Musée Wellington

Discover the inn where the Duke of Wellington set up his headquarters on the eve of the Battle of Waterloo.

This former residence dating from 1705 was selected as the location for various headquarters. It was here that the Duke of Wellington established his command on 17 June 1815, in preparation for his confrontation with Napoleon. It was within these walls that he wrote his account of victory, immortalising the name ‘Waterloo’ for the famous battle.

Through authentic memorabilia, weapons and engravings, the museum's various rooms retrace the events of this pivotal period and perpetuate the memory of the nations and combatants involved in this historic conflict.

The Wellington Museum has a lift. It is now possible to move freely through part of the museum. However, as the building is over 300 years old, some rooms are not yet accessible. An interactive terminal and an audio guide provide access to the entire museum.

To ensure that visitors with special needs are able to enjoy their visit to the full, it is advisable to contact the museum in advance so that the team can explain all the visiting arrangements and provide appropriate access. Guide dogs are also allowed in the museum.

The building is complex. A map of the premises is available on the audio-guide or on your smartphone via a QR-code.

Strong points

Staff

There is staff available to direct and guide.

Safety

The signage makes it possible to find the way and orient oneself easily.
There is an interactive terminal with a map of the location.

Identification

The building is easy to find.

Points of attention

Staff

There is no reference person to welcome and accompany the persons with special needs.

There is a reserved communal parking space in rue Reine Astrid.

Access to the museum is not possible via the main entrance. If you contact the museum in advance to prepare for your visit, the staff will allow you to enter via a secondary entrance that does not comply with regulations and is not signposted: the pavement is not very passable, there is no car park, the ramp (25%) and door (free passage 77cm) are not independently accessible. Secondary access is via the temporary exhibition room. To get back to reception, there is a narrow 80-82cm corridor.

The reception desk is adapted and accessible.

To start your visit, go back along the narrow 80-82cm corridor to access the courtyard. To continue the visit in the other wing of the museum, the staff must come and give access to the door that provides level access, opposite the lift.

The lift call button is not easily accessible on the ground floor. You have to ask the staff to go up, but you can go down on your own.

The tour can continue upstairs to the Wellington office. There is a narrow ramp (88cm wide) at 15% with 1 handrail.

The rest of the tour is not wheelchair accessible, as there are steps, but these are compensated for by an interactive PRM tablet in the Wellington office. This allows you to continue your visit virtually. To exit, turn back towards the lift.

To access the PRM washroom, staff must come and give access to the door that provides level access, opposite the lift. Free passage through the door is limited to 82cm and the elongated toilet bowl is 47cm high.

Strong points

Parking

There is at least 1 reserved parking space less than 100 metres from the entrance.
The reserved parking spaces are properly indicated.

Access road from the car park

All the transit areas are sufficiently large.
There is no step to negotiate.
The floor is regular and free of obstacles.
The floor is hard.

Access road from the street

All the transit areas are sufficiently large.
There is no step to negotiate.
The floor is regular and free of obstacles.
The floor is hard.

Entrance

The building is easy to identify.
The entrance is easy to identify.

Home

The payment device is easy to use.
There is a mobile payment device.
The free space in front of the counter is sufficiently big.
The counter is at the correct height.

Horizontal circulation

The floor is hard.
The floor is regular and free of obstacles.

Vertical circulation

There is a lift.
A sufficiently large lift serves all the floors open to the public.

Adapted sanitary

The adapted toilet is easy to find.
There is an accessible sink in the adapted toilet.
The sink is accessible and it is easy to use.

Exposition

The majority of the content of the exhibition is accessible and visible.
Equipment such as tablets or interactive terminals can be used.

Points of attention

Access road from the car park

The floor is hardly passable in some places.
The passage width of the door measures less than 80 cm.
There is at least one too steep ramp.
There is at least one ramp that is difficult to negotiate.

Access road from the street

The access path towards the alternative entrance is badly signalled.
The passage width of the door measures less than 80 cm.
There is at least one too steep ramp.
There is at least one ramp that is difficult to negotiate.

Entrance

There are steps in the entrance.
The main entrance is not accessible and the alternative entrance is hard to find.
The staff does not see the persons who arrive.

