Empress Museum

The Empress Museum stands on Empress Place, SW6 1TT, on the old Earls Court exhibition site. West Brompton is the nearest station — District line and Overground, about five minutes on foot — and Earl's Court, on the District and Piccadilly lines, is roughly ten. Empress Place itself is a quiet side street, so follow the signage from the main road rather than looking for a theatre frontage.

Yes, and unusually for a heritage building it is step-free throughout, so wheelchair users can move through the whole space rather than a designated part of it. There are accessible toilets, an induction loop available on request, and assistance dogs are welcome. Relaxed performances are programmed too — ask which dates when you book.

Doors open about 45 minutes before the performance and the halls are already in use by then, with pre-show entertainment running. Half an hour before the start is the least you want; a full 45 minutes lets you walk the space, take photographs and get a drink before anything begins, which is rather the point of a venue like this one.

Yes. Kiosks in the foyer carry branded programmes, souvenirs and toys alongside drinks and light refreshments, and there is a themed diner serving cocktails and snacks. Both are busiest in the last fifteen minutes before curtain-up, so browse early if you want to take your time over it.

There is a cloakroom, and it is a paid service. It takes small bags and handbags; large bags and suitcases are not accepted at all, so anything of luggage size needs to be left elsewhere before you travel over — there is nowhere on site to store it.