Accessibility

Committed to access for all

We welcome all visitors to the Tower of London and aim to make your day out successful and enjoyable. We are committed to improving access and facilities for disabled visitors.

The Tower of London is a historic building with difficult stairs and passageways — including spiral staircases — and wheelchair access is limited. There are many steps throughout the Tower with cobbles laid in some of the surfaces and pathways. There are some low doorways.

On your way around the Tower, you will meet our staff and volunteers who will be happy to help support your visit or answer any questions.

Contact us

If you have any questions on accessing the Tower of London that is not covered here, please contact visitorservices.tol@hrp.org.uk. We aim to respond within 10 days.

Alternatively, call us on 0333 320 6000 (lines open Monday to Friday, 09:00 to 14:00).

Access Guide

Our full colour and comprehensive access guide includes detailed information, help and advice to help you plan your visit to the Tower of London. For those with mobility requirements and wheelchair users, there is a colour map detailing routes and other useful information.

Toilets

Toilets are available at the following locations: 

• Brick Tower, behind the Jewel House (male, female, accessible toilets and baby changing facilities)
• Salt Tower (male toilets)
• Cradle Tower (female and accessible toilets)

Changing Places toilet

A Changing Places toilet is available on the ground floor lobby of the New Armouries building, next to the café.

Access to the toilet is via radar key, which can be obtained from café staff, to be returned after use.

Seating

Outdoor bench seating with back rests and arm rests is available in the following locations:

• Tower Green
• Outside the White Tower, opposite the New Armouries Café

Indoor seating is available in the New Armouries Café.

Visitors with limited mobility

Whilst we strive to make the Tower accessible to all visitors, this historic building features difficult stairs; a number of low doorways; cobbled and uneven ground; and passageways where wheelchair access is restricted.

Level access

The Jewel House, which houses the Crown Jewels, has level access. There is a moving walkway (‘travelator’) alongside the Crown Jewels. Our Palace Hosts will be happy to stop the travelator.

Mobility aids

A wheelchair is available free of charge. These cannot be pre-booked and are issued on a first-come first-served basis. It can be obtained by speaking to a member of staff on entry.

Lifts and ramps

There is a lift in the White Tower, which will take you to and from the shop in the basement. This is on the north side of the White Tower, opposite the entrance to the Crown Jewels. For safety reasons, we can only permit one wheelchair user in the basement at a time. Please ask a member of staff in the area for assistance.

There is a platform lift at the end of the moving walkway in the Crown Jewels exhibition, which allows you to access the raised platform to spend more time viewing the Crown Jewels. It is not suitable for mobility scooters. Please ask a member of the Jewel House team to use the lift.

Ramps can be found in the following places:

• The New Armouries Café
• Near the Raven shop

There is no lift or ramp access to the Battlements, Bloody Tower and Imprisonment at the Tower exhibitions.

Guide dogs welcome

Trained assistance dogs are welcome inside the Tower. This includes medical alert dogs. We are happy to provide water on request.

Unfortunately, due to conservation concern and the nature of items on display, we do not allow emotional support animals to enter the palace at this time.

Re-entry to site

For security reasons, re-entry to site is not allowed after you have exited.

Accessible travel

Underground, Overground and DLR

Tower Hill (Underground), London Bridge (Overground) and Tower Gateway (DLR) stations are fitted with lifts to street level.

Riverboat

The majority of riverboats now have dedicated wheelchair spaces.

Accessible car parking

Blue Badge parking bays can be found nearby in Tower Hill Coach and Car Park.

An interactive map, produced by the City of London, shows Blue Badge parking bays in the local area.

Drop-off points for coaches or taxis can be found on Lower Thames Street, a two-minute walk from the Tower.