Horizontal circulation

There are several steps to negotiate.
Some transit areas are too narrow.

Adapted sanitary

There is an adapted toilet, but it is difficult to access.

Exposition

Due to the configuration of the premises, a part of the content is difficult to access.

There is a reserved communal parking space in rue Reine Astrid.

Access to the museum is difficult via the main entrance, which has 4 x 19cm steps and non-compliant handrails.

If you contact the museum in advance to prepare for your visit, the staff will allow you to enter via a secondary access that is not compliant and is not signposted: the pavement is not very passable, there is no car park, and the ramp (25%) and door (free passage of 77cm) are not independently accessible. Secondary access is via the temporary exhibition room. To get back to reception, there is a narrow 80-82cm corridor.

To start your visit, go back along the narrow 80-82cm corridor to reach the inner courtyard. To continue the visit in the other wing of the museum, the staff must come and give access to the door that allows level access, opposite the lift.

The lift call button is not easily accessible on the ground floor.

The visit can continue upstairs to the Wellington office. Pass through a narrow ramp (88cm wide) at 15% with 1 handrail.

You can then either continue your visit with 2 steps and no handrail, or stop at the PRM interactive tablet in the Wellington office. This allows you to continue your visit virtually. In this case, you exit by turning back towards the lift.

Seating is available in some of the museum's rooms.

Strong points

Parking

There is at least 1 reserved parking space less than 100 metres from the entrance.
The reserved parking spaces are properly indicated.

Access road from the car park

All the transit areas are sufficiently large.
The floor is regular and free of obstacles.
The floor is hard.

Access road from the street

All the transit areas are sufficiently large.
The floor is regular and free of obstacles.
The floor is hard.

Entrance

The entrance is easy to identify.
The building is easy to identify.
The alternative entrance is opened upon request.

Home

Seats are available near the reception.

Horizontal circulation

The steps can be bypassed by a well-indicated alternative pathway.
There are seats along the pathway.

Vertical circulation

The staircases are equipped with handrails on both sides.
There is a lift.
A lift serves all the floors open to the public.

Adapted sanitary

There is a toilet with grab bars and it is easy to use.
There is a sink in the adapted toilet.
The adapted toilet is easy to find.

Points of attention

Access road from the car park

There are no seats along the pathway.
The access path towards the alternative entrance is badly signalled.
The passage width of the doors measures less than 80 cm.
There is at least one too steep ramp.
There is at least one ramp that is difficult to negotiate.

Access road from the street

There are no seats along the pathway.
The access path towards the alternative entrance is badly signalled.
The passage width of the doors measures less than 80 cm.
There is at least one too steep ramp.
There is at least one ramp that is difficult to negotiate.

Entrance

The staff does not see the persons who arrive.
The main entrance is not accessible and the alternative entrance is hard to find.
There are more than 3 steps in the entrance.

Horizontal circulation

There are some steps without handrail.
Some transit areas are too narrow.

Exposition

Due to the configuration of the premises, a part of the content is difficult to access.
There are not enough seats.

Some crossings on the access road are made safer by paving stones.

The stairs at the entrance are not safe.

The interior staircases are partially safe: pediatrics are installed at the top but the handrails do not protrude.

The room following the lift landing is +400cm wide with no guide line.

Passage of a bay at 187cm: foam was placed on the lintel and the passage can be detected on the floor by a small slope.

The audio-guide aids the visit but is not activated automatically.

Strong points

Access road from the car park

Circulation is free from obstacles.

Access road from the street

Circulation is free from obstacles.

Guide dog

Assistance dogs are accepted.

Entrance

The entrance is easy to identify.
The entrance is located in the logical continuation of the pathway.

Home

The reception is in a quiet environment.
The reception has no glass partition.
The staff sees the persons coming into the building and can assist them.
The reception is located in the logical continuation of the pathway.

Horizontal circulation

Circulation is free from obstacles.

Vertical circulation

A lift serves all the floors open to the public.
The staircases have at least one handrail.
The staircases are secured by warning tiles.

Exposition

It is possible to touch reproductions of works.
It is possible to touch exhibits.

