General info
Toilets
We want to make your visit a comfortable and enjoyable one. We have accessible toilets for people with disabilities, gender neutral toilets, and dedicated toilet facilities for men and women.
- Accessible toilets for people with disabilities are located throughout the Centre and on most levels. Full details about each of them, including dimensions and photos, can be found on the accessibility page here.
- Gender neutral toilets are located by Cinema 1 and The Pit theatre on Level -2. These toilets are marked as gender neutral for use by both those who don’t identify with a binary gender and those who do. Visitors who prefer to use gendered toilets can do so at the facilities bearing men’s and women’s gendered symbols, located throughout the centre.
- Men’s toilets can be found on Level -1 in the Hall, Level G in the Fountain Room and Kitchen, Level 3 by the Art Gallery, in the Theatre foyer, in the Conservatory, in all of our restaurants and cafés, and Auditorium 1 and 2. The largest men’s toilets are those on Level -1.
- Women’s toilets can be found on Level -1 by the Hall, Level G in the Fountain Room and Kitchen, Level 3 by the Art Gallery, in the Theatre foyer, in the Conservatory, in all of our restaurants and cafés, and Auditorium 1 and 2. The largest women’s toilets are those on Level -1
With the layout of our buildings, we recognise that there sometimes isn’t space in every venue for each of the toilet facilities we provide. This is something we’ll be addressing and improving as part of our upcoming renewal project. You’ll always be able to find a toilet for your needs though by speaking to one of our hosts who’ll be happy to point you in the right direction.
We currently also have temporary gender neutral toilets on Level 1 which are in place while we undertake repairs to the men’s toilets next to the Hall.
Babies and Young Children
You can find Baby Changing facilities in the following places:
• Level 3 – inside the male and female toilets next to the
Cloakroom.
• Level G – accessible toilet in the entrance to the Barbican
Kitchen.
• Level Minus 1 – lobby of the accessible toilets next to the cloakroom.
• Level Minus 2 – accessible toilet in the Cinema 1/Pit foyer.
• Cinema 2/3 – accessible toilet in the Cinema/Café foyer
Last updated: March 2022
Planned works
Some of our building systems are quite old and urgently need to be upgraded and repaired. We have already started work to address these issues.
Your health, safety and comfort are always our top priority. Our team is working hard to make your visit as comfortable and enjoyable as possible.
We do have more toilets available in other parts of the building. Just ask a member of our staff where to find them.
Thank you for your understanding and flexibility.
Much of the Barbican building infrastructure has been in place since the Centre opened over 40 years ago and has reached the end of its usable life.
Our plumbing system is affected by large quantities of scale that has built up in the pipes, causing them to be very susceptible to blockages. This restricts waterflow and often leads to multiple toilets being out of service.
The washbasins include foot-operated taps which is a unique design feature, so when they fail replacement parts are often difficult to source.
The complexity and heritage status of the Barbican also makes addressing these issues more challenging.
In the short term, we’ve been working with a contractor to remove the worst of the scale. This is not easy or quick to do due to the complexity and age of the systems.
As a temporary measure, we’ve also recently converted all foot-operated taps to motion sensor ones which will significantly increase their reliability.
In early 2024, we’ll start a comprehensive replacement of the plumbing and drainage systems that serve our toilets. This work will take us a few months to complete and be carried out in phases to limit disruption.
These improvements are part of our major Renewal Programme, which will address many of our building’s current shortcomings, care for the things people love about the Barbican, and open up the creative experience for everyone.
