Centre for Accessible Environments (CAE) was recently engaged to help improve accessibility at the renowned Bletchley Park, a vibrant heritage attraction and museum. Teresa Rumble, Senior Access Advisor at CAE, tells us how they balanced historical preservation whilst creating a contemporary learning environment.
CAE’s Teresa Rumble with Phil Atkins, Head of Site Works at Bletchley Park Trust.
Bletchley Park was the home of British World War Two codebreaking; a place where technological innovation and human endeavour came together to make ground-breaking achievements that have helped shape the world we live in today.
“Bletchley Park Museum had plans to refurbish three buildings,” explained Teresa, “and the Trust sought an Access Consultant to join the design team for appraising the RIBA Stage 4A proposals and report on the progressing design during RIBA Stage 5.”
In 2019, CAE was commissioned by Bletchley Park Trust to provide access consultancy for its largest refurbishment to date, which encompassed three projects; the transformation of Block A, the Teleprinter Annexe and Block E into exhibition galleries, a Collection Centre, a new Learning Centre, and the 250-seater Fellowship Auditorium.
The refurbishment
CAE closely worked with Bletchley Park and its architects throughout the three refurbishment projects. Each one was set within a Grade II listed World War II building and offered significant challenges to creating an inclusive and accessible environment.
“Our role helped ensure that accessibility considerations were integrated into the design and construction processes, while respecting Bletchley Park’s original character,” Teresa told us.
Public spaces with Bletchley Park museum.
The challenges
Bletchley Park’s wartime build, narrow corridors, and sloped terrain required innovative solutions to meet modern accessibility standards. Additionally, its historical significance required careful preservation of heritage elements, alongside accessibility enhancements.
Accessibility success
Bletchley Park Trust was committed to inclusivity and had a willingness to challenge conventional design norms. This meant that, despite the challenges, CAE and Bletchley Park were able to create effective practical design solutions.
For instance, the new Learning Centre, in Block E, required a balance between historical preservation and creating a contemporary learning environment. The solutions included an adjustable lectern and creating visual contrast throughout to enhance accessibility, and the installation of acoustic solutions within the Learning Centre’s classrooms, ensuring optimal learning environments for all.
Other thoughtful design decisions include the layout of the Fellowship Auditorium and shallow slopes throughout, which improved access without compromising historical integrity.
“Block E, The Signals Building, was completed in 1943,” said Teresa. “The 1258m2 footprint building is mainly two storey. The project scope was to refurbish the entire building. The two-storey wings of the building were to become learning spaces for educational visits; the West wing to include a lecture theatre and flexible meeting spaces.
“Although most of the internal walls had already been altered, the layout of the building would mimic that of the wartime layout.”
All the new buildings neighbour each other within the Bletchley Park site.
A wide, easily accessible corridor at Bletchley Park museum.
Considerable alterations
“Block A is a brick-built block constructed during the war,” added Teresa. “The plan was to refurbish the entire building, which is two storey, with a 1405m2 footprint, and is Grade II listed.
“The building has undergone considerable alterations, but most of the corridor walls, all the brick sections and some partitions date from its original wartime occupation. The upper floor would become office accommodation, and the ground floor exhibition space.”
The Teleprinter Extension is also a two storey building, with a 210m2 footprint, appended to a link corridor between Blocks A and E. This building was being converted to a collection store and a digitisation and research suite.
Some exterior areas required accessibility upgrades too. “For Block E there are coach drop-off areas for school parties that required CAE input to path routes from coach to the learning centre,” said Teresa.
Thoughtful collaboration
“CAE’s work with the design team has been invaluable to both Bletchley Park Trust and our visitors,” said Head of Site Works at Bletchley Park Trust, Phil Atkins. “This included a training session with Bletchley’s current architect and internal team on inclusive design.
“Through an informative and educational relationship, the design of each refurbishment was shaped to make each building accessible and inclusive while retaining their original character.”
The future
The success of the accessibility initiatives at Bletchley Park lays the foundation for future projects. As Bletchley Park evolves and expands its visitor experience, ongoing collaboration with accessibility experts like CAE will ensure it remains accessible to all, for generations to come.
Teresa pointed out that the CAE’s input can take many forms. “In Block A, although not the exhibition designer (we were the access consultant for the building itself), I recommended a break out to the linear exhibition route to allow for visitors to leave the exhibition to visit the toilet facilities or to decompress or to return another time,” she said. “And in Block E, I encouraged the architect to rethink the lecture theatre plans and not have a stage requiring a ramp. The level access presentation area with the rise and fall lectern is wonderful!”
She thought that all of the Bletchley staff and project teams were wonderful to work with and so enthusiastic about incorporating accessibility There are many other elements incorporated into the visitor experience at Bletchley Park where they have ensured accessibility.
The Museum has step-free access, and all the exhibitions are positioned at ground floor level. Ramps are installed on site for easy access, and a lift is available to use to enter the exhibition area in Block A (The Intelligence Factory and The Art of Data). There are 24 disabled parking spaces at the back of the Porters’ Lodge at the entrance and another five in Block F car park.
Bletchley Park has a Changing Places facility in Block E Learning Centre. They offer free Multimedia guides to visitors, also available in British Sign Language (BSL) and audio description. Audio descriptions of The Intelligence Factory and The Age of AI are available to download onto visitors’ own personal device.
Large print guides are available for many of the exhibitions, and a tactile/ Braille guide is available for The Intelligence Factory. Many videos in exhibitions around the site have subtitles.
Sound enhancement systems for both hearing aid users and non-hearing aid users are available on some tours.
This article was originally published in September 2025 edition of Inclusive Design magazine.
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