial Changing Places toilet on Level 3. This facility has all the required facilities and floorspace (13.54m2), but as it is in a listed building, it is a few inches too narrow to be a full Changing Places toilet. The room width is 1.9m at the narrowest point.

You do not require a key to use either of these toilets.

Assistance dogs

Guide dogs, hearing dogs and assistance dogs are welcome throughout the National Gallery of Scotland. Emotional support dogs with an identifying lead or harness are also welcome.

Outdoor toilet areas for assistance dogs have been identified in each gallery. Please ask a member of staff.

East Princes Street Gardens is very close by for the exercise of assistance dogs.

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