Accessibility

About the RSA and our exhibition programme

We are an independently funded art organisation which supports contemporary art and architecture in Scotland through our year-round programme of exhibitions, events and artist opportunities. Please visit our About page for more information.

All of our exhibitions are temporary and change regularly throughout the year. This means that the setup of the gallery space and the rooms we have open may be different each time you visit. As we need time to changeover our exhibitions we are temporarily closed for one or two weeks between shows. Visit our What’s On and Current Exhibitions pages to find out the most current information and Contact Us if you have any questions.

Despite being based in the Royal Scottish Academy building, our building is owned and maintained by the National Galleries of Scotland. We work closely with them to make the building as accessible as possible. Visit the National Galleries accessibility webpage here. 

While we always have a presence in the building with our permanent Academicians’ Gallery, we do not always have use of the full building. The National Galleries of Scotland put on temporary exhibitions, usually over the summer months, and other arts organisations often use the building for their exhibitions too. This means we cannot always provide detailed information about everything on view in the building. We try our best to keep our What’s On pages up to date with links to what else is happening in the building.

Stair-free access

The front entrance on Princes Street hasStair-free access is via the back of the RSA building (South entrance), opposite the entrance to the National Gallery. The building is accessed by a ramp from this entrance and a lift is just inside the door servicing each floor.

We can also be accessed from the National Gallery garden level entrance in the east Princes Street Gardens. From this entrance the RSA galleries can be reached by lift. 

Wheelchairs 

The National Galleries of Scotland, who own and manage our building, have a number of wheelchairs on site that can be borrowed free of charge whilst visiting the gallery. Please ask a member staff at the entrance if you require a wheelchair.

Facilities

Accessible toilets and baby changing facilities are available in multiple floors of the building.

Quieter times and sensory-friendly visits

When open you can usually visit us from Mon to Sat 10am-5pm, Sun 12-5pm. It tends to be quieter in the mornings and mid-week.

Please speak to a member of the gallery staff if you need help finding a calmer space during your visit.

The National Galleries of Scotland have child and adult-sized ear defenders available to borrow from the information desk in the garden level. 

Bags

For the safety of our artwork we ask that you do not bring large suitcases or backpacks into the gallery. If you have a large backpack we ask that your carry it in your hands or wear it on your front.

Lockers are provided by the National Galleries of Scotland in the garden level near the Scottish Café and Restaurant and National Galleries Shop. Please ask a member of staff if you are unsure how to find them. These are on a first come first served basis and require £1 or £2 coins which you will get back when retrieving your bags.

Get in touch

If you have any questions please get in touch with us.
You can use the form on the Contact us page,
Email info@royalscottishacademy.org
RSA Office 0131 624 6110
RSA Sales Desk 0131 380 5822