Opening Hours
Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens opening hours are 10am – 4pm (Monday – Saturday), 12pm – 4pm (Sundays). Please note the ground floor of the Museum and the City Library open at 9.30am.
Parking
Coaches and minibuses should drop off and pick up groups from the extended bus stop on Burdon Road, beside the Museum entrance. Minibuses can park in the pay and display car-park at Tatham Street, a 5 minute walk from the Museum entrance. The closest coach parking is at the Stadium of Light.
Groups arriving by metro should use Sunderland metro station which is a 5 minute walk from the Museum entrance. The closest bus stops are on Fawcett Street and John Street with Park Lane Interchange a ten minute walk away.
Access
The main entrance is at ground level and there are lifts to all floors. The Winter Gardens treetop walkway level is accessed by a lift inside the Winter Gardens. Please inform us in advance if your group includes wheelchair users or people with additional access needs. On the treetop walkway in the Winter Gardens, the number of wheelchair users is restricted to six at any one time to allow safe evacuation in the case of fire or emergency.
For further access information please visit the main museum website.
Arrival
The entrance doors are clearly marked ‘Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens’ from Burdon Road. When you enter the museum shop please sign in on the group visits sheet at the reception desk.
The Visitor Services staff at the shop/reception desk will advise you on where to store coats and packed lunches where a lunch space has been pre-booked. If you have booked a Museum-led workshop a member of the Public Engagement & Learning Team will meet you at the shop/reception desk. Please ensure that you allow enough time to visit toilets so that we can begin your workshop on time. Be aware that if you arrive late your workshops may have to be cut short.
Toilets
The main toilet block is on the ground floor opposite City Library and has 4 male and 4 female toilets in each block.There are additional accessible unisex toilets on each floor of the museum.
Storage
Secure storage space for bags and coats is limited so please book storage in advance.
Lunch Spaces
The Pottery Gallery and Textile Traditions Galleries on the ground floor can be booked for packed lunches. The Pottery Gallery can accommodate 80 people (2 classes) for lunch, with one class sitting at tables and the other seated on plastic sheets on the carpet. The Textile Traditions Gallery can accommodate 40 people (1 class) for lunch, seated on plastic sheets on the carpet. Please use the bin bags and cleaning equipment provided and carefully fold up plastic sheets after use to avoid dropping any leftovers on the carpet.
Shop
Please organise your group into smaller groups of 6 to visit the museum shop. The shop has a wide variety of pocket money priced items for sale.
Light Levels
Please note in some areas of the museum light levels in displays may be reduced to protect the objects on display. These include the Textiles Gallery.
Photography and Film
Photography and filming is allowed in all areas of the Museum except the L.S. Lowry area of the Art Gallery and the Special Exhibitions Gallery. Please avoid using flash to protect the museum collections. Groups wishing to undertake professional photography and film using tripods must seek special permission in advance and complete a form.
Closures
Every attempt is made to keep the gardens and galleries open but on occasion, areas may be closed for cleaning, maintenance, events or exhibition installation. If you wish to visit a specific gallery or space during your visit please check it is open by contacting the Museum in advance.