Social Story – Education

Find out what to expect at your workshop and/or self-guided visit at Orleans House Gallery with this visual Social Story – a guide with words and pictures.  This guide is aimed at school audiences. 

Orleans House Gallery is open Tuesday – Sunday 10am-5pm. The public can drop-in for free anytime during our opening hours. The last entrance to the gallery is 4.45pm. Your workshop and/or self-guided visit will have been booked in advance with our team. You can find out about our workshops and how to book here: Orleans House Gallery School Visit  

You can find our full access statement on the access page of our website here: Access  

If you have any questions or would like to chat about your visit before coming, please email us at artsinfo@richmondandwandsworth.gov.uk or you can phone us on 020 8831 6000

You will enter the site through one of our three entrances: 

1. Orleans Road Entrance: you will enter the site through a gate in the wall. There is a pathway that leads to Orleans House Gallery.

At the end of the path, you will need to cross the loose shingle driveway. This driveway leads to our car park, so watch out for cars before crossing.  

Cross the driveway and turn right. You will then reach the gallery entrance. 

2. The Driveway Entrance: On Riverside Road, opposite Orleans Gardens and play park, you will see a driveway covered in loose shingle. If you are on foot, please be aware of cars.  

At the end of the driveway there is a car park. 

The gallery is just in front of you, a few steps away. Head towards the gallery building.

3. The Riverside Entrance: On Riverside Road there is another entrance for pedestrians. Here there is a steep incline as you walk through the gate. 

Walk across the lawn to the entrance of the gallery.

Follow the pathway until you reach the gallery entrance. 

Depending on what you have booked, there are five spaces that you might explore with your class: 

• The Coach House 

• The Main Gallery 

• The Octagon Room 

• The Stables Gallery 

• The Gallery Grounds 

You will most likely start your day at the Coach House. You will find the Coach House by going through the small gate in front of you to the central courtyard.  

Turn right underneath the archway. The Coach House will be at the end of the path on your right.  

The Coach House: The Coach House is our main education space. You will either have your workshop here, or you will be able to drop off your bags here before your self-guided visit.  

The door is heavy, so an adult should open this door. There are benches on the side for you to leave your bags and coats.

If you are having a workshop, the room will be set up a like this. The artist leading the workshop will be here to greet you.

There is a sink in this room should you need to wash your hands. 

Once you have dropped off your things, you will either start your workshop or visit the site. This will have been decided by the teacher in advance of your visit.  

If you need the toilets, they can easily be accessed from the Coach House by turning left and walking under the glass canopy.

Accessible toilet:

Female toilet:

Male toilet:

From the Coach House to the Workshop (Indoor Lunch Space): Again, turn left and walk under the glass canopy. The workshop will be on your left through a blue door, before you reach the toilets. 

From the Coach House to the Main Gallery and the Octagon Room: 

From the Coach House, turn left and head through the archway into the courtyard. 

Walk straight ahead and either use the ramp or the stairs to enter the door to the gallery. 

Head through the door into the gallery reception area and the shop. 

Toilets are through the shop and to the left.

Male toilet:

Female toilet:

Accessible toilet:

Next to the shop is the Main Gallery entrance and Front Desk. Our friendly Front Desk Volunteer will greet you when you enter. Please let our volunteers or staff know if you require any additional support or if you have any questions. 

The Octagon Room is to the left of the Front Desk. You might spend some time visiting this grand room before visiting the exhibition in the Main Gallery. Depending on the exhibition in the Main Gallery, the Octagon Room may have artworks in it too.

To enter the Main Gallery, exit the Octagon Room through the doors on the right and walk down a few steps into the gallery.  

Alternatively, for step free access, exit out of the back door where a ramp will lead you to the Main Gallery. 

The gallery space changes with each exhibition and is split over two floors. The top floor can be accessed by stairs or by a lift which is behind the Front Desk.

The exhibition continues up the stairs onto the Mezzanine.  

Discover art as you walk along the Mezzanine.

At the end of the Mezzanine, turn left and discover more of the exhibition.  

Through the door to your right is the Study Gallery.  We don’t usually take school groups in here, but small groups are welcome to visit.

Exit through a second door on the left and take the lift or the stairs down to the ground level.  

To the right of the lift is a Refuge Call Point. Please push the button should you require emergency assistance.  

From the Coach House to the Stables Gallery: 

You will see the café across the courtyard. 

To the left of the café is the Stables Gallery. 

Walk across the courtyard to reach the entrance. The gallery space changes with each exhibition. 

From the Coach House to the Gallery grounds: Next to the café is a gate. Walk through the gate, turn right and head down the pathway until you reach the front of the gallery building.

Cross the road to explore the woodlands, or head onto the lawn.

If it’s nice weather, you might have your lunch on the lawn.