Points of attention

Entrance

The staff does not see the persons who arrive and can‘t offer assistance.

Horizontal circulation

There is at least one non-secured step in the logical pathway.
There is at least one non-secured ramp in the logical pathway.
The pathway presents punctually a passage height of less than 2m.

Exposition

No adapted tours are planned.

Some crossings on the access road are made safer by paving stones.

The stairs at the entrance are not safe.

In the inner courtyard, the glass walls are not secured.

The interior staircases are partially secured: pediatrics are installed at the top but handrails do not protrude.

One exhibition room has a floor-lit display window.

Passage of a bay at 187cm: foam was placed on the lintel and the passage can be detected on the floor by a small slope.

The audio-guide aids the visit but is not activated automatically.

Strong points

Access road from the car park

There are no obstacles.

Entrance

The entrance is easy to identify.
The entrance is located in the logical continuation of the pathway.

Home

The staff sees the persons coming into the building and can assist them.
The reception is located in the logical continuation of the pathway.

Horizontal circulation

Circulation is free from obstacles.
The glass walls and doors are secured by a contrasting visual marking.

Vertical circulation

A lift serves all the floors.
The lift can be used in autonomy or staff is available to help.
The lighting is sufficient and continuous in the staircases.
The stair steps are contrasting.
The staircases are equipped with at least one secure handrail.

Exposition

The majority of the works are visible at close range.

Points of attention

Entrance

The staff does not see the persons who arrive and can‘t offer assistance.

Home

There is no reference person to welcome and accompany the persons with special needs.

Horizontal circulation

There is a blinding lighting through the floor in a part of the pathway.
The pathway presents punctually a passage height of less than 2m.

Exposition

An audio-guide is available, but does not adapt itself automatically to the visitor‘s progress.
No adapted tours are planned.

Parking spaces are available in the town centre, but the museum does not have its own car park.

The lift is glazed and serves only one floor.

You can read the information on the audio-guide. A children's version is also available. Use the audio-guide or your own smartphone.

Strong points

Entrance

The entrance is easy to find.
The building is easy to find.
The opening hours are displayed next to the door.

Home

The reception is open, well lit and allows lip reading.
The reception is easy to find and close to the entrance.
The institution can be contacted by email.
A member of the staff practices sign language.

Wireless

It is possible to connect to the mobile networks, 3G or 4G.
Wi-Fi is free and available anywhere in the building.

Light

The lighting is sufficient and allows lip reading.

Adapted sanitary

It is possible to see whether a toilet is occupied or free.
The toilets are easy to find.

Exposition

The displayed content is mainly visual.
Documents in an “easy to read” format are available.
The lighting is sufficient and allows lip reading.
The lighting is sufficient and continuous all through the visit.

Points of attention

Entrance

The staff does not see the persons who arrive.

Exposition

There are no organised guided tours in sign language.
The films are not subtitled.
There is no adapted fire alarm system (light or vibration).

Parking spaces are available in the town centre, but the museum does not have its own car park.

The lift is glazed and serves only one floor.

You can read the information on the audio-guide. A children's version is also available. Use the audio-guide or your own smartphone.

Strong points

Entrance

The entrance is easy to find.
The building is easy to find.
The opening hours are displayed next to the door.

Home

The reception is located in a quiet environment.
The reception is open, well lit and allows lip reading.
The reception is easy to find and close to the entrance.
The institution can be contacted by email.

Light

The lighting is sufficient and allows lip reading.

Adapted sanitary

It is possible to see whether a toilet is occupied or free.

Exposition

The environment is calm.
The displayed content is mainly visual.
Documents in an “easy to read” format are available.
Written explanations are available.
The lighting is sufficient and allows lip reading.

Points of attention

Entrance

The staff does not see the persons who arrive.

Exposition

The films are not subtitled.

The lift is glazed and serves a single floor only. To use it, you need to hold down the button throughout the journey.

The stairs are safe.

One exhibition room has a floor-lit display case.

The audio-guide allows you to read the information. A ‘children's’ version is available, but not in FALC. You can use the audio-guide or your own smartphone.