You will be sure of a warm welcome and an enjoyable trip when you next visit Eastney Engine Houses. This page is where you’ll find all the information you need ahead of your visit. If you have any feedback, questions, or a suggestion for how we can improve our visitor experience at the museum, please email: EEHenquiries@portsmouthcc.gov.uk or telephone: 023 9283 4779.
Access to the Engine Houses
The Engine Houses are industrial sites and scheduled monuments dating back to the Victorian era. These are historic buildings with certain restrictions, which means they may not be fully accessible to all. If you have specific needs or requirements and want to speak to a member of our team, please do so using the contact details above. Our staff are fully trained in disability awareness and equalities and diversity so can help with any enquiries. Alternatively, read on for information about what to expect at the Engine Houses and things you may need to bear in mind.
Guide dogs, hearing dogs and assistance dogs wearing appropriate tabards are permitted in the museum. Non-assistance dogs are not allowed in the buildings.
When you arrive
To access the Engine Houses you need to cross a road and car parking area where there may be vehicle movement. There is an uneven surface outside all the way to the doors of each Engine House.
The Gas Engine House can only be accessed down ten steps. There are handrails on both sides. Once at the bottom of the steps there is a threshold to cross which rises approximately two inches from the floor.
Inside the floor is uneven in place. There are grates and numerous potential trip hazards.
The Beam Engine House does have level access to the lower area by the boilers. However, the space here is limited with narrow passages so it may not be suitable for some larger wheelchairs or mobility scooters. Access to the boilers is restricted for all visitors. There are many other areas across the Engine Houses also out of bounds to all visitors due to the nature of the equipment and engines.
From the boiler area the rest of the museum can only be accessed via very steep steps. There are large amounts of industrial grated steps across the Engine Houses.
A video is displayed on the lower levels to show visitors how the engines would operate. There is no sound or subtitles for the video.
If any engines are in use during your visit there will be a lot of noise and potentially steam. There will also be hot surfaces. A member of the team will be able to advise you on your visit.
There is no hearing loop installed at Eastney Engine Houses.
A toilet is available for visitors (ask a member of staff to access) but it is not fully accessible. The nearest accessible toilets are on the promenade at Eastney Beach, 400 metres away along Henderson Road.
There’s a Changing Places toilet available at Exploria (in Portsmouth Pyramids), which is 3.2km from the Engine Houses. You can get there by heading westwards along Henderson Road, then taking Cromwell Road, St George’s Road, Eastney Esplanade, South Parade and Clarence Esplanade.
The Engine Houses are reasonably well lit but can be darker during the winter months. The outside area has no additional lighting. The building is silent when not in steam but can be very loud and hot when in steam. During these times, there are moving parts and potentially hot surfaces throughout the